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Acne on your face is bad enough, but when it also breaks out on your neck, then you’re heading for a whole new type of battle. What most people don’t realize is that neck acne can be very painful, and it’s often not the easiest to deal with.
Your usual prevention and cleansing routine may very well need to be adapted and you might need to explore additional products to deal with it.
The unfortunate thing is that whatever is causing acne on other parts of your body, may not be the same reason it’s affecting your neck. But there are a few things you can do to start making some fast improvements.
On this page you’ll learn some of these valuable prevention tips. If you follow these immediately you should see a significant reduction in outbreaks. And for those situations where the pimples and blackheads have already appeared we have you covered as well.
There are some specialty products available that will help clear them fast and effectively. Check out the list below and pick one that suits your skin type.
What Causes Acne Bumps on the Back of Your Neck
Acne on the neck is pretty similar to back acne as the skin on this area is relatively thick and produces more oil (sebum) than other parts of your skin.
Including the most prominent causes of acne, like hormonal imbalance, excess oil, bacteria, etc., there are some other causes that aggravate acne on your neck, including:
- Wearing tight collared shirts, scarves, turtlenecks, etc., as they can cause serious irritation.
- Using different kinds of facial cleansers, soaps, or moisturizers without making sure that they are non-comedogenic or oil free.
- The transfer of oil from your hair to your neck as it clogs the skin pores (this can also cause acne on your scalp).
How to Get Rid of Neck Acne
Now comes the core part of this article. I’m going to share 6 different and effective ways of eliminating acne on your neck.
This blog post is divided into two parts:
- The first part outlines different ways for eliminating your existing neck acne.
- The second part on the other end, shares a number of practical tips that will effectively help in preventing future breakouts on your neck.
Let’s get started.
The First Part – Neck Acne Elimination
1. Banish Neck Acne with Misumi Blemish Clear Body Wash
Tried and true, Misumi’s Blemish Clear Body Wash is by far the most effective acne banishing treatment for neck acne we’ve found, after testing dozens of highly rated products.
This powerful formula is specifically designed to combat acne that occurs on the neck, arms, back, and chest area, which have thicker skin and require a more powerful treatment.
The reason we like Blemish Clear Body Wash is because it focuses on treating the root of the problem and gives you long-lasting and sustainable results. It heals the skin and helps to uncover bright, smooth, and healthy skin underneath.
This double-duty acne-clearing cleanser also has amazing anti-aging properties. The formula contains premium quality Lactic Acid which stimulates collagen-building, helping to firm saggy skin and reduce lines and wrinkles.
How Misumi’s Blemish Clear Body Wash Works
The body wash uses a potent combination of Salicylic, Glycolic, and Lactic Acid as the active ingredients to unclog pores, reduce irritation, and stimulate the growth of new, healthy cells under the surface.
The formula also incorporates Lavender Oil which is known to help prevent severe acne scarring and calm breakouts. Lavender also has great sebum-balancing properties. It’ll help to reduce over-production of oil on the skin, which is a primary cause of neck acne.
Active Ingredient: Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic acid.
Pros:
- Specially designed to treat neck acne
- Can be used to treat breakouts on the back, chest, and arms
- Powerful combination of Salicylic, Glycolic, and Lactic Acid
- Helps to prevent future breakouts by unclogging pores and removing impurities
- Promotes smoother and clearer skin by stimulating cell regeneration
- Anti-aging properties helps to tighten skin and reduce wrinkles
- Guilt Free: Paraben-free. Cruelty-free. No animal testing.
- 100% money-back guarantee.
Directions:
- Massage Misumi Blemish Clear Body Wash on your neck and other affected body areas during shower. Rinse well and repeat daily.
2. Tea Tree Oil Cream for Treating Acne on the Neck
Now, if you’re looking for a super mild option for treating your neck acne fast, this is the way forward.
Keeva tea tree oil acne treatment cream doesn’t harm or dry your skin like other acne treatments thanks to its main ingredients being organic tea tree oil and salicylic acid.
Organic tea tree oil & salicylic acid are the best combination for a moisturized acne free skin. As a great bonus this treatment also includes Hyaluronic Acid that helps diminish the acne scars for a clearer & smoother skin.
Pros:
- Organic tea tree oil & salicylic acid are the best combination for a moisturized acne free skin.
- As a great bonus this treatment also includes Hyaluronic Acid that helps diminish the acne scars for a clearer & smoother skin.
- Won’t dry out your skin excessively, it will actually leave your neck area fairly moisturized.
- Chemical Free: No Parabens or Sulfates.
- Organic: Made with Non-GMO ingredients.
- Can bring in results in days, not months.
Cons:
- Made with natural organic ingredients, if you suffer from allergies you might want to take a look first at the ingredients labeled.
- Scented Cream that some will find pleasant but others may dislike the smell.
- The cream jar is rather small and you might need to restock often if you are treating several areas of your body.
How to use:
After cleansing your face, apply Keeva tea tree oil acne treatment cream directly to your neck acne spots. Repeat daily for best results.
3. Use Lemon to Exfoliate Your Skin and Eliminate Toxins
If your skin is very oily, then there’s no better option than exfoliating it. You do it to remove any dead skin cells that may be residing on the dermis, doing nothing but to abet bacterial growth and clog the skin pores. There are a variety of ways to exfoliate your skin, but I’ll outline the best and the simplest ones.
Lemon juice is, by far, the best way when it comes to exfoliating your skin gently and naturally. It contains the biggest nutrient friend of your skin, Vitamin C, in the quantity of about 64%.
- Cut a fresh lemon into two pieces and squeeze the one half into a glass
- Add lukewarm water in it.
- Drink this water daily in the morning before breakfast.
- Rub the remaining squeezed lemon on your neck, leave it for 10 minutes, and then rinse it off.
The drink will flush away all the unwanted toxins from your body, and the topical application will exfoliate your skin.
Read what Jim Dillan – from HealthAmbition – has to say about the tremendous benefits of lemon water.
4. Homemade Sea Salt Super Exfoliant
If acne on your neck is severe, this method is to go for. It’s proven to be an effective way of exfoliating your skin and drying out pimples to eliminate them.
- Mix 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin oil with 1 tablespoon of sea salt.
- Stir them gently, and apply on your neck.
- Do this repeatedly with a two day gap.
- If it dries out your skin too much, shorten its use to only once a week.
5. Make Use of Other Proven Over The Counters
As I said earlier, the skin of our neck is relatively thick, so using OTCs that contain Benzoyl Peroxide, Salicylic Acid, and Alpha Hydroxy Acids, will not put your skin at high risk as it can easily bear their chemical effects. Therefore, they can efficiently contribute in fighting against neck acne, without the fear of any unsightly consequences.
For a comprehensive list of the most successful products that contain BP, SA, and AHAs, refer to this blog post.
6 – Neck Acne Prevention
A. Essential Everyday Tips
- Ideally, you shouldn’t be wearing tight collared shirts, turtlenecks, or scarves (if really tight) that can cause irritation and aggravate acne on your neck. If it seems daunting, then try only to wear them occasionally.
- Always check non-comedogenic or oil free label on cleansers, soaps, moisturizers, or any kind of cosmetic products you often use because they can cause over production of sebum and promote acne cosmetica.
- Wash your hair regularly to keep its oil off your neck – preferably, with any of one these acne fighting shampoos. You can also wrap your hair up if its longer.
Habitually adopting these simple tips in your daily routine, in itself, can provide noticeable improvement in your acne condition. And when combined with the methods we’re going to discuss below, it will definitely provide a perfect platform for the elimination of acne on your neck.
B. Avoid All Sources of Irritation
At last, I’d suggest you to avoid each and everything that causes irritation on your neck. Remember this simple rule, less irritation = less acne.
Picking at skin, scratching an itch, rubbing it too hard, continuously using uncleaned pillows, wiping/rubbing sweat away, etc., are among those top deeds that lead to unwanted irritation on your skin.
Therefore, they should be avoided at all costs as irritation is the one of the chief abettors behind neck acne.
C. Watch Out For Excess Oil and Perspiration
Excess oil often happens to be the main reason behind the outbreak of acne, and if your skin is oily, and you perspire a lot, there’s no way but to believe this.
Having said that, make sure to avoid excessive buildup of sweat on your neck area to prevent bacterial growth and pore clogging.
Take regular baths. Preferably, with a soap like Cetaphil Antibacterial Gentle Cleansing Bar that won’t only cleanse your skin gently, but will also remove excess oil from your skin to prevent pore clogging.
Conclusion
That brings us to the end of this precise post answering your desperate question, “How do I get rid of neck acne?”
We discussed how acne on the back of your neck is caused and how to practically eliminate it by making use of some of the best available methods.
But we didn’t even stop there. We also learned a number of practical tips for preventing neck acne in the future.
If you’ve been reading this post right from the start, I think you now have no reason to allow acne to stick to your neck. You’ve learned all the tips, tweaks, and methods that will help you in making that possible. What’s only left is your will to do all this.
Your turn…
What do you think of these tips I’ve shared in this article? Have I missed anything? Want to share a method that works for you?
Whatever you have on your mind, let me know in the comments below. 🙂
I have found that the skin on my neck is more sensitive than that on my face. If I use anything medicated or more stringent than a mild soap on my neck, it gets inflamed. Then I have acne and red, angry neck skin. I use a mild cleanser on my face and neck every morning and night followed by moisturizer, but I’m not sure what else I can do to treat the acne that won’t otherwise irritate the skin. Any suggestions?
Hi Carrie,
Thanks for getting in touch.
You should better consult with your Derm if your skin is that sensitive.
The mildest treatment I can think of for your situation is to use Exposed Body Wash (not acne treatment serum) from their body acne kit.
You use it under the shower, very gently apply it on your neck, and rinse it off in a few minutes. You follow it up by gently dabbing your neck with their Derm-X cloth (no rubbing).
Since your neck gets inflamed by every acne medication, I’d suggest diluting this body wash with some water in your hands and then apply it on your neck.
If you get positive response from your first use, follow this method 2-3 times a week and it will hopefully get all good.
Hope that helps.
I have the acne issue and I was looking for a home remedy because I don’t prefer to treat it with medicines or creams containing chemicals. I will try the lemon remedy and hope it will work well.
Can you please share a remedy for acne scars as well?
There plenty of them we’ve listed in this post: https://clearawayacne.net/treatments/how-to-get-rid-of-acne-scars#mild-moderate
Hi,
I have a guy friend and he has several acne on the back of his neck. I think one of the best ways to get rid of acne is having a proper hygiene. I will share these ideas with him. Are the products you shared, natural products? Thank you for sharing these informative post.