How to Clean Your Back

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Cleaning your back regularly will help keep the skin on your back healthy. Try to make a habit of washing your back every day when you're in the shower so your back stays smooth, moisturized, and acne free.

How do you wash and exfoliate your back?

Lather up a long-handled loofah with body wash and use it to scrub your back. For some extra exfoliating power, rub your back with a natural bristle body brush beforehand or use a body scrub during your shower to clear away any dead skin cells. You can use your loofah to apply the scrub.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning Your Back in the Shower

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    Hot showers can dry out your skin and strip it of its natural oils. Taking warm showers will help you keep your back moisturized. [1]
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    Hold the loofah in your left hand and reach over your right shoulder to scrub the upper right section of your back. Then, put the loofah in your right hand and reach over your left shoulder to get the other side of your upper back. [2]
    • If you're having trouble reaching your upper back, get a loofah on a stick so it's easier.
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    Hold the loofah in your right hand and reach behind yourself to scrub the lower right side of your back. Switch hands and scrub the lower left side of your back with the loofah.
    • Try a loofah on a stick if you can't reach your lower back.
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    Make sure you rinse off all the body wash on your back so it doesn't dry out your skin.
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    Dry off with a towel first. Then, rub body lotion into your upper and lower back. Moisturizing your back right after you take a shower will prevent your skin from getting dry and flakey. [3]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Exfoliating Your Back

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    The brush will exfoliate away the dead skin on your back. Reach around to your back and scrub the brush in a gentle circular motion across your skin. [4]
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    Body scrubs contain small particles like salt and sugar that can help exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells. Keeping your back exfoliated will help prevent your pores from getting clogged. Use a loofah to gently rub a body scrub into your back while you're in the shower. [5]
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    A back exfoliating band is a mildly abrasive band designed to make back exfoliation easier. Take an end of the band in each hand and bring the band over your head and down onto your back. Then, move your hands side to side to scrub your back with the band.
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    Daily exfoliation will keep the skin on your back smooth and prevent your pores from getting clogged. Exfoliate gently so you don't irritate your skin. [6]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Clearing up Back Acne

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    Salicylic acid can help treat your back acne by exfoliating your skin and unclogging your pores. Look for a body wash that has salicylic acid in the ingredients list. Use the body wash to wash your back when you’re in the shower. [7]
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    Benzoyl peroxide is a non-prescription acne medication that you can find in cream and lotion form. Benzoyl peroxide helps reduce acne by killing the bacteria that cause acne to form. Every night before you go to sleep, rub a benzoyl peroxide lotion or cream into your back. [8]
    • Benzoyl peroxide can bleach fabric. Wear an old t-shirt to bed at night if you’re using it on your back.
    • It may take up to 4 weeks before you start to see an improvement in your back acne from using benzoyl peroxide.
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    Working out causes your back to sweat, which can lead to back acne. Right after you do any intense exercising, get in the shower and wash your back with a body wash to wash away any sweat and prevent acne from forming.
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      Things You’ll Need

      • Natural bristle body brush
      • Body wash
      • Loofah

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      References

      1. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/reasons-to-take-a-bath/
      2. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/loofahs-can-double-as-bacterial-breeding-grounds/
      3. ↑ https://www.utmedicalcenter.org/blog-post/importance-moisturizing
      4. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/safely-exfoliate-at-home
      5. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22756-back-acne
      6. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/safely-exfoliate-at-home
      7. ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/DIY/back-acne
      8. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22756-back-acne

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To clean your back, hold a loofah in one hand and reach over the opposite shoulder to scrub your upper back. Switch hands and do the other side of your upper back. To scrub your lower back, reach behind the side of your body with the loofah. If you can't reach, try using a loofah on a stick. For more tips on cleaning your back, like how to exfoliate your back and get rid of back acne, read on!

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