Natural Remedies for Body Acne

Olive leaf extract- I am using 6 drops of tincture twice a day.

Not sure if you'd call it a "cure" as much as a "treatment" that works as long as I am using it. Has completely eliminated a 35 year case of body acne.

I wanted to report my success with a new treatment plan because I am incredibly happy with the results.

I am not 100% cured yet, I do not expect to be, but this has significantly reduced my breakouts to almost non-existent!

My back acne was to the point of uncomfortable when I would lay down, causing me pain. I have not been formally diagnosed, no idea what type of acne I have. I DO have a tendency towards cystic acne on my face (diagnosed), so I imagine that is likely what's going on throughout my body.

I began a regimen of salicylic acid body wash (2% - multiple brands) and that did not touch it. I also tried peroxide-based cleaners & still no luck. I used rubbing alcohol in my teenage years with some success & decided to give it a try again.

To be safe, I dilute it with witch hazel (50-50 mixture in a spray bottle approximately 4 ounces). I also add about 30 drops of tea tree oil, but you can certainly add more if you can manage the pungent scent & tingling sensations on your skin.

Really, you do not need the witch hazel. I did this for its toning properties & to reduce the drying effects of the alcohol. If you wanted to use distilled water, that would be fine too. I use this mixture morning before I dress & evening after a shower. It MAY sting just a little bit, particularly after the shower when your pores are opened. If that's unbearable to you, don't use the alcohol & stick to the witch hazel (& perhaps try diluting that with distilled water as well, just in case).

This has helped reduce my breakouts so much, I no longer fear wearing backless dresses or being on the beach. I will occasionally get a few here & there, but I no longer have entire patches of acne on my back & the lifespan of the few pimples I do get is reduced to about 2 days with this therapy.

After 3 years of cyclical body acne, I'm happy to say it's manageable. I think with continued therapy of the tea tree oil, it will only get better. I wish you the best of luck!

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?

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!!

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.

The first time I had this condition was 2.5 years and it lasted a painful 3 months. I just had an out break in November and it lasted till now. I strongly believe it was caused by a shampoo conditioner. My cure after trying many was using a skin cream ointment with Clotrimazol 1%, Neomycin 0.5%, Dexametaona 0.04% and I mixed it with full strength Iodine-iodine is a strong fungicide. It makes a good dark red paste. I popped the pimples and rubbed in the mixture. When I started my lymph gland in the back of my head was swollen and hurt horribly and after five days it is now normal size. No more pimples and it works. DO NOT PUT STRAIGHT IODINE ON THE PIMPLES AS IT WILL BURN HORRIBLY-TRUST ME. The mixture will sting a little but not unbearable. It worked for me. Try it on a small area and see. I saw relief within a few hours.

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.

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!

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.

Sorry--I meant to type "You could try..." I didn't intend to sound so bossy! :)

~Mama to Many~

Dear Brandon,

You try washing your hair with baking soda and rinsing with vinegar. There is a lot of discussion about doing this here:

https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/hair_shampoo.html

At first, it may make your hair seem more oily, but should tame it down a lot. I would give it a week or two. It is hard to find a shampoo that does not have SLS in it, which is bad for your hair and scalp and may make it harder for you to heal the acne. This should be compatible with what Dave suggested.

Have you tried any of the other things people have suggested on the acne pages? It seems like there is a lot of trial and error since the cause can be different for different people.

I agree with Dave that food could be aggravating your condition. You could also look into the PH balancing pages and try that.

Let us know how it goes! I hope you have a solution soon.

~Mama to Many~

To Brandon,

Would my opinion change? No. My observation was not based on the antibiotics issue. Except obviously some Doctor (MD) thought this was an infection or else the prescription of an antibiotic would not have been given and that would bolster my hunch that the problem you are encountering is an INFECTION.

(I apologize if you were speaking to someone else, but you didn't mention anyone's name in your question...and when I looked at the "thread history" I was the first and only to respond. Best to you.)

Would your opinion change if I meant amoxicillian instead of acetaminophen?

Hi Brandon,

About the scalp issue: Two suggestions.

First the condition could be the result of acidic reaction to too much acidic foods; ketchup...chili, tomatoes; Food reaction is what I'm thinking and I've had such a reaction (not so severe) as you are discussing. When I get away from acidic foods the reaction is much less. If I apply isopropyl alcohol to the outbreaks it will sting but immediate relief. An even more effective over the counter is "Scalpicin"...

Second: This condition might be an infection, fungal... like ringworm, microsporum canis; or scabies...microbiotic mites. For the former I use an over the counter cream, like Tenactin, or Lamisil, which has Terbinifine as the active ingredient. Tenactin has a different active ingredient that also kills ringworm fungus.

If you've been around cats and dogs as indoor pets growing up, you just might have the later problem...rather than the food reaction.

I'am 22, and have had this issue since I was 16. I do have fairly thick hair that I never let grow out past my ears, and I'll admit my skin is more oily than others. But I've had what seems to be excessive acne only on my scalp, in my hair. They swell, leak, and become scabby. If I use products to dry out my hair they become incredibly itchy, and seem to be regularly itchy no matter what. Ive been given different antibiotics from different DRS, Acetominphen seems to have the best result they go completely away until I run out of the antibiotic and then they return, (with what feels like vengeance). my last dr tested the puss from one of the pimples and deduced it was "natural", and continued to give the antibiotic. please any input would be greatly appreciated.

I've had nice hair all my life. Lately the hairline is receding and there is acne like bumps in the hair at the hairline, especially near my ears. I read someone said their pet got acne from a type of plastic, so I quit using a plastic water bottle I'd been using for several months. I also scrubbed the acne real good with shampoo because I'd been using sunscreen on my face often and probably not washing it out of my hairline well. It's mostly gone, but not all. My hair is still receding. But I started drinking milk again as I found I tolerate it as long as it's got ginger and turmeric in it, I used to drink a lot of milk but quit years ago because it gave me painful stomach.

Acne on the scalp as on the rest of the body means that your body is toxic and probably in an acidic state. Antiobiotics would only exacerbate the problem. You need to look at what you are eating and start to detox your body.

If you are only treating it on the scalp you are not healing your body internally.

Put your own urine on your scalp for a couple of hours... Then wash... It will usually be gone after one treatment... Repeat if necessary... It will also kill athletes foot in one day...

Hello Rishabh from Punjab:

I like that: Rishabh from Punjab.

You report acne on scalp. And you've tried antibiotic cream to no avail. Condition for five years.

You don't give us much to go on so I'll throw out some suggestions and if you can tell us more basics that would help... Basics such as; does condition worsen from time to time when you eat different foods, or is the condition basically the same all the time? And, are you on any medications which might tell us something. Allergies?

So now with little to go on, consider these ideas;

Let's first start with the theory that you have an infection; likely fungal but possibly viral. To kill a fungal infection on the skin I like the herb echenacia in liquid form.

Next, if the condition is not viral/fungal think of the possibility that your system may be acidic and you need to bring it back to alkeline. Use baking soda, one half teaspoon in glass of water and drink. Save a bit of the baking soda liquid and place fingers in liquid and rub on scalp.

Next consider your system has gotten a poison or chemical that is causing erruptions. Use charcoal tablets. For years I used charcoal as a catcher of toxins. I've also used "clay" as in bentonite clay. A half teaspoon well mixed in warm water. Drink. Also apply some of the clay to make a paste and apply to scalp.

Next consider the topical application of Apple Cider Vinegar. The acne cites might sting. That may be good; you know the cider is getting into the eruptions.

I've also just been reading the amazing healing power of cabbage leaves. Google: Jakobe Jakestein Cabbage pdf. You'll find a great book by this lady who used cabbage as a topical application to help with many skin conditions.

All right Rishab from the Punjab, that's my first set of suggestions. I'm sure you'll get a lot of ideas from others who wish you the best. (Are you from the Punjab of India or Pakistan? Isn't there a Punjab in Pakistan?)

Dave

Dear Earthclinic,

I am suffering from problem of acne on my hair scalp for the last 5 years and despite adequate care and antibiotic medicines the problem still persists. I don't know the reason for the same and the problem grow especially during the change of season. I would request yo to kindly help me with the same on prority basis.

I have to jump in here. Use only organic cold pressed sesame oil. Make sure you don't use toasted sesame oil. You'll smell like food all day.

Treatment for back acne that is moderate to severe includes deep pore exfoliators, which free the pores from dirt and pus, and antibacterial soaps and cleansers, which prevent the bacteria from spreading and causing a more severe skin infection. An example of deep pore cleanser is salicylic acid. Antibacterial products are cleansers that may contain tea tree oil. It is better if these two are combined.

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.

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

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 :) .

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.

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!

For Body Acne, try using straight witch hazel, when it's added to things it loses its astrigent qualities. You can find it in the first aid isle of most stores right next to the rubbing alcohol. Also consider buying an Aloe Vera plant and cut open the leaves, rub the open leaves on the affected areas so you know there's no extra addatives. May want to try switching to a free and clear detergent for clothing also. And I would use both the witch hazel and aloe twice a day.

Undecided from Chicago-I can't say about the benefits of seseme oil, but I do know there are two types; Dark seseme oil for seasoning(one of my favorite oriental seasonings), and light sesame oil for making salad dressing. The dark is very aromatic, viscous, and deep amber. The light is almost odorless, and looks like soybean oil. Use the oil you have, to season stir fry meat. Rub the meat with a little oil and soy sauce, then lightly salt and pepper. Heat your skillet till hot, throw in meat, cook to medium done. Remove meat, add 1 tsp. Crushed garlic per dish to sauce thet is left in skillet, and oriental vegtables that you like. After the skillet is hot, stir fry veggies till medium done. Then throw in meat. Stir togather for a minute. Done. This is likely the world's most healthy cooked food. Use organic veggies or buy from local farmers-much better quality. For vegitarian dishs fry the minced garlic in dark seseme and vegtable oil= parts for 15 seconds then add veggies, stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Done.

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.

I will have to disagree with the sesame seed oil NOT having any smell. I bought it today and used it, and I had to spray myself and my clothes with tons of perfume to go out in public. As I sit here writing this comment, the scent is still very strong, and I applied the oil 5 hours ago. I can't comment if it works for the body acne just yet. That is still yet to be seen.

I've suffered from acne since I was 13, with bouts of body acne that spring up every now and then. Body acne is a humiliating and self esteem-damaging problem. One of the reasons that acne is so frustrating and hard to treat because a lot of us don't get to the root of the problem. Topical treatments just act like a band-aid to temporarily treat the existing blemishes, but doesn't keep new ones from popping up. To provide a lasting treatment for acne, you have to get to the root of the problem.

Here is a small, but certainly non-inclusive, list of what may be the problem and how to treat the acne problem accordingly.

Your acne might be hormonal if:

- You are female

- You are a young male/female (13-18 years old)

- You are pregnant

- You get breakouts around your menstrual cycle/you are menopausal

- You are taking steroids/growth hormone supplements

- You have a known (or suspected) hormone imbalance, such as a thyroid problem, PCOS, or have other symptoms of a hormone imbalance such as increased bodily hair, irregular periods, hair loss, or difficulty controlling weight.

- You have acne on your face as well as your body

If you have hormonal acne, clearly the way to treat it is to balance the hormones. For me and a lot of other women who suffered from hormonal acne, my skin cleared up considerably after taking birth control pills. Some women also notice their skin clearing considerably after taking hormone-balancing herbal supplements such as maca, raspberry leaf tea, dong quai, or spearmint tea. I have also seen a lot of women claim that drinking detox tea clears their skin considerably!

For all acne sufferers, you need to be on a CLEAN DIET. I travel to France several times a year and I notice that while many American girls have acne, I have rarely seen a French girl with even a blemish. Seeing the way that French girls eat, I am not surprised - the French eat mostly natural foods free of nasty American chemicals and preservatives. If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it. Also, wash fruits and veggies THOROUGHLY before eating, because American pesticides contain estrogen compounds. Another French habit I noticed - and that I think Americans need to do more of - is drink more water and less sodas. 8 glasses of water will help clear your skin and give it a healthy glow.

Your acne might be due to retention hyperkeratosis (failure of the skin to exfoliate itself) if:

- Your acne responds well to exfoliation/chemical peels/Retin-A

- You have a lot of clogged pores and blackheads

- Your acne gets worse after periods of sweating (such as going to the gym)

For me, clogged pores are the cause of my body acne problems. My skin responded beautifully to using Aqua Glycolic body wash with a Japanese bath towel in the shower. Just put a little dab of body wash on every morning and scrub away (if your skin is blemished, do not overscrub - it will aggravate your acne). Be patient with this treatment - body acne takes longer to go away than facial acne - it took me 2 months to get perfectly clear body skin. ALWAYS take a shower after sweating or if you have some kind of product on your skin - like sunscreen - that can clog your pores. Also, if you have a tendency to have clogged pores, watch what shampoos and conditioners you use. When you rinse your hair, take care that the lather does not touch your body. If you live in a humid/hot environment, wear cottons or other breathable fabrics, and do not wear tight-fitting clothes.

Your acne might be product-related if:

- You don't take measures to prevent shampoo/conditioner residue from hitting your back/buttocks/chest or area(s) where there is body acne

- Your shampoo/conditioner contains pore-clogging ingredients or SLS

- You are using a product to control your body acne and your body acne has flared up worse after using it

- You also have acne on your scalp/suspect you may be allergic to a shampoo/conditioner you are using

If you suspect you might have product-related acne, switch your products. If the acne clears up, the product might be the problem.

Your acne might be fungus (pityrosporum folliculitis) related if:

- You are a man (although this condition occurs with women too - but is more common with men)

- You have a rashey kind of body acne, with chronic, red, itchy pustules on the back and chest, or sometimes on the neck, shoulders, upper arms and face

- Your body acne occurs mostly in the summer, after you sweat with tight-fitting clothes on, during sports activities, or are hot/sweaty

- You have come in contact with someone else with a fungal infection

This is the kind of body acne my fiance, and a lot of other guys, suffer from. This kind of acne benefits from using an anti-fungal shampoo (Nizoral or Head and Shoulders), coconut oil, or an anti-fungal cream on the affected area. Do not wear tight-fitting clothes when working out - wear something breathable instead.

Band-aids (quick fixes) to heal existing acne in the meantime:

- Tea Tree Oil/Alcohol solution - the best to kill acne bacteria/dry out existing acne

- Benzoyl Peroxide 5% - very good at killing bacteria/drying out acne - but beware, it will stain clothing.

- Apple Cider Vinegar - a lot of people rave about this cure, but it hasn't worked for me. I recommend the brand with "the mother".

Good luck everyone, hope that this helps someone with this frustrating problem!

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!

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.

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.

Sesame oil is a very intersesting option that I am most willing to try among all. Thank you very much.