Natural Remedies for Body Acne

| Modified on May 14, 2021

Body acne is the presence of acne flare-ups on parts of the body other than or in addition to the face. Body acne can be just as exasperating as facial acne. It commonly appears on the back, chest, thighs, and buttocks. Fortunately, there are effective natural remedies for body acne like apple cider vinegar, Epsom salt, dietary modifications and changes in body care products and routines.

Natural Remedies for Body Acne

Healing Baths

Body acne can be difficult to treat topically when larger areas of skin are affected, or areas that are harder to reach, like the back. Baths with simple but special ingredients can help you to treat large areas of skin all at once. Additionally, the skin absorbs the additives in the bath, allowing healing to occur internally as well.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Adding 1 cup of raw organic apple cider vinegar to a bath several times a week can help with body acne. The skin should be slightly acidic and apple cider vinegar helps to accomplish this. You can also take 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar is a glass of water once or twice a day for additional healing. Apple cider vinegar is a great remedy for balancing the system.

Epsom Salt

Have you heard of soaking in the ocean or hot springs to heal the body or the skin? You can have similar results taking an Epsom salt bath a couple of times a week. Your body absorbs the nutrients from the Epsom salt and the elements in Epsom salt (magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen) are helpful for skin healing.

Wear Natural Clothing

Wear clothing made from cotton, linen or the increasingly popular bamboo. Natural fibers breathe better and are easier to get clean. Synthetic fabrics are more likely to retain bacteria, contributing to skin problems.

Look for more natural products to wash your clothes, towels, and bedding as well. Chemicals in laundry detergents stay in your clothes and can be hard on the skin. Consider using soap nuts, or plain soap flakes and borax to wash your clothes. Dryer sheets and fabric softeners also fill your clothes with chemicals. Try wool dryer balls to keep your clothes static-free instead.

Use Simple Body Care Products

Have you looked at the long list of chemicals contained in most body care products on the market? Most lists contain many unpronounceable items that are oftentimes harmful to your skin.

Make homemade body scrubs to wash your skin. Use the healing baths listed above to get clean. Look for natural shampoo and conditioners to use instead of ones with sodium laureth sulfate. These products affect more than your scalp.

If you make your own laundry soap you will know the ingredients are natural and simple!

Oat and Epsom Salt Scrub

  • 1 cup oats (quick or rolled, not steel cut).
  • 1 cup Epsom salt

Grind up oats in a blender. Mix with Epsom salt. Store in a container. Put about a tablespoon of your scrub onto your washcloth to gently wash your body.

Do use a loofa or cotton washcloth to gently clean your skin. These items will exfoliate your skin, removing dead skin cells. Do not scrub your skin harshly. It needs gentle handling to heal well.

Next, read about effective natural remedies for acne. Using Vitamin C, turmeric, and dietary changes, in conjunction with of some of the above remedies can be just what is needed to rid you of body acne once and for all.

Do you have a natural remedy for body acne? Please share your story with us! Continue reading to learn which remedies worked best for our readers.




Acne Inversa Remedies

Posted by Jennifer (United States) on 01/26/2014

I have been suffering from self diagnosed acne inversa for 20yrs. At this point I am so desperate for it to be all over with. I just recently had a flare up under my right arm and have several holes where the infection came out of. One of them is an open area that looks like I was stabbed. It's the largest I've ever had. Under my left arm I have been "leaking" for the past four months after a flare up. Funny thing about my last flare up was that when the boil finally busted- after a bath with epsom salt- it seemed like all of my affected areas started to leak at the same time. My other arm pit began leaking more the areas on my abdomen began to weep as well. I would like to know what can I do to close the holes and help myself heal. I have been doing alot of research and have a beginning regimen prepared but feel that I have to heal from these last flare ups to begin it. Please help!!! I don't know how much more I can take.

Replied by Nanowriter
(Hotspot, Texas)
01/27/2014

Jennifer, I don't have any direct experience with your disease, but here are my thoughts and suggestions.

I think your disease is caused by a virus, and that the weeping of fluid from your sores after the magnesium sulfate bath was a sign of the virally infected cells bursting due to the magnesium, sulfate or both. I would see that as a good thing and the reason it was global is because the minerals were absorbed into your body and thus attacking the virus everywhere.

I would begin taking vitamin C to bowel tolerance every two hours and also use a trace mineral supplement. Experiment with the antivirals like selenium, colloidal silver, baking soda, olive leaf extract, etc. Always a good idea to research them first and I always check the Amazon reviews to see what has worked for other people, etc.

You might want to experiment with the epsom salt baths to see if it improves your condition. It may take several baths and it may look worse before it starts to get better. Mineral baths are an old treatment for skin problems.

Please let us know what works and what doesn't!

Replied by Louwrence
(Rustenburg, South Africa)
01/27/2014

Hi Jennifer, Make magnesiumsulfate (epsom salts) paste by grinding the epsom salts untill it is very fine then add glycerine very slowly until it is a firm paste. Put it onto the holes to draw out the junk, then you may solve the problem. It may be painful in the begining, when it does not burn anymore the hole is clean & should heal. Cover with a plaster.


Aloe Vera Gel

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Jack (New York City, NY) on 12/02/2007
★★★★★

I had bad acne on my outer thighs and butt. Tried all different scrubs and creams but they were never fully effective. Cleaning with which hazel and then putting Aloe Vera gel on my skin has cleared it all up! It has taken a few weeks, but I can visibly see a difference and I'm not getting any new pimples. The Aloe Vera gel (100% with no coloring) has also reduced the redness on my face - it's great stuff!


Apple Cider Vinegar

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Edith (Ventura, California) on 07/13/2012
★★★★★

Organic ACV used as an allover toner after showering worked for my boyfriend. He is 45 and has had incurable cystic acne on his back and bottom since he was 12. The cysts were very large, purplish, and would explode and leave painful, weeping, wounds. After two weeks of ACV application, and drinking three tablespoons per day, his acne completely disappeared. I think that it was the topical application that helped him the most. Thank you to everyone who posted information about ACV--it has really helped a lot.

Replied by Sandi
(Wichita, Kansas City)
12/07/2014

Did ACV also remove the acne marks? I have cystic acne on my back but they don't explode like your boyfriend's. Aside from treating acne I also want to remove the unsightly marks so I can wear backless dresses again.

Replied by Ondine
(California)
12/11/2014

I have lots and lots of bad acne scars, and after years of them not getting better I finally found something that works. I use ACV to treat and prevent acne, but it doesn't fade scars in my experience (only keeps new ones from appearing while the old ones lessen with time.) What really works for me to fade the scars is the aloe vera from a company m........r....h..... It's the best aloe vera I've found other than straight from the plant, it doesn't include stuff like formaldehyde or alcohol. I didn't see improvements for a few months and was dissapointed. Then one day I looked in the mirror and my back scars were waaaaaaaaay faded and, even more amazing to me, the pock marks on my face were halved.

I also use Dr. Bronners baby mild soap (using ACV or the aloe as a toner afterwards) and occasionally a drop of organic jojoba oil on any really bad cysts, morning and night.

It may take a while for you to find exactly what works, but I know you can find something to heal those scars and it's worth trying the aloe from mrh. :) Good luck!!

Replied by Sandi
(Wichita, Kansas City)
12/26/2014

Thanks for answering my questions Ondine. I know where to get the fresh aloe vera here. Do I have to use the mild soap you specified or I can use any mild baby soap before the ACV and aloe vera application?


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sophie (Dayton, Ohio, Usa) on 02/01/2012
★★★★★

I've had body acne and also folliculitus on my legs. The thing that helped me the most was taking weekly baths with ACV. I use just the regular grocery store kind, and I use about 4 cups in warm bath water. I soak until the water gets cold. Sometimes I add 2 cups of epsom salt if I have it around. In the begining I was taking the baths two to three times a week until the acne cleared up, now just once a week for maintainence. The baths also help prevent/eliminate shaving bumps.


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Vanessa (Clovis, Ca) on 07/29/2011
★★★★★

Have had acne since early teens and I'm now 22 and have tried EVERYTHING! I saw all of these post about ACV and decided to try it. I've been on it for about 3 weeks and have seen a really big difference in my shin. My chest is completely clear and back 90% better. Face 99% better! :)

I can't drink ACV with water, it's horrible! So I've been just taking a measuring spoon 1 tablespoon of the ACV one in the morning and one at night and having a glass of water in my other hand and gulp the ACV first then quickly drink glass of water right after.

I've also been using ACV on a cotton ball each night as a toner on my face chest and back and sleep on it and shower in the morning. It has worked wonders. I will use this tool for the rest of my life! :)


Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by Misty (Somewhere, Indiana, Usa) on 07/16/2011
★★★★★

Another "yea" for ACV/TTO. My favorite method of application is to soak some cotton in vinegar (the pasteurized cheap stuff works), then add 1-3 drops tea tree oil. I then use tape or an adhesive bandage to stick the cotton over the acne sore. I leave it there for hours. Even new pimples can disappear (or at least significantly shrink) in less than a day using this method.

Warning: I advise using this method only on non-sensitive areas. If you experience painful burning, this may not be the right method for you. The area will be a little red, especially if you use a larger piece of cotton than is your pimple.


Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Lor (Greensboro, Nc) on 05/31/2010
★★★★★

Backne Treatment/Cure

My son is only 14 and was suffering from Backne(acne on the back) for about a year. It was getting worse from sweaty sports and it got to be that he would not remove his shirt so I could examine it. When he finally agreed I was sad b/c he was young and already suffering with body issues.

I went to work investigating and trying different products. I read about a TX of Apple Cider Vinegar and Tea Tree oil.

He started treating himself by GENTLE washing with acne face wash and DRYING of back (no scrubbing or harsh cleaners). He then uses Stridex pad to further clean. He then dabs on Tea Tree oil with a cotton square and then dabs on Apple Cider Vinegar with a clean square.

The results are amazing. He does this at least once a day and often twice during sports or when needed. He is very impressed by the results and I am thrilled by the all natural ingredients and expense $10 for a bottle of TTO and $2 for a quart of ACV. He has been doing this for 6 months now.

The one caveot is the smell of the TTO. It really stinks. You will get used to it so dont be afraid. Also it will dissapate after 20 minutes. My son usually goes with out his shirt for 20 minutes and no one has commented on any smell so he is happy.

He has classmates that are on all kinds of medicine and tx from dermatologist and still dont have the kind of results that we have had.


Borax

4 User Reviews
5 star (4) 
  100%

Posted by Gizmo (Springfield, Mo) on 08/17/2012
★★★★★

I had tried practically EVERYTHING to try to rid myself of acne on my legs and buttocks. I had a lot of tiny pimples and large red ones. It was embarassing and made me self-conscious. I stumbled across an article about the therapeutic benefits of ocean water and clearing up complexion. I decided to experiment and purchased Sea Salt (made from evaporated sea water) and Tea Tree Oil. I mixed 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 tsp of Tea Tree Oil in a spray bottle with hot water.

When I take a shower, I use a bit of 20 Mule Team Borax (the kind in the laundry detergent aisle) and wash my acne prone areas with this. After I dry off, I spray the sea salt/tea tree oil mixture on my buttocks/thigh area and leave it on there for the rest of the day. I work from home so I was also reapplying the mist 2-3 times a day.

Sea salt will draw out the impurities from your skin so expect your acne to get a bit worse before you see results. After 4 days, there was a remarkable difference! I'm on day 7 and my little zits are all gone and I only have a few red ones left which have greatly reduced in size and redness. It will sting a bit but it is bearable. I've read it takes longer to have clear skin in that particular area so you will need to be patient. I had tried the apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, Witch hazel, exfoliating and borax alone before trying the sea salt and although it helped, I was still not happy.

I expect after another week, I will have perfect skin again! Good luck!

Replied by Rita
(Burson Ca)
09/14/2017

How many ounces of water? Spray bottles come in all sizes. Thanks.


Borax
Posted by Maria (Syracuse, Ny) on 09/08/2011
★★★★★

I have tried some of the remedies on the Earth Clinic site for bacne. I have had bacne my whole adult life. After using the 20 Mule team Borax on a back brush every morning in the shower my back is clear of acne! It did take about 2 months for it to clear up. I am so glad to have found this site. I love how my back looks now.


Borax
Posted by Rachel (Montclair, NJ) on 12/21/2008
★★★★★

Borax instead of soap: After reading all of the information about borax on the earthclinic website, I decided to experiment with it. I started using borax in place of the liquid bodywash that I normally used in the shower. I have always had breakouts on my chest and back and have tried everything (acne creams, soaps, kits for problem skin, alcohol, changing laundry detergent) and never had any lasting success keeping my skin clear from breakouts. Well let me tell you, since I started using the borax to wash myself with, my skin is COMPLETELY CLEAR! I've been using the borax now for about two months straight and will never go back to bodywash. I also started using it on my face and I will no longer buy facial cleansers again since the borax works so well. I still do use regular shampoo. I tried using just borax to wash my hair and the first day my hair looked great but the following two days my hair looked terrible. I now add a small handful of borax to my shampoo and use that with very good results. It is winter in NJ right now and usually I have a lot of static in my hair, but the borax seems to be counteracting that. I attribute the lack of static to the borax as that is the only different thing I am doing.

One last thing, the borax that I am using is the stuff you can get in the laundry aisle--20 Mule team borax. I love using borax and I love the Earthclinic website!

EC: Read more about borax here: https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/borax.html

Replied by Pam
(Garner, NC)
02/20/2009

I would like to know the recipe for 20 mule team borox body wash.

Replied by Citygirl27
(Richardson, Tx, Usa)
10/11/2012

Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending on load size) of Borax to your washing machine loads. Do this for a good few loads to make sure no nasties are residing in your clothes or sheets. Also adding vinegar in the "bleach" part of your washing machine, instead of bleach, is beneficial. You can use ordinary white vinegar, no need to use your expensive ACV :) .


Borax
Posted by Rachel (Montclair, NJ) on 12/21/2008
★★★★★

Borax instead of soap: After reading all of the information about borax on the earthclinic website, I decided to experiment with it. I started using borax in place of the liquid bodywash that I normally used in the shower. I have always had breakouts on my chest and back and have tried everything (acne creams, soaps, kits for problem skin, alcohol, changing laundry detergent) and never had any lasting success keeping my skin clear from breakouts. Well let me tell you, since I started using the borax to wash myself with, my skin is COMPLETELY CLEAR! I've been using the borax now for about two months straight and will never go back to bodywash. I also started using it on my face and I will no longer buy facial cleansers again since the borax works so well. I still do use regular shampoo. I tried using just borax to wash my hair and the first day my hair looked great but the following two days my hair looked terrible. I now add a small handful of borax to my shampoo and use that with very good results. It is winter in NJ right now and usually I have a lot of static in my hair, but the borax seems to be counteracting that. I attribute the lack of static to the borax as that is the only different thing I am doing.

One last thing, the borax that I am using is the stuff you can get in the laundry aisle.


Clay Mask

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Mary (Dallas, Tx, Usa) on 02/01/2012
★★★★★

I have suffered from pimples on my back and buttocks for most of my adult life. What I've found to be very helpful is to use a clay mask regularly - 1 to 2 times a week on the problem areas. I've even left it on over night.

Mint julep mask is very good for this.

Another tip: ladies, change your bra daily, I noticed I was getting breakouts in the area where my bra straps were - on the shoulder blades. I believe the sweat and dirt buildup on the straps contributes to the problem.

Make sure you are not constipated either, it will exacerbate the problem.

Replied by Francisca
(Zug, Switzerland)
02/02/2012

Hi, I advise you and everybody with skin or hair problems to read the book Skin Fitness, Safe and healthy skin care! I haven't finishing reading it yet so there are many details I haven't yet read but I already have some good tips: make sure your body don't overheat, during the day or at night (I often feel cold so I have always tended to over dress to make sure that I am hot enough, maybe because of that I have skin and hair problems! ), by trying to get used to live a bit colder you finish getting used to it (so I hope.... ). As far as washing your hair the authors advise people to use only a conditioner but I haven't yet read the details. I tried that today and I will see how it goes because when my perm is gone I don't want to go back to my overly straight hair, with no volume at all! Lately I tried a few methods of washing my hair like using baking soda but my hair got extremely dry, UT but the same thing happened. Then I tried only water but I looked like a homeless person with horrible hair. I know that usually you should try to quit using shampoo over a period of time so that the hair gets used to living without it but.... Difficult to look so bad.... Well, I will go on reading and if there are anymore useful tips I will pass them on. In the meanwhile one of the most important things seems to be: don't overheat!


Coconut Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Braveheart (Vancouver, Bc) on 05/28/2013
★★★★★

For Body Acne, put organic coconut oil all over your body and pick off any black specs that come out of your pores. Look closely you will see them. Some call it morgellons but I think it is a parasitic fungus everyone has but it affects others differently or not at all. Once we started getting them out of my whole family, all our acne/bumps/rashes started to go away.


Dietary Changes

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by Toriterese (Madison, Wi ) on 08/25/2010

I've wondered about dietary changes for chest acne. I have done alot of changes to address my facial acne, and have noticed a direct link to dairy and facial acne. Any suggestion what chest acne would be? I've refined my diet pretty well... Can't figure this one out.

Replied by Louis
(Sydney, Australia)
09/02/2010

Look in encyclopedia under 'Grover's Disease'

Replied by Dnkjn
(Berks, Pa)
09/02/2012
★★★★★

I had a food allergen with pork. Once I stopped eating pork my acne cleared up. I'm working on what other food(s) I might be allergic to as well.

Replied by Citygirl27
(Richardson, Tx, Usa)
10/11/2012

Wheat will often do the same. You may have a wheat sensitivity.


Dietary Changes
Posted by V (Toronto, Canada) on 02/01/2008
★★★★★

Changing my diet cured my back acne after about 12 years of suffering. It was pretty bad, especially in winter, occasionally I had cysts on my back, and even two surgeries to remove them with nasty scars left, but I am a guy, and do not care much of the scars. I visited doctors, tried medications, and of course it didn't work well, because acne at an adult age is a sign of internal disorder, and it can not be cured by tablets or gels. Finally I went through a cleaning program by myself (colon and liver), stopped esting any artificial food, and also easy digested carbohydrates (bread, cookies, sugar, portatoes and so on), and my acne virtually disappered in some months. I have again it only if violate my diet.

Replied by C.S.M
(VERO BEACH, FL)
03/19/2009

Popular Low-Glycemic Diet Shows Promise as Acne Treatment

This study was reported at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology today.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Health) Mar 09 - Most patients with acne report an improvement in their condition when they follow the low-glycemic diet originating in Florida known as the South Beach diet, researchers reported here at the 67th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

Panta Rouhani, PhD, with the University of Miami, and colleagues analyzed 41-item questionnaires completed by 2,528 patients who said that they were on the diet at the time they completed the survey and 467 who were not following the diet.

"Today, it is generally accepted by dermatologists that diet and acne are not related; however, this notion is based on only two primary references," the authors wrote in their poster presentation.

"Diet is a well-recognized factor in acute and chronic hyperinsulinemia," they added. "Recent evidence suggests that diet-induced hyperinsulinemia triggers a hormonal cascade, eliciting an endocrine response that simultaneously triggers unregulated epithelial growth and keratinization as well as androgen-mediated sebum secretion."

The South beach diet mimics the nutritional characteristics of diets found in non-Westernized populations known to be acne-free, they said. It is free of processed foods, cereal grains, dairy products, refined sugars, and refined oils and almost entirely comprised of unprocessed fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, fish, and seafood.

Whether adherence to a low-glycemic diet can alter acne in Western populations is unknown.

In the study, patients with acne lesions (75.3%) were asked if any changes in their skin occurred and whether these changes were improvements in their acne.

Overall, 86.7% reported noted skin changes to be improvements (90.7% of those on acne treatment versus 81.7% of those untreated, p < 0.001).

Most (86.7%) noted these improvements within 3 months of starting the South Beach diet (58.0% of those on acne treatment versus 42.0% of those untreated, p = 0.34).

Of patients on conventional acne treatment, 91.0% either reduced the dose or amount of treatment they were using.

The investigators said that the improvement in acne after a low-glycemic diet suggests that lifestyle factors such as nutrition may indeed play a role in the pathogenesis of acne.

They added that future research is needed to further clarify the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism and independent roles of nutrition, weight loss, and exercise.



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