Saving My Back
May 28th, 2008 @ 1:22 pm by Mrs. Hydrangea
This post is a little more TMI then I normally like to put on here, but I think it’s important to bring up because I know I’m not the only girl who has this problem. I’ve fought on and off with acne my entire life. Right when things start to clear up in one area, they pop up in another. Right around dress fitting time, this area happened to be my back.
I used to have this problem when I played tennis all the time and sweat up a storm, but never just because. While I would love to get “back-cials,” or facials for your back, it’s just not in my budget. When perusing the skincare section of my local Walmart (I refuse to spend tons on beauty products, except for shampoo and some makeup) I came across Neutrogena’s Body Clear Body Wash. 
I bought a bottle and figured, what the heck this might help. I used it every morning on my back and, if I took another shower at night, I would use it again.
Let me tell you, this product has worked miracles on my back. Now, I’d be lying if I said that I never had one pop up, but it seriously has helped. So much so, that for my bridal portraits, I wasn’t nervous at all as to how my back looked in my dress, especially since you can see quite a bit of it.
What tips/tricks do you all use to take care of the breakouts that happen to pop up at the most inconvenient times?
*Image from neutrogena.com
Related Posts
20 Responses to “Saving My Back”
Definitely feel you on this front Miss H. I use the Neutrogena body wash and also use a spray that contains Salicylic Acid (either Murad’s, Clinque, or Nature’s Cure) before I head to the gym. It does wonders! With a strapless dress, a clear back is paramount.
I love these economical suggestions! I already bought some Pond’s cold cream after reading Shortie’s post and now I am adding this to my shopping list as well. Thanks for the review!
I use the apricot scrub that they sell at Walmart for $2.29. I have some ingrown hair follicles and the tiny grainy sands help me scrub them away and now my legs are smoooooth! =) You can use they on your face too and once you get out of the shower, your face feels like you just dipped it in moisturizer!
Thanks for this post! I will have to try the Neutrogena! I have had to fight with acne too, my whole life. My term for them is “alien”–”i just had a new alien pop up” because sometimes I feel like I am being invaded! 
I completely agree with you on this product–i use it when i get home from the gym to prevent my pores from seizing up in sweaty anxiety and it works like a charm!
I will have to check this out, thanks for the tip! 
I know this sounds crazy, but I use Head & Shoulders (original style) and it really, really works. It’s completely cleared me up, with the additional help of my PanOxyl bar (also a lifesaver).
My back isn’t perfectly clear, but it’s better than it was and it’s clear enough that I won’t feel self-conscious in my strapless dress
Whenever I have to wear something with a low V in the front, for some reason little red bumps pop up in my not-at-all-ample cleavage area. I hardly EVER wear low V’s , so I think it’s a conspiracy… LOL . Once I tried to blast them away with a dose of harsh anti-acne stuff, and ended up with BURNED instead of bumpy cleavage… awesome, right?
Maybe I’ll pick up some of this and stage a pre-emptive stike before my cousin’s wedding in August.
Thanks for the tip, Miss H!
you have to wash your back very carefully when you shower. be sure to shower each day!!!!
Thanks for posting! I hate it when those suckers pop up and they are almost impossible to conceal with makeup without looking obvious. I will totally be trying this and cross my fingers my skin behaves leading up to the big day.
I’ve been using this stuff for like… 7 years? I love it, it’s always great! I sometimes feel like after a while sometimes certain products stop having effect, but this one continuously works.
Murad body spray isn’t cheap but it works amazingly well (about $35). It even allows you to hold the can upside down so you can get hard to reach places on your back.
That Murad Body Spray is FABULOUS! I used to use that Neutrogena Body Wash - but never really liked the smell.
My favorite secret weapon is the Peter Thomas Roth Blemish Buffing Beads Body Wash. It’s pricier than the Neutrogena, but I prefer the fresh sent and it’s lower salicylic percentage as my skin can be kinda sensitive. Whatever additional vitamins and additives are in it help combat bacne without drying me completely out.
I’ve got the same problem! In high school I started using a loofah attached to a long handle to scrub my back, which worked wonders! A few years later I discovered Bath and Body Works “I’m in the mood for a scrub” body wash and it improved my back-ne to the point of non existence. It’s $20/bottle, but you don’t need much to get a good scrub.
thank you so much for blogging about this!
i’ve been struggling with this and will definately try some of these suggestions!
I think “TMI” posts are often the most helpful Where else could I get so many tips on how to solve my back-ne problem!
Thanks for the recommendation - I’m worried about this too!
sorry to be the sole dissenter–I’ve had really bad luck with this body wash… In fact, I started to (probably delusionally) attribute my bacne to using this stuff…
I’m totally considering trying the Murad spray, though
Another item that works - Cetaphil anti-bacterial soap - I’ve found this to work very well!
Thanks for the tip! I’ve been struggling with this darn problem for a 100 years now! I’ll try this- hope it works in time for my wedding!
Mrs. Hydrangea, Dallas
Age and Occupation: 26, Administrative Assistant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Network Analyst
Engagement Date: June 2007
Wedding Date: September 2008
Blogging Since: January 14, 2008
Venue: Catholic Church and Reception at The W Hotel
About Me: Mr. H and I come from very different cultures and backgrounds so I'm excited to plan our wedding with a balance of both traditions. My mom has always been a DIY queen, and I'm just now starting to get into it with a new house and a wedding to plan!
I would also recommend the Body Clear Body Scrub for back-acne. Thanks for this post since you are right; a lot of people have this issue.