Who Said Acne Only Appears on the Face? These Are the Other Possible Acne-Prone Areas

When it comes to acne, we’re all familiar with it, and some can easily list off responses like “It’s just teenage acne,” “I’ve had it too,” “It’s common on the face,” and so on. Yes, indeed, acne is a common skin condition we encounter in our lives, but does acne only appear on the face? Are you familiar with acne in other parts of the body?

One day, a parent noticed that their 19-year-old child had acne on their face and reassured them, saying, “Don’t worry, I had it when I was young too, it’ll go away after a while.” Later, they discovered several red bumps on their child’s chest, and slowly, their back started to develop them too. They wondered, “What’s this? Is it contagious? Let’s go to the hospital!” After a visit to the dermatologist, they were informed that these blemishes were indeed acne, just like the ones on the face. The parent had a realization, “So, acne doesn’t just appear on the face, does it?” That’s right. Today, we will discuss acne in other parts of the body and help you recognize it.

In medical terms, acne is called “acne vulgaris,” and the most common type is “common acne.” According to research statistics, 80%-90% of teenagers have experienced acne, and it often naturally lessens or heals after adolescence. In some cases, it can persist beyond the age of 30(sources from therapeutique-dermatologique.org).

It’s a bit disheartening when adolescence is over, but “teenage acne” is still around…

Acne Isn’t Just Limited to the Face – It Can Appear in Other Areas Too, We often associate acne with areas like the forehead, temples, cheeks, around the mouth, lower jaw, and chin. But did you know that acne can also affect other parts of the body? These areas include the chest, back, shoulders, upper arms, and buttocks. The types of skin eruptions typically seen in acne are pimples (whiteheads, blackheads), papules, pustules, and in severe cases, nodules, abscesses, cysts, and even scarring can occur. So, it’s not just the face where acne can appear!

In addition to common acne, there are other types of acne in clinical practice, such as eruptive acne, conglobate acne, prepubertal acne, tropical acne, mechanical acne, exfoliative acne, summer acne, cosmetic acne, occupational acne, etc. These types of acne can occur anywhere on the body, depending on the triggers and location, for example, mechanical acne.

Furthermore, is every lump or bump on the face automatically considered acne?

NO, not necessarily. While typical acne symptoms are usually recognizable, sometimes other symptoms or specific rashes accompany the bumps, and in such cases, it’s essential to pay attention as it may not be acne! You might need a professional diagnosis from a doctor.

For example, papular urticaria, characterized by red patches and papules on the limbs, is common, but it can also appear on the face, chest, and back. To differentiate it, you need to consider the patient’s history and the characteristics of the rash. This condition is also known as insect bite dermatitis, and it’s associated with an allergic reaction to body fluids from insect bites, often occurring in summer and fall. It’s characterized by severe itching, so a clear assessment is needed based on the patient’s history and the rash’s characteristics.

Another example is chickenpox, which can cause red bumps, papules, and pustules on the face, chest, and back. To distinguish it from acne, consider a history of close contact, characteristic features like red patches, papules, vesicles, pustules, and herpetiform eruptions, as well as any preceding symptoms like fever, headache, and fatigue. It’s crucial to make an accurate diagnosis. In clinical practice, differentiation may also be necessary from conditions like rosacea, disseminated facial tuberculids, sebaceous gland tumors, and others(quotes from therapeutique-dermatologique.org).

So, remember, acne doesn’t exclusively manifest on the face. If you experience persistent acne or have other clinical symptoms, it’s essential to seek prompt evaluation from a dermatologist to avoid any delay in diagnosis and treatment.