You probably think that acne can only develop on your face. Well, you might be surprised that it can also appear on your face. Acne, whether it appears on your face or neck, is caused by excess sweat, dirt, oil, and other bacteria becoming trapped in the hair follicles and pores of the skin.
If you find yourself having acne on the neck, you might wonder how to get rid of neck acne fast. While you probably won’t get rid of acne overnight, there are ways to get rid of acne effectively. Using over-the-counter (OTC) acne medication can be effective in treating mild acne. On the other hand, severe acne may need prescription medicine, laser treatments, antibiotics, or chemical peels to get rid of it.
This article will talk about the types of neck acne, its causes, and how you can get rid of it to have an acne-free neck. If you want to treat neck acne, read on!
Types Of Neck Acne
There are several types of acne and they are not limited to developing on your face. The different types of acne that you can get on your face can also appear on your neck, back, and shoulder.
Blackheads and whiteheads are common, especially if you only have mild acne. More severe acne can take the form of pustules, papules, nodules, or cystic acne.
Pustules are red and tender bumps that are often filled with pus. Papules are also red and tender bumps but look more like rashes on the skin. Papules are also typically not filled with pus. These types of acne are more elevated and often appear in clusters. Oftentimes, Papules can turn into pustules.
Nodular acne, on the other hand, is deep and painful lumps that form under your skin. If you have nodular acne, it requires treatment from a professional as it cannot typically be treated using over-the-counter (OTC) medication or natural home remedies. Cystic acne is also a pus-filled pimple that is painful and develops underneath your skin. While uncommon, cystic acne is a severe type of acne and a prescription is typically needed if you want to treat this kind of acne.
What Causes Pimple On The Neck?
Acne development on the face, neck, shoulders, or back is caused by hair follicles or pores becoming clogged. There are a lot of factors that can cause clogged pores which can cause mild to severe acne.
Let’s take a look at some of the factors that can contribute to clogged-up pores.
Fluctuation In Hormones
Hormonal acne can cause mild to severe breakouts such as blackheads, whiteheads, and even painful cysts. As your hormone level changes, it also increases the production of sebum that the sebaceous glands produce.
Too much sebum, along with dead skin cells and bacteria, can cause the pores to clog. Acne typically starts during puberty as this is when the hormones change a lot. For women, acne can start to appear before their menstrual cycle as their hormones fluctuate during this period. Aside from the neck, hormonal acne also appear on the jawline and the chin.
Makeup Products
Makeup products are also a common culprit as to why neck acne appears. When you wear makeup, the products that you use cover up the pores. This results in bacteria and dead skin cells getting trapped under the makeup.
Certain makeup products have comedogenic ingredients. These ingredients cause comedones or blocked pores. If you always wear makeup, make sure to get non-comedogenic products as these will not clog your pores. Aside from choosing the right makeup product, not washing your makeup effectively can cause breakouts to happen.
Body Wash And Cleansers
Not all body wash and cleansers are suited for your skin type. Using a body wash and cleanser that is not well-suited for your skin can cause skin irritation and can even cause a bad case of breakouts.
If your body wash or cleanser is causing acne to develop, your skin might be sensitive to the ingredients found in the products that you buy. Heavily-scented products may cause acne so try using fragrance-free and hypoallergenic products. This can prevent acne from developing on your neck and other parts of your body.
Poor Hygiene
Aside from using products that are not suited for your skin type, not washing your neck regularly can cause acne development in your neck. You are exposed to dirt, sweat, and bacteria throughout the day and these can clog up your pores which can result in acne.
Make sure that you do not neglect your neck when you bathe. This will keep you from getting acne or other skin issues like rashes or discoloration. When you wash your face and neck, make sure not to scrub too hard as doing so can irritate the skin even further. While there is no scientific evidence that poor hygiene causes acne, it is always a good idea to have good personal hygiene practices to keep bacteria at bay.
Beards
Most people who have facial hair develop acne. This is because of the beard trapping excess oils, bacteria, and dead skin cells in the skin. Beard acne can be caused by not washing, exfoliating, and hydrating the skin under the beard.
Using dirty razor blades to shave your beard can irritate your skin and cause acne. There is no shame in having a beard but make sure to wash it as it can get oily and cause the oil and dead skin cells to be trapped.
If you have a beard and already have acne, avoid touching your beard. Always use a clean face towel when you wash your face. Also, make sure to wash or shave your beard with clean hands to avoid transferring dirt, acne-causing bacteria, and grime to your beard.
Exercise And Sweat
Exercising itself will not cause you to have acne however, exercising can cause excessive sweating. Oil, dirt, and bacteria can also build up on your skin when you exercise because of sweat. Before working out, you may need to remove your makeup to prevent the oil, dirt, and bacteria from becoming even more trapped underneath your makeup.
Make sure to also wear clean workout clothes when exercising, Wearing a Dri-fit shirt can help wick away moisture from the body. This can keep you dry and comfortable.
Aside from removing your makeup and wearing clean clothes, using a clean towel to dry your sweat is a must. Make sure you don’t rub the towel on your face or neck but just gently pat the sweat off your skin.
Rubbing a face towel on your face or neck if you have acne can cause it to flare up even more. Carrying another towel for wiping the gym equipment is also a good idea as shared equipment can promote bacteria growth, especially if the previous user did not wipe off the equipment.
Not Washing Your Clothes Properly
The oil from your body and being exposed to dirt throughout the day can stick to your clothes. This in turn can clog up the pores when your shirt gets in contact with your skin. Make sure you are washing your clothes properly to keep bacteria from thriving on your shirt. Wearing a clean shirt before you go to bed will also prevent acne from developing on your neck.
How To Get Rid Of Acne Fast
Acne typically goes away on its own and it does not usually heal overnight. It could take days or weeks, if not longer, for neck pimples to last depending on how mild or severe they are. Treating neck acne will depend on what type of acne you have and how mild or severe it is. You can use OTC products for mild acne but, severe acne like nodular and cystic acne typically needs to be treated with prescription medicine.
Here are some of the ways you can do to get rid of acne:
Over-The-Counter Treatments
As we said earlier, OTC acne treatments can help reduce mild acne. Products with ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid can help prevent acne from forming as they have anti-inflammatory properties. Do note that these products can be drying to your skin. This can cause redness and flaky skin. It is best to use a moisturizer to keep your skin from drying out.
Remove Makeup Effectively
One of the causes of acne is from using comedogenic makeup. These products block pores and if you don’t remove your makeup effectively, it will cause your skin to break out.
Some people forget to wash the makeup off their necks and focus only on the face. Make sure to effectively wash the makeup off your neck, especially before you go to bed, to keep the pores from becoming clogged up.
Clean Your Clothes Regularly
Sweat and dead skin cells that are trapped in your clothes can cause your neck to break out. Aside from your clothes, your linen (bedsheets, pillowcases, and towels) can also cause acne. Washing your clothes and linen properly and regularly will keep sweat, dead skin cells, and other bacteria from sticking to your body. If you sweat regularly, using moisture-wicking clothes can prevent sweat from sticking to your body.
Prescription Treatments
If OTC products don’t work or you have a severe case of acne, prescription treatments can help get rid of acne fast. Consulting a board-certified dermatologist can help assess your skin condition. A healthcare professional can also advise you on treating your acne.
Your dermatologist can give your prescription medication such as topical creams, ointments, antibiotics, contraceptives, or isotretinoin. They can also suggest you undergo laser treatments, chemical peels, or steroids to get rid of acne.
Wrap Up
OTC acne medication, laser treatments, chemical peels, and just making sure your neck is clean are just some ways to get rid of acne. If you have mild acne, OTC medication can work. But, if you have severe acne, consulting a dermatologist is the best way to know what kind of treatment is effective for your neck acne. If you have any other questions, do let us know how we can help via the contact form on our website!
