Ask A Skin Doctor: Neck Acne
Dear Doctor
Hi I started breaking out on my neck and then it spreaded to the other side of my neck and they were small bumps at first then they turned into dark marks.
I was using noxzema creme and cleansing pads i also was using clean and clear acne control but i stopped using both of those products because I was unsure if that’s what was causing my neck to break out
Dear Patient
Causes of Neck Acne
Acne lesions can break out on the neck and I would advise you to:
1. Avoid the trickling of hair care products down your neck since some of them like the conditioners and oils can clog the pores and cause break outs.
2. Avoid wearing bands from caps that go down the side of the face and under the chin since the friction can cause breakouts. Shirts with stiff collars can also cause the same mechanical type of acne.
3. You may need hormonal evaluation of you have other symptoms of PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome. These include weight gain and thinning hair.
Treatment of Neck Acne
The treatment of neck acne begins with managing the underlying factors mentioned above.
This should be combined with:
a. Using an anti-acne face wash twice a day
Use an antiseptic wash like Clean and Clear Acne Cleanser which contains 10% Benzoly peroxide to wash the affected area twice a day. Benzoyl peroxide (BPO) makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight and thus its use should be combined witih that of a non-comedogenic (won’t clog pore) sunscreen. A good example is EltaMD SPF 46 Sunscreen.
b. Apply an acne treatment moisturizer in the morning
Apply an oil-free moisturizer that contains ingredients like salicylic acid to the affected area after washing it in the morning. A good example is Clean and Clear Oil Free Moisturizer with 0.5% Salicylic Acid.
c. Apply a retinoid at night
Get a prescription of a retinoid like tretinoin (Retin-A) or adaplene (Differin) that you can apply to your face at night after cleansing.
d. Take tetracyclines by mouth
Get a prescription for 2 to 6 months of tetracycline antibiotics like doxycycline or minocycline since they reduce inflammation and the population of the bacteria P. acnes.
Ask a Dermatologist your Question
Click here to ask a Dermatologist a question about your skin, hair or nail condition and get a confidential answer by email within 3 days.
Categorised as: Ask a Dermatologist Online | Skin Diseases