What Causes Butt Pimples & How to Get Rid of Butt Acne Fast

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When the weather starts to heat up, some people get stressed over showing more skin — especially if one’s prone to body breakouts or pimples on the butt. And well, while it may sound embarrassing (it shouldn’t be), just know that you’re far from alone.

So, if you’re looking for a way to avoid the kind of lumps Fergie wasn’t talking about, we’ve got you. We spoke to New York City-based cosmetic dermatologists to learn how to get rid of butt acne once and for all.

What is butt acne?

Most importantly you should know that, typically, breakouts on your butt aren’t actually acne. “Butt acne is not truly acne — it is, in fact, most often due to inflammation around hair follicles known as folliculitis, or an irritation secondary to chronic rubbing, which can come with wearing tight-fitting clothes or even waxing,” says Shereene Idriss, a board-certified dermatologist at the Union Square Laser Dermatology.

An easy way to tell if it’s folliculitis, which is truly an infection of the hair follicle, is how it feels, along with its placement on the body, says Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. These bumps usually appear as small, shallow lumps, which tend to be itchy or painful. When irritated, they can develop into larger, cyst-like clusters.

How do you treat butt breakouts?

First and foremost, clean up the area. “Washing regularly with benzoyl peroxide (like the Murad Clarifying Cleanser, which is formulated with salicylic acid and green tea to soothe, helps keep pesky bacteria at bay, decreasing your chances of developing a bacterial folliculitis,” says Idriss. “Folliculitis, however, is not always due to bacteria alone; it can also be caused by a fungus.”

So, what should you do if a fungus is the culprit? According to Zeichner]), you’ll need to get your hands on an anti-fungal medication, as folliculitis caused by a fungus will not improve or clear up if you use an acne treatment.