How to Treat Arm Acne

Written by Kimberly Johnson

11 December, 2018

As if acne breakouts on your face weren’t bad enough, now you notice the red, inflamed pustules showing up on your arms too. Acne breakouts on your body are caused by many of the same reasons as facial acne 1. Toss in the extra sweat, body lotion or daily sunscreen, and it’s a wonder the arm acne didn’t appear sooner 1. Blasting away arm acne requires a stronger treatment method to penetrate thicker arm skin.

Wash the skin on your arms every day, preferably during a shower. Use a dime-size amount of an acne body wash containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Massage the body wash over your arms for 10 seconds each, using firm pressure and a soft wash cloth. Rinse your skin thoroughly and pat it dry.

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Spread a teaspoon of a clear acne gel containing a 2.5-percent solution of benzyol peroxide over each arm. Apply the gel fairly thickly and allow it to soak in rather than rubbing it in. Wait until the gel dries completely.

Spread a thick layer of a 10-percent solution of alpha-hydroxy lotion, also called glycolic acid, over each arm thoroughly. Wait 5 to 10 minutes to allow the lotion to dry completely before getting dressed.

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Wear clothing made of natural fibers, such as cotton, and make sure items are loose and don’t rub against your arms. Avoid tightly fitted clothing made of synthetic materials, which rubs your skin and traps sweat and bacteria.

Repeat the skin washing at night followed by the application of benzoyl peroxide and alpha-hydroxy lotion.

Tips

It can take between four and six weeks to see results from the acne treatment products.

If the bumps appear on the backs of your arms, it may actually be a condition called keratosis pilaris. These raised bumps are different from acne and require a different treatment. Visit a dermatologist to discuss options.