This Is What Really Causes Butt Acne

Butt acne is a breakout of red pimples on your butt cheeks, and although it's not a serious medical condition, it can ruin the look of a swimsuit and cause discomfort. However, despite its name, butt acne is not the same as facial acne and should not be treated the same. Typical acne is caused by clogged pores, which creates the facial pimples we are all familiar with, while butt acne is caused by a condition called folliculitis (via Medical News Today).

Folliculitis is caused by an infection or inflammation of the skin, according to Cleveland Clinic. The condition itself can be caused by several different underlying conditions, including a host of different bacteria that like to live on your skin and, in the case of folliculitis, actually infect the hair follicle. Several different factors can contribute to the development of folliculitis, but fortunately, the condition itself is often easy to treat.

Some types of butt acne are just temporary reactions to a particular environment, like Pseudomonas folliculitis (also known as hot tub rash), which usually goes away on its own in a couple of days without treatment, according to Cleveland Clinic. More commonly, though, butt acne is caused by a staph bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus folliculitis, which may require a treatment regimen to get rid of (via Healthline).

The first step to clearing butt acne is to wash the affected area twice daily with antibacterial body wash (per the Mayo Clinic). Then apply over-the-counter antibacterial creams. For a more natural option, you can use tea tree oil-based products. In clinical studies, tea tree oil was just as effective as benzoyl peroxide in controlling acne and effective at killing Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA (via WebMD). If your butt acne does not respond to home treatment or is painful and produces larger boil-like pimples, it may be best to seek medical attention.