7 Surprising Reasons Your Bacne Gets Worse in Summer – And How to Fix It
Main image – Juliememe/Stocksy
It’s summer, the temperatures are climbing, but you’re staying in your winter jumper for as long as possible because you’re self-conscious about your bacne. Relatable? You’ve come to the right place! And you are certainly not alone.
Did you know, the hashtag for bacne has over 270 million cumulative views on TikTok across around 4,200 posts? Now that’s a lot of people searching for answers on what’s causing their bacne. So what’s the main trigger?
“Bacne is caused by excess oil production, clogged pores, bacteria and inflammation, but it is often exacerbated by external factors, particularly during the summer months,’ explains Dr Sabika Karim, award-winning aesthetic doctor, global educator and founder of Skin Medical.
Here, we delve into what these unexpected seasonal causes actually are and ask Dr Karim as well as Consultant Dermatologist Dr Aiza Jamil, and Harley Street doctor Hasaneen AL Janabi for their advice on how to stop bacne from ruining your summer.
1. Sweaty gym clothes
If you’re a fitness fanatic, you may want to consider either doubling your activewear wardrobe or bulk buying washing detergent. “The skin on the back has a high density of sebaceous glands, making it more prone to oiliness,” explains Dr Karim.
“When this oil mixes with sweat, dead skin cells and bacteria, it can block pores and lead to breakouts. Heat and humidity further worsen this by increasing sweat production and creating an environment where acne-causing bacteria can thrive.”
She continues, “Wearing sweaty gym clothes for a prolonged period of time can trap sweat close to the skin, blocking follicles and contributing to outbreaks of bacne. For this reason it’s important to change out of sweaty gym clothes quickly and showering promptly in order to prevent this.”
Image – Nabitang/Stocksy
So apart from another excuse to go shopping and washing our gym gear more frequently, what else can we actually do to treat sweat-induced bacne? “Look for body washes containing salicylic acid to unclog pores or benzoyl peroxide washes to reduce acne-causing bacteria,” advises Dr Karim.
Byoma Blemish Clearing Body Wash (£13.99 from Cult Beauty UK /$14.99 from Ulta Beauty US) contains salicylic acid to keep pores clear.
2. Dripping hair products
It may sound crazy but even taking a shower can trigger bacne. “Conditioners, oils and styling products can easily transfer onto the back in the shower or throughout the day,” explains Dr Karim.
“Many of these are occlusive and can clog pores.” So, aside from never showering again (not going to happen…) what can we do to prevent this? “I always advise patients to avoid heavy oils and silicone, to rinse conditioner off thoroughly and, if prone to bacne, to cleanse with a gentle exfoliating body wash [particularly on the back] after washing the hair.’ Go for a chemical exfoliant like Byoma body wash, or you can even use a physical scrub to remove conditioner residue (just make sure to avoid body scrubs with an oil base).
3. Heavy SPF and body products
Whilst we would never condone ever skipping the SPF, there are formulas that can play havoc with acne prone skin. “This isn’t usually due to specific UV filters themselves, but rather the overall formulation,” warns Dr Karim.
“Heavier, more occlusive sunscreens, particularly those in rich cream or oil-based formulations can trap sweat, sebum and bacteria against the skin, increasing the likelihood of clogged pores and breakouts.”
Image – Ohlamourstudio/Stocksy
And of course, high temperatures will elevate the risks even more. “In hot weather, this effect is amplified, as heat and humidity increase sweating, creating an environment where acne can thrive,” she says. The solution? “For those prone to bacne, it’s best to opt for lightweight, non-comedogenic formulations such as gels, fluids or sprays, which are less likely to clog pores. Mineral sunscreens, particularly those containing zinc oxide, can often be better tolerated in acne-prone skin due to their anti-inflammatory properties, although formulation remains key.”
4. Hormone changes
It’s well known that hormone fluctuations can cause acne, but it may come as a surprise to you that they are particularly unsettled during the summer. “A lot of people don’t realise that hot weather can impact hormone levels, causing increased cortisol levels by disrupting sleep and increasing physical stress on the body,” explains Dr Karim.
And this in turn is bad news for our skin. “Elevated cortisol levels can increase sebum production, promoting inflammation and impairing the skin’s immune response,” she adds.
“The increased sweating, heat, friction from clothing and product build-up, coupled with hormonal changes is the reason that a lot of people start to experience bacne in the summer months.” Try to stay out of the heat as much as possible and make sure you have a fan or air con on at night to reduce sweat.
5. Not personalising your plan
“People can suffer from ‘bacne’ if they are on the wrong treatment protocol,” Dr Karim warns. “There are a number of highly effective treatments available for bacne, however the best option will vary from one person to another and depends on the severity and underlying cause of the acne.”
So what are they? “These range from topical treatments including salicylic acid to dissolve oil and dead skin cells and prevent blocked pores, retinoids to improve cell turnover and reduce inflammation and prescription medications such as topical antibiotic, tretinoin and even microdoses of botulinum toxin to reduce sebaceous activity, to chemical peels, light-based therapies such as the Dermalux Triwave LED and, in some cases, oral medications.”
6. Dehydration
Ok, so it’s not as easy as, drink a glass of water and your acne is cured but, it can play a supporting role in overall skin health, particularly during the summer months when the body loses more water through sweating.
7. Neglecting the skin on your back
Whilst we may all have a skincare routine for our face and maybe even for our legs or decolletage, it’s rare to come across anyone who treats the skin on their back with the same dedication. “Many of us neglect the skin on our back, which can lead to clogged pores and acne-causing bacteria building up,” says Consultant Dermatologist Dr Aiza Jamil.
“Using LED on your back and any areas of your body that you have problems with acne, can be really beneficial, but many only use it for their face.”
Image – Sergefilimonov/Stocksy
So which one does she advise using for bacne? “I would recommend using an LED device such as the Celluma Pro-Plus as it has an acne mode that kills acne-causing bacteria, calms redness and inflammation, and helps to prevent new breakouts.”
And don’t forget to exfoliate either. Exfoliation is is key for balancing and smoothing the skin, but also digging out dirt and sweat which can clog pores. “We neglect to actually clean out our pores correctly,” says Hasaneen AL Janabi. “Physical exfoliants such as exfoliating gloves or brushes are very common in the shower, but chemical exfoliants are much more beneficial for unclogging pores and killing acne-causing bacteria.”
As with ensuring you shower thoroughly after working out, Mr AL Janabi recommends, “looking for body wash with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to exfoliate the skin on the back and kill any remaining acne-causing bacteria that may cause further breakouts.” Or, he recommends getting a professional in-clinic chemical peel.
The takeaway
You may have seen one or two causes of bacne in this article that have surprised you. Perhaps you don’t shower thoroughly enough after working out, or could you be using products that are too heavy for your skin?
Use this article to start a process of elimination to determine what might be causing your bacne and maybe, just maybe you’ll find the confidence to show a bit more flesh this summer.
Meet the experts
Dr Sabika Karim, award-winning aesthetic doctor, global educator and founder of Skin Medical
Dr Aiza Jamil is a consultant dermatologist at Sk:n clinics
Hasaneen AL Janabi is a Harley Street doctor, founder and lead injector at Dr Hass Clinic
Get Glowing!
