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The Acne.org Back Regimen - light to moderate

Important Important: For best results, the Back Regimen should be performed twice a day, about 12 hours apart if at all possible. Follow the steps outlined below precisely. This regimen is the result of years of trial and error and works best when followed exactly. Once you are completely clear, you can try moving to just once a day and see if you stay clear with that. If you don't stay clear, go back to twice a day.

Wash Gently

Important Important: Irritation can aggravate acne. It is important to be gentle with the skin of your back. Let your hands gently glide over your skin. Also, do not use soap on the Back Regimen; it can overdry and strip the skin which is irritating. Normally, it is safer to find a gentle cleanser which is specifically made for the face and simply use it on the body.

shower The above video was taped during my morning shower. I have found that it's easiest to simply take another quick shower at night to wash the back again. Washing the back at the sink can get tricky, but feel free to wash at the sink if you can manage that more easily.

  • Dispense two pumps of cleanser into your palm and get a good lather going.
  • Gently wash each side of your back for only about 5 seconds and with a gentle touch. All you are doing is prepping the area for topical treatment later. Rinse gently.
  • Upon exiting the shower, gently dry your back. Do not rub. Just let the towel sit on your skin and absorb the wetness. You may not get it completely dry with the towel this way, but that's preferable to irritating rubbing.
  • Wait 10-15 minutes until your skin is completely dry. Feel free to do other normal daily activities during this time.

Apply 10% alpha hydroxy acid

  • Wash and dry hands.
  • Dispense one thick finger's length worth of alpha hydroxy acid cream or gel to each side of the back.
  • Apply very gently, allowing your hand to gently glide over the back until the alpha hydroxy acid is more or less absorbed.
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backpack Backpacks: Reducing irritation is important in clearing acne. But let's face it, you have to sit in chairs and wear clothes, so something will be touching your back much of the day and there's no need to obsess about it. Backpacks in particular, however, can create more direct and ongoing irritation which may aggravate back acne in some people. You may want to try carrying your stuff in something other than a backpack until you are clear on this regimen. At that point, you can start wearing your backpack and see if you stay clear, or if a backpack in your case is simply too much irritation.

sun Alpha hydroxy acid increases sensitivity to the sun and increases the chance of sunburn. Use a sunscreen and limit sun exposure while using alpha hydroxy acid and for a few weeks afterward.

Fabric softener: One experienced doctor and several estheticians have mentioned to me that fabric softener leaves a waxy residue on clothing and may aggravate acne. While this is far from a scientific study, and we do not have hard evidence to back up this claim, I choose not to use fabric softener. Anti-static balls may be an alternative. You can google "anti-static balls" to find them.

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