Safest Way to Treat Back Acne During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can cause hormones to surge in a woman's body, which can lead to acne breakouts. These hormonal acne blemishes can appear anywhere on your body, including the face, neck, chest, and back. When acne appears on your back, it can be challenging to treat it due to the inability to reach the breakouts in order to apply product to your skin. As the pregnancy progresses, this difficulty becomes even greater. Luckily, there are a few ways to effectively treat back acne that utilizes natural acne treatment methods.

Woman bathing in a bathtub. (Image: Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Step 1

Wash your back with a natural soap utilizing a back scratcher. Using a back scratcher allows you to reach the areas of your back that are effected by acne breakouts. Attach a washcloth to the end of a back scratcher using a rubber band, and wet the washcloth with water. Lather the washcloth with a natural soap, which will be free of skin irritating chemicals and additives. You can find a natural soap at any health food store. Apply the lather to your back, gently spreading it around until it has covered the effected area. Rinse off your back with water. Repeat twice per day; once in the morning and again in the evening.

Step 2

Apply baking soda to your back, which is helpful in sloughing off pore-clogging dead skin and bacteria. Moisten a washcloth attached to a back scratcher, and pour 1 Tbsp. of baking soda onto it. Spread the wet baking soda onto your back, moving the washcloth in small, circular motions. Avoid scrubbing the baking soda onto your skin too aggressively, which can irritate your skin. After 1-2 minutes, rinse off your back with water. Repeat three times per week.

Step 3

Apply tea tree oil to your back, which will kill off acne-causing bacteria. According to the Department of Dermatology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, tea tree oil clears acne as well as benzoyl peroxide creams, but without the skin irritating side effects, such as peeling, burning, or redness. To apply tea tree oil to your back, place 5 drops of pure tea tree oil onto a washcloth attached to a back scratcher, and soak it in water to dilute it. Spread the diluted tea tree oil onto your back acne, and allow it to air dry onto your skin. Repeat up to three times per day.

Things You'll Need

• Back scratcher

• Washcloth

• Rubber band

• Natural soap

• Baking soda

• Tea tree oil