How to Treat Underarm & Breast Acne

Whether it's your go-to sports bra pulling across skin in your morning exercise session or a form-fitting office outfit creating friction throughout the day, it’s a part of common routine for most of the women in India. We unhesitantly discuss face care and body care, yet it remains a concern of shame regarding the annoying emergence of acne on the breasts or pimples on the underarm for many women where breakouts are triggered with hormonal swings or poor hygiene.

The frustration and even embarrassment of trying to manage this unpleasant skin concern in your life while trying to maintain a hectic lifestyle is very troublesome but it's a universal and a completely natural phenomenon to experience. It's driven by many daily factors like from your clothes and the hormonal ups and downs, to how your sweat interacts with your skin.

This comprehensive guide brings these taboo breakouts into the light, exploring why they happen in our busy lives and how to effectively manage them so you can feel comfortable and confident every single day and explain why you’re developing breakouts in the first place, so you can begin tackling these issues and regain your skin confidence.

Breast Acne

Causes & Triggers

Your chest and breast area have an increased number of sebaceous glands aka oil glands. Like your facial pores, your chest pores can get clogged to develop into comedones like blackheads and whiteheads, inflammatory lesions, like pimples and sometimes deep cystic lesions.

Breast acne shares the same foundational cause as facial acne

Excess sebum production
Dead skin cell buildup
Proliferation of acne-causing bacteria (Cutibacterium acnes)

The breast area is subject to specific environmental and mechanical triggers that exacerbate these factors.

Occlusive Clothing & Friction--It is a fact that probably the most common source of breast acne is occlusive clothing & friction. Sports bras, athletic gear, tight clothes and synthetic fabrics (i.e. Nylon and polyester) build up sweat and heat in the skin. Fabric rubbing against the skin produces mechanical irritation and inflammation that leads to a type of acne called ‘acne mechanica’.
Hormonal Fluctuations--The chest area is highly sensitive to hormonal shifts. Many individuals notice a significant rise in breast acne right before their menstrual cycle, during pregnancy or when starting or stopping hormonal birth control medications. Elevated androgen levels stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more oil leading to cleavage acne.

Sweat Retention --It’s not actually sweat itself that causes acne, it just leaves your skin warm and humid, a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. The combination of dead skin and sweat after your workout is the prime offender for those blocked pores.

Heavy Body Products --The most frequent triggers include heavy comedogenic body lotions, massage oils, scented body washes and some sunscreens that clog the pores. If you apply these products to your chest without thoroughly washing them off on a regular basis, they can plug the follicular openings.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer

IBC is one type of an uncommon and aggressive form of breast cancer that often mimics a rash or an infection around the breast region of a woman. When your breast suddenly turns pink or red and swollen, is warm to the touch, your breast skin becomes thicker and feels like orange peel is a sign to consult a physician as early as possible.

Bumps Under Arms

The bumps that are tender and show up in the armpit are unsettling. There's something unique about the armpit anatomy, it's a hub of hair follicles, sweat glands (apocrine) and is affected by skin-to-skin friction. Most pimples under the arm pit area are actually an outcome of a follicular irritation.

Common Causes Of Underarm Pimples

Folliculitis --The medical name for an inflamed or infected hair follicle. Folliculitis of the underarms typically is seen as an outbreak of red bumps or whiteheads clustered around a hair. Bacterial infections like those from C. acnes, S. aureus or Malassezzia can contribute to inflammation of damaged hair follicles.

Ingrown hairs --Ingrown hairs are usually formed when shaved or waxed hairs regrow, curl up and grow back into the skin. Your body considers the ingrown hair as a foreign object, causing inflammation that leads to the growth of a red, pus-filled, pimple-like swelling.

Antiperspirant And Deodorant Residue--Many antiperspirants use aluminum based chemicals to block openings of sweat ducts to release less sweat. If you do not rinse your underarms with water by the end of day, antiperspirants may become trapped within pilosebaceous units as well, contributing to blockages and irritation along with dirt, dead skin cells and natural lipids.
Bacteria, Inflammation And Irritation--A dull razor can pull on the skin and make microscopic cuts as you’re shaving. That opens up your skin’s defenses and allows bacteria into the hair follicles more easily than normal. Consequently, leading to armpit pimples.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa --If you get painful lumps the size of a pea to a marble under your armpits or under your breasts time after time, you might have Hidradenitis Suppurativa. It is an inflammatory chronic condition that targets hair follicles, generally found close to the apocrine sweat glands. With time these lumps may open up, producing a foul smell and a liquid drainage and tunneling under the skin, resulting in extensive scarring. It’s important to note that this is not a result of poor hygiene and must be treated with the assistance of a healthcare provider, which could involve topical/oral prescription antibiotics, a biologics therapy or some procedure.

When To See A Doctor ?

For many of the women who develop breakouts in the underarms and breast area, that is a common experience that is usually due to certain hormonal or bodily changes. But these are the parts of your body that have a very complex anatomy, so it’s good to know if a bump requires a consultation with a physician. Must schedule a visit to your doctor if you develop any unexplainable hardening of the skin, changes in skin color, indentations, an inverted nipple, nipple drainage or a lump that doesn't go away in a few weeks from your armpits.

What 6 Things You Shouldn’t Miss To Prevent And Manage Breast Acne and Underarm Pimples ?

Normalizing the Conversation--The skincare extends far beyond our face. The standard of “flawless” skin takes a secretive turn the moment acne pops out on body parts deemed too personal to address. The humiliation of breast acne or pimples under our arms makes finding relief and appropriate treatment all the more challenging. In truth, our pores don't care about arbitrary societal borders. They respond to irritation from friction, hormonal shifts, sweat and bacteria similarly whether they’re located on the bridge of your nose or under your pit. Cleanse thoughtfully, Wear soft cotton clothes, too shy to call out when a breakout signals something that might need the attention of a dermatologist. Every area of skin that you own should feel perfectly safe and comfortable.
incorporate Targeted Cleansers--Choosing dedicated gentle cleansers with anti-acne actives will help clear out the pore wall openings by drawing out the pore-cloggers like dead cells, trapped dirt, excess sebum and sweat and remove the acne-causing microbes from the skin as well.
Alite presents a wide range of body care products with some of the best anti-acne actives in formulations designed to suit diverse Indian skin types for routine use.
Alite Tea Tree Oil & Salicylic Acid Anti-Acne Soap
This gentle body cleanser is formulated with the power of Salicylic Acid that removes the tough dirt and grime from the skin, dissolving the sebum filled pores and clearing the clogged follicles in the skin. Its keratolytic action improves the desquamation and prevents acne. It is also packed with the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory tea tree oil which not only soothes the skin but also fights the acne causing microbes without disrupting the skin barrier. The Chlorhexidine Di Undecylenate is present in this formula which is popular for its efficient antimicrobial action. This soap nourishes the skin barrier too as it’s enriched with Vitamin E and Allantoin.
Maintain Personal Hygiene And Cleanliness--Washing your personal belongings regularly which are commonly exposed to your underparts is an essential routine you should not miss.
Choose Non-Comedogenic Skincare--You need to select light-in-weight and non-greasy skincare products with low comedogenicity in order to avoid acne formation. Alite Anti-Acne Gel is a perfect choice to fight acne and strengthen skin barrier at the same time.
Alite Anti-Acne Gel
The anti-acne gel has specially derived active ingredients like 1% Contacticel obtained from the marine. It works as a dermopurifying active which neutralizes the environmental stressors to control over active oil and prevent oxidative damage on active breakouts. Its power-packed 6% Silanediol Salicylate serves as a powerful collagen booster and works to refine the pores. 5% Niacinamide in this gel works on the damaged skin to support barrier repair and speeds up the skin calming process.
Reconsider Your Wardrobe--Wear airy and loose-fitting clothes whenever possible. Opt for breathable natural fibers such as cotton or linen in summers. Ensure your bras are clean. Repeating unwashed and used bras multiple times encourages dead skin cells and bacteria to build up on the material and rub right back into your pores.
Improve Your Shaving Routine--A dull blade just tugs against your skin, causing tiny abrasions and these tiny nicks disrupt the skin barrier, making it super easy for bacteria to get in there. Use a clean sharp blade with a gentle glide for your sensitive areas. It will prevent ingrown hairs as well. Use non-comedogenic after-shave to prevent pore clogging.

What Routine Should You Follow To Combat Breast Acne and Underarm Pimples ?

The Morning Ritual

Wet your skin. Lather Alite Anti-Acne Soap by rubbing. Gently massage your body with this lather. Rinse well with water and pat dry using a soft towel.

Now, directly apply Alite Anti-Acne Gel to the affected areas.

The Evening Ritual

Wet your skin. Lather Alite Anti-Acne Soap by rubbing. Gently massage your body with this lather. Rinse well with water.

Now, after towel-drying your skin, directly apply Alite Anti-Acne Gel to the affected areas. You can also follow up with Alite Spots Reduction Cream which actively works to fade the dark spots and post-acne marks.

Key Takeaways

It’s not a matter of shame why women often get breast acne, our chests are covered in oil glands that produce excess sebum to clog pores and result in blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and even painful cysts. Some common causes of breast and underarm pimples, including clogged pores from skin and hair care products, shaving, antiperspirants and many more.

Seek medical attention, if you develop chronic inflammation due to acne around the breast area or armpits. While there’s often no one single reason for these pimples to pop up, common culprits behind underarm acne include ingrown hair, folliculitis and irritants from deodorants or the way you shave.

Normalizing breast acne and underarm pimples to discuss openly is the need of the hour. A gentle cleansing soap can go a long way. Alite Anti Acne Soap contains the key acne-fighting ingredients you’ll want in your daily routine to fight acne. A hydrating and non-comedogenic moisturizer like Alite Anti Acne Gel is ideal for post-wash upkeep. Improving Hygiene, wearing breathable clothing and avoiding tight, synthetic clothing, proper shaving technique are recommended.