13 Best Body Washes for Back Acne

Back acne is incredibly common – and incredibly frustrating. Finding the right products that will actually clear up breakouts on the back can be a challenge, and dealing with the annoyance (and sometimes physical pain) of this acne can take a toll on you.

While taking care of back acne often requires a multi-pronged approach, using the right body wash is a major piece of the puzzle. We’ll go over the best body washes for back acne below, as well as some of the steps you should take to treat breakouts on the back – and prevent them for good.

Back Acne: Causes and Treatment

Before we talk about the best back acne body washes, let’s go over a few things you should know about body acne. Acne forms when excess sebum (the natural oil that the body produces) and dead skin cells block the pores and traps in bacteria. This causes an inflammatory response, resulting in acne.

There are a variety of different causes of back acne. One of the most common causes is genetics – some people are simply more prone to back acne (and breakouts in general). Hormonal fluctuations are also a common culprit, as are certain medications. Sweat, stress, using pore-clogging body care products, and diet may also play a role in back acne.

How to Treat Back Acne and Keep Your Skin Clear

So how exactly do you treat back acne? It largely comes down to consistently using targeted body care products, and identifying any external triggers that may be contributing to your breakouts. Here are a few steps to take to help tackle back acne.

Find the Right Body Wash

In order to treat your back acne, you’ll want to add a targeted body wash to your routine. A great acne body wash will help wash away potentially pore-clogging debris and soothe inflammation to calm irritated acneic skin. Using a high-quality cleanser is key for both tackling current breakouts and preventing new acne from forming. You’ll find a variety of great body washes for acne below.

Use a Topical Treatment

Additionally, you may want to consider using a leave-on topical product that will help fight acne. There are a variety of sprays on the market containing ingredients proven to fight acne, such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. The spray formula makes it easier to treat hard-to-reach areas of the back. If you’d prefer, you can also find more traditional topical treatments that you apply by hand that contain these types of ingredients.

Assess Potential Back Acne Triggers

You may also want to look at the products you’re using to see if there is anything that may be contributing to your breakouts. Body lotions in particular can play a role in body acne. You’ll want to avoid using heavier formulas containing ingredients known to clog pores, and instead use a lightweight moisturizer containing non-comedogenic ingredients. Oil-free body lotion formulas can also be great for acne-prone skin.

Another potential acne trigger that you may not have considered is laundry detergent. Some laundry detergents contain ingredients that are known skin irritants – particularly synthetic fragrances and dyes. These ingredients can be left on your clothes, and eventually make their way to your skin, contributing to acne. If you think your laundry detergent is playing a role in your back acne, swap it out for another fragrance-free and dye-free formula.

Prevent Future Back Acne Breakouts

Once you’ve treated your back acne, you’ll want to do everything in your power to keep your skin clear. The best thing you can do to ensure your back stays acne-free is continue using a great body wash, and any topical treatments that may have worked for you. Here are some additional lifestyle switches you may want to implement in order to keep your back clear:

• Remove sweaty clothes and shower immediately after working out: Your post-workout clothes can trap sweat, dirt, bacteria, and excess debris in your pores, which can eventually lead to breakouts. After working out, jump in the shower as soon as possible (and use your targeted acne body wash, of course).
  
• Wear loose-fitting clothes when working out: Tight workout clothes can contribute to back breakouts, as they hold sweat and debris close to the skin, trapping it in. In order to avoid back acne, wear looser, lighter shirts made of cotton or sweat-wicking material.
  
• Put up your long hair: If you have longer hair that touches your back, natural oils and hair products may be playing a role in your back acne. When your back is exposed, try to avoid leaving your hair down, as oil and product may transfer to your skin and clog pores. This is particularly important to do when you are working out.
  
• Regularly wash sheets and pillow cases: Your bedding can easily harbor oil, dirt, sweat, and other excess debris that can clog your pores. Stay on top of washing your sheets and pillow cases on a regular basis to help prevent breakouts.
  

The Best Back Acne Body Washes

1. Blu Atlas Body Wash

Blu Atlas creates high-quality nature-powered skin and body care products that deliver seriously impressive results. The Blu Atlas Body Wash is formulated to wash away potentially pore-clogging debris while also soothing and supporting overall skin health.

The dermatologically tested formula is made without sulfates, which have the potential to irritate the skin (which you particularly don’t want when you have already aggravated acneic skin). Instead, gentle (yet incredibly effective) surfactants work to wash away dirt, oil, dead skin cells, and other excess debris present on this skin without causing irritation or dryness. The body wash is also free of parabens and phthalates.

A hero ingredient in the Blu Atlas Body Wash is green tea extract, which is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. This natural ingredient helps calm irritated skin that is prone to blemishes, while also minimizing redness. The formula also features aloe barbadensis leaf, another antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient that further soothes while also moisturizing the skin.

Additionally, this body wash contains coco-caprylate and shea butter glycerides, which work to lock in moisture without clogging pores for soft and hydrated skin. Sugar cane extract gently exfoliates the skin, getting rid of debris that can clog pores, while also hydrating the skin.

2. Peter Thomas Roth Acne Face & Body Scrub

This multi-use scrub from skin care brand Peter Thomas Roth is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a product to treat both face and back acne. This scrub is packed with a variety of ingredients that help tackle acne and prevent future breakouts.

A key ingredient in the Peter Thomas Roth Acne Face & Body Scrub is the chemical exfoliant salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that works deep in the pores to unclog debris and treat acne. While salicylic acid works in the pores, glycolic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid, or AHA) works to exfoliate the surface of the skin, promoting a smoother and less dull complexion.

This face and body scrub also contains natural jojoba beads, which provide physical exfoliation power to unclog pores and remove dead skin cells and excess debris from the skin. This gentle scrub – which is formulated to effectively cleanse and treat the skin without causing dryness – also contains a variety of soothing and hydrating ingredients to balance the skin, including aloe leaf juice and allantoin.

3. CeraVe SA Body Wash for Rough & Bumpy Skin

CeraVe is a great drugstore personal care brand that has many effective products that target acne. The SA Body Wash for Rough & Bumpy Skin is one of the best body washes for back acne, as it contains a variety of ingredients that tackle breakouts and soothe the skin. It is also formulated to effectively cleanse away dirt and debris without causing irritation or disrupting the skin’s barrier. The formula is non-comedogenic (meaning it doesn’t contain ingredients known to clog pores), and doesn’t contain any fragrances or parabens.

One of the star back acne-fighting ingredients in this affordable body wash is the chemical exfoliant salicylic acid, which has been proven to help minimize breakouts. While the salicylic acid gets to work, a variety of other ingredients calm and hydrate for comfortable and soft skin. CeraVe’s patented MVE Technology helps continually provide moisture to the skin so that it stays hydrated around the clock. Hyaluronic acid helps attract moisture to the skin and lock it in, improving the skin’s hydration levels, while niacinamide soothes. The body wash also features three essential ceramides, which help restore the skin’s barrier.

4. Zitsticka Silkshake Body Cleanser

Skin care company Zitsticka offers a wide variety of products specifically formulated to tackle acne and promote a clear and healthy complexion. The company’s Silkshake Body Cleanser contains a blend of nutrient-dense ingredients that help clear breakouts, calm redness, and deeply cleanse the skin.

This body cleanser contains pre, post, and probiotics, which help regulate good and bad bacteria on the skin to maintain a healthy skin flora. The prebiotics also work as a humectant, drawing water to the skin to keep it hydrated, while probiotics and postbiotics support the skin’s barrier and reduce redness. Another key ingredient in the Silkshake Body Cleanser is tea tree oil, an antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory ingredient that has antimicrobial properties and has been proven to help treat breakouts.

Omegas 3, 6, and 9 and antioxidant-packed acai berry also help fight redness, improve skin texture, and mitigate irritation, while glycerin further moisturizes the skin. This body wash is formulated without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals, silicones, or synthetic dyes or fragrances.

5. Naturium The Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash

Naturium creates high-tech skin and body care products that are offered at budget-friendly prices. The company’s The Perfector Salicylic Acid Body Wash is formulated to decongest pores and cleanse while also moisturizing and nourishing the skin.

This Naturium body wash features encapsulated salicylic acid. This time released salicylic acid gently exfoliates the skin and unclogs pores while maintaining the skin’s pH levels. These spheres stick to the skin, and then a hydrophobic matrix slowly breaks them down, releasing the salicylic acid over time. The result is smooth skin and unclogged pores without any irritation or dryness.

In addition to this unique form of salicylic acid, this body wash contains glycerin, which attracts moisture to the skin to maintain its softness and suppleness, as well as linoleic acid-rich oils (such as safflower seed and olive fruit oils), which nourish the skin. This dermatologist tested formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and is also free of fragrances, parabens, and gluten.

6. Level Naturals Tea Tree + Activated Charcoal Bar Soap

If you prefer bar soaps over liquid cleansers, consider the Level Naturals Tea Tree + Activated Charcoal Bar Soap. Southern California-based Level Naturals is a vegan and cruelty-free company that makes simple and effective products featuring clean and natural ingredients. The company’s formulas are free of synthetic dyes and fragrances.

As the name suggests, this bar soap is powered by two star ingredients: tea tree oil and activated charcoal. Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory tea tree oil helps fight breakouts, while activated charcoal removes excess oil and other impurities that can clog pores from the skin. While these two natural acne-fighting ingredients tackle breakouts, a variety of plant oils and other natural ingredients help moisturize, soothe, and nourish the skin. This includes shea butter, safflower oil, jojoba seed oil, and meadowfoam seed oil.

7. Murad Acne Body Wash

Murad is a doctor-founded skin and body care company that creates modern, high-performance products that address a variety of skin concerns. The company’s Acne Body Wash is formulated specifically for normal, combination, and oily skin types, and uses the power of multiple exfoliants to help fight back acne and keep the skin clear and healthy.

The Murad Acne Body Wash contains both physical and chemical exfoliants. One of the key acne-fighting chemical exfoliants is salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid, or BHA), which dives into the pores and unclogs debris to treat and prevent breakouts. The formula also features glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that works on the surface of the skin, exfoliating dead skin cells and other debris that may clog pores. It also helps to promote a smooth and soft complexion. In addition to these two chemical exfoliants, this body wash contains date seed powder, which works with glycolic acid to clear away debris on the surface of the skin that can clog pores.

While these exfoliants get to work, green tea and licorice root extracts help soothe irritation, which is particularly important when dealing with aggravated acneic skin. The formula also features ingredients that moisturize and nourish the skin, including glycerin and jojoba esters. The Murad Acne Body Wash is made without phthalates, parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, or petrolatum.

8. Dr. Song Benzoyl Peroxide 10% Acne Wash with Hyaluronic Acid

Dr. Song is a Korean skin care company dedicated to creating simple products containing effective, science-backed ingredients. The company avoids traditional marketing and retail costs, which helps it offer great skin care products at affordable prices.

The Dr. Song Benzoyl Peroxide 10% Acne Wash with Hyaluronic Acid – which can be used on both the face and the body – contains a potent 10% medical grade concentration of benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide is a highly effective acne-fighting ingredient that is able to kill the bacteria on the skin that causes acne. This science-backed ingredient is also able to unclog pores and control excess sebum production. The Dr. Song formula contains a micro-benzoyl peroxide, which deeply penetrates into the skin for the best results.

This formula also features hyaluronic acid, which draws moisture to the skin and locks it in, which can help counteract the potentially drying effects of the high concentration of benzoyl peroxide. For those currently dealing with breakouts, the wash can even be used as a spot treatment.

9. Hero Cosmetics Power Wash

Hero Cosmetics creates a variety of skin and body care products, and is perhaps best known for its range of products that tackle acne. The company’s Power Wash contains a blend of exfoliating and clarifying ingredients that unclog pores for a back acne-free complexion. It is made without sulfates, drying alcohols, phthalates, formaldehyde, or artificial colors or dyes.

This body wash features a chemical exfoliant called gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid. This gentle exfoliant clears away dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, while also smoothing and hydrating. It also features the company’s Mighty Mineral Complex, a blend of colloidal silver, malachite extract, and copper, which work together to balance the skin’s bacteria. The Hero Cosmetics Power Wash has a fresh and bright scent, with notes of yuzu and fig.

10. Mario Badescu A.H.A. Botanical Body Soap

Skin and body care brand Mario Badescu sticks to a philosophy of creating formulas that are simple, gentle, and effective. The company’s best-selling A.H.A. Botanical Body Soap contains a blend of exfoliating ingredients that get rid of potentially pore-clogging debris while promoting smoother and brighter skin.

This body wash contains the chemical exfoliant glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid that works on the surface of the skin to clear away dead skin cells and debris, helping to promote a smoother and more even complexion. It is also infused with refreshing and antioxidant-rich grapefruit, which further works to gently exfoliate, as well as ginseng and linden, two other ingredients containing high levels of antioxidants. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free, and is also free of parabens and gluten.

11. Replenix Benzoyl Peroxide 5% Acne Wash

Replenix is another great skin care company offering an effective benzoyl peroxide wash. This soap-free wash is formulated to be used on the face and body, and is particularly great for oily skin types. It is non-drying and non-irritating, and has a super simple ingredients list that is free of parabens, oils, fragrances, and gluten. It is also cruelty-free.

The Replenix Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Wash contains a 5% concentration of benzoyl peroxide, which works to kill acne-causing bacteria, unclog pores, and control the production of sebum. This 5% concentration is effective yet less likely to cause irritation and dryness when compared to similar formulas with higher benzoyl peroxide concentrations.

12. Kayo Detox Body Wash

Health and wellness company Kayo takes a different approach to caring for the skin on the body. The company believes that we should dedicate just as much care and attention to treating our body as we do our face, and creates what it calls “face grade body care.”

The Kayo Detox Body Wash is a highly-potent cleanser formulated to gently yet effectively wash away excess debris that is clogging the pores while exfoliating for smoother skin. It features bamboo charcoal, which draws out impurities, dirt, oil, and pollutants from the skin. Willow bark extract – which contains salicylic acid – gently exfoliates the skin, clearing dead skin cells that can clog pores.

The body wash also contains a variety of nourishing and hydrating ingredients to keep the skin soft and strong. This includes antioxidant-rich olive leaf extract and aloe vera, which soothe and nourish the skin. Avocado oil, which is rich in fatty acids and a variety of vitamins, also works to hydrate the skin. The vegan and cruelty-free formula is free of sulfates, phthalates, parabens, alcohol, dyes, and PEGs.

13. Alba Botanica Acnedote Face & Body Scrub

Alba Botanica is known for creating affordable skin and body care products that are powered by natural ingredients. The Acnedote Face & Body Scrub is one of the best body washes for back acne, because it contains a variety of ingredients that fight acne and soothe the skin. The cruelty-free formula is non-comedogenic, and made without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, artificial colors, or synthetic fragrances.

One of the key ingredients in this dermatologist tested face and body scrub is the chemical exfoliant salicylic acid, which helps unclog pores to fight acne. Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial willow bark extract also helps treat and prevent breakouts while calming irritated skin.

In addition to the chemical exfoliating power, this scrub contains ground walnut shells, which physically exfoliate the skin. This helps promote a smoother complexion. The formula also contains a variety of ingredients that further soothe and moisturize the skin, including glycerin, licorice root, and aloe leaf.