There’s a reason your body breaks out in winter. Here’s how to deal with it.

Winter grants us many wonderful things: stylish trench coats, cozy pyjamas, hot drinks, fluffy socks. 

But also, some Not Great things: Body acne.

Yes, in case you didn't know, our friend, body acne, absolutely thrives in the chillier weather.

In fact, according to research, winter is the toughest season for moderate-to-severe acne.

So, while you might be blessed with wonderfully clear skin in the warmer months, as the weather gets chillier chances are you'll experience more glorious breakouts on all fronts – including your cute bod.

Not great news. We know, we know. 

Watch: Sydney YouTuber MakeupMeJordyn shares her drugstore acne coverage makeup tutorial. Post continues below.

In fact, Kelly McCarren talked all about winter acne – more specifically, body acne – in a recent episode of Spotlight on the You Beauty podcast.

She went through the most common causes of body acne and back acne, some ways to treat it and the simple steps you can take to try and avoid it altogether.

Listen: Prefer to get your ears around these tips? Check out the podcast episode on acne and winter skin. Post continues below.

So, you know what we thought we'd do? 

We thought we'd pull all her juiciest tips into a tight little guide.

So, if you're struggling with body acne right now, read this.

What is body acne and back acne?

Hang on a tick. Before we get into it, it's probably worth giving you a bit of a rundown on exactly what body acne is. Yeah?

Kelly described it like this: "A very common skin condition that occurs when the hair follicles become clogged with oil, dead skin or bacteria."

"However, sometimes it can also be hormonal — there are so many different reasons body acne can occur."

To make it more complicated (yay!) there are different types of body acne — but there are usually three main ones to look out for.

First up you have comedonal acne, which is a non-inflammatory type of acne (like blackheads). 

You also have inflammatory acne, which could be cysts, pustules, pimples, etc. 

And lastly, you have cystic acne, which is usually quite severe. This is when the bacteria is usually very deep, and the spots are quite painful. 

It's also important to note that body acne is pretty different to facial acne.

"For example, the skin on the body is thicker and has much larger pores, which does make it more prone to clogging," said Kelly.

"Your body also tends to get sweatier than your face — you've got clothes on which causes friction, and that can all exacerbate acne too."

Just remember, it's so normal. So if you do get this, please don't be embarrassed. 

"It's also not something that just affects teenagers — it can also affect adults in their 30s 40s and above," Kelly added.

Does winter cause body acne and back acne?

Good question! Important question. As we learnt on the podcast, there are a couple of different reasons you could be experiencing acne right now.

For example, it could simply be because of a hormonal imbalance — things like puberty or menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, etc. can cause acne to flare up.

"They can cause the skin's sebaceous glands to produce more oil which then leads to the formation of acne," said Kelly.

There's also the matter of genetics. Because a family history of acne can increase your risk of developing acne. 

The list goes on, and there are many different things to consider. 

But, what does winter have to do with it?

"Now that we're in the colder months, anyone that's generally more susceptible to acne will see those pesky bumps popping up," said Kelly.

"I always ask why am I more susceptible to body acne in winter. Why does body acne seem to sort of appear or rear its ugly little head when it gets colder? Well, there are a couple of reasons."

One of the main ones? Dry skin and your sneaky sebum.

If you don't know what sebum is, it basically refers to your skin's natural oils. While sebum is great for keeping your skin moist and supple, an overproduction of sebum can create clogged pores and acne.

And because your skin tends to be drier in the winter, your skin will produce more sebum. The drier it is, the more sebum. Because of this, you're more likely to suffer from fun things like clogged pores and breakouts.

Makes sense, yeah?

Kelly explained, "Cold temperatures and low humidity levels cause the skin to become drier and more dehydrated, which basically means your skin is trying to produce too much oil. So your sebaceous glands are in overdrive, and then you can get more pimples."

Sigh.

"You also wear tight clothing and you've got more layers, so there's more pressure and friction. So, that can also cause acne or make it worse. If you've got a spot and it's constantly being rubbed, it might spread or get worse."

"Lack of sunlight can also cause your acne to get worse. Sunlight actually helps to kill acne-causing bacteria, and obviously, in winter, you spend less time outside and then you receive no sun exposure because you're so covered up."

However, always remember that sun protection and sunscreen are so incredibly important.

"Find one that works for your skin and that doesn't clog your pores too much and do not forget to wear it," said Kelly. 

"Because sunburn, whilst obviously being really bad for ageing and skin cancer, can actually make your acne worse as well."

Told ya.

"Lastly, some say that because you're more stressed and more unhappy and winter, your skin can get worse, which makes me giggle because I totally get that."

How can you prevent and treat body acne and back acne?

When it comes to preventing body acne in the first place, Kelly shared a few different things to look out for, including wearing breathable clothing and avoiding tight-fitting clothes that are made with fabrics like polyester.

"If you go to the gym in the morning, make sure that you shower after sweating. Obviously, make sure you're using good skincare products, you have a healthy diet, drink lots of water — all of those things," she said.

If you have body acne and you want to treat it, there are a bunch of different treatment options depending on the severity of the condition.

First off, there are a few topical treatments and ingredients you should look out for, including:

1. Salicylic acid.

Heard of it before? "You might want to use something with salicylic acid in it — an ingredient that helps unclog pores and prevent new acne breakouts," said Kelly.

2. Benzoyl peroxide.

"This ingredient is a lot stronger. It helps kill bacteria and reduce inflammation. It can also be quite drying, so make sure that you use that sparingly."

3. Retinoids. 

"This is the one ingredient that's definitely not for anyone pregnant or trying to get pregnant and breastfeed. It's a vitamin A, and it's so good at unclogging pores and reducing inflammation."

If you're looking for product options that feature these ingredients, Kelly has a few favourite brands she recommends, starting with Paula's Choice.

"Paula's Choice has got such good body acne products. They've got this amazing Weightless Body Treatment with 2% BHA in it."

"They've also got this Exfoliating Body Spray — because you know when you can't really reach your back all the time or it's so cold you don't really want to put heaps of product on? So that just gives this a little bit of a spread."

"There are also these amazing Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment pads that you can get from Mecca."

Any product with these kinds of ingredients in it should be able to help, so have a look at some of the skincare products you might already have at home — because you could try them on those specific areas.

In more severe cases, oral medication may be prescribed to help clear things up.

"If your body acne is severe, it could be worth talking to your doctor about potentially getting a referral to a dermatologist," said Kelly. 

"In terms of other treatment options, light therapy is also amazing. Red and blue light blue light in particular is so good at killing bacteria and reducing inflammation. So, I'd also recommend having a look at light therapy treatments."

Above all, know you're not alone — body acne is super common (especially in winter!), so you should never feel ashamed. 

"It's just important to note once again that body acne is so normal and these treatments can take time," said Kelly.

"Make sure you go to the doctor if you're really concerned and in a couple of months, it'll start getting warmer and hopefully our noisy acne will start to clear up!"

Tell us, have you experienced body acne flare-ups in the chillier weather? What are some of your go-to treatments? Share with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: Canva; Paula's Choice, Mecca.