In this article:
What is butt acne?
What causes butt acne?
Butt acne treatments
How to prevent butt acne
How to get rid of butt acne dark spots
Butt acne is a surprisingly common skin issue that affects many people. If you've ever experienced what's known as butt acne, know you're not alone. What causes it, however, might surprise you.
We're walking you through the research-backed answers to what butt acne is, what causes butt acne, how to get rid of butt acne, and the ways you get it under control so you can have healthy, bump-free skin.
What is butt acne?
Butt acne isn’t actually a type of body breakout at all, at least not in the traditional sense (more on this in a moment). When you’re experiencing what you believe to be butt acne, you might see:
- Red, raised bumps
- Tender areas of skin that are painful to the touch
- Hard, clogged pores
- Boils, a type of infected bump on skin (1)
- Whiteheads like those you might experience on the face
What causes butt acne?
What causes butt acne isn’t what you might assume. Despite its name, butt acne isn’t usually traditional acne at all and most often stems from a separate cause than traditional acne or even bacne (which are caused by bacteria, namely Cutibacterium acnes).
What one calls butt acne may be a separate condition or experience. Butt acne causes include:
- Folliculitis on the butt, one of the most common causes of what appears to be butt acne. Folliculitis is a condition where the area in and around the hair follicle becomes irritated, triggering an acne-like bump (2). In some cases, folliculitis is also itchy and painful.
- Ingrown hairs, razor burn and bumps from waxing and shaving.
- Keratosis pilaris (KP), a condition where small hard, clogged bumps form on the buttocks (as well as other areas, such as sides of arms and thighs).
- Friction from tight-fitting, damp, hot clothes (hello, yoga pants), which can make bumps flare up.
- Carbuncles (boils), which are virus, bacteria or yeast caused hair follicle infections (3).
- Contact dermatitis, a skin response to allergens and irritants (4).
- Eczema, a group of genetic and environmentally-influenced skin conditions (5).
- That’s not to say what you’re experiencing can’t be true acne. While acne tends to be more prevalent in areas of the skin that are densely populated with sebaceous glands, such as the face and scalp, it can occur in other areas, including the bum (6).
Butt acne treatments
Wondering how to get rid of butt acne? Getting rid of butt acne includes a plan that begins with identifying what’s causing your butt bumps and curating an anti-acne body care routine. To better identify what’s really happening, visit your doctor to get to the bottom of what’s happening on your bottom.
After identification, it’ll be easier to help get rid of your butt acne and create a tailor-made body care routine. The most effective butt acne treatment approach combines proper cleansing, targeted active ingredients, and consistency. However, regardless of the cause, your body care routine should follow the below steps:
- Shower with a fragrance-free body wash that doesn’t leave residue on the skin. Use a water-soluble formula instead of bar soap, which can leave a pore-clogging film and irritate skin. If you’re receiving treatment from a dermatologist, they might also prescribe or recommend antiseptic skin cleaners that contain ingredients specifically designed to fight bacteria.
- If you’re unsure about the true cause of your butt blemishes, start with applying a salicylic acid body spray to the affected area one to two times a day to help curb bumps and clogs as well as redness. You can also explore using a hypochlorous acid spray.
- If you suspect that your butt pimples are true acne, apply a benzoyl peroxide treatment to the area. Benzoyl peroxide targets acne-causing bacteria and is also suitable for certain types of bacterial folliculitis.
- Other types of folliculitis may be caused by fungus, in which case washing the area with an anti-fungal dandruff shampoo may help (7). You can also chat with your dermatologist about experimenting with a leave-on anti-fungal cream.
- Applying a warm compress can help alleviate painful bumps and speed up the lifecycle of whiteheads.
How to prevent butt acne
Preventing butt acne requires a mix of body care and lifestyle tweaks. When it comes to preventative butt acne body care, you should:
- Focus on exfoliation with salicylic acid, especially after shaving or waxing.
- Shower after workouts or other sweat-inducing activities. If showering isn’t possible, consider using gentle body wipes or exfoliating pads to prevent clogs.
- If you’re regularly using an anti-acne routine for your face, consider extending those same products as butt acne treatments to prevent the problem before it starts.
Lifestyle changes that can help prevent butt acne include:
- Skipping out on hot tubs or, as the The American Academy of Dermatology suggests, washing your swimsuit after each hot tub visit and letting it dry completely to reduce exposure to the bacteria that can cause folliculitis (8). The bacteria that builds up in hot tubs can cause bacterial folliculitis and can appear several days after using a hot tub. The bumps look like acne, but unlike acne, this type of folliculitis is typically itchy.
- Avoiding wearing tight-fitting clothing that can rub against skin, causing irritation.
- Wearing undergarments and workout clothing made of breathable fibers, such as cotton or bamboo. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman adds, “Another good choice is polypropylene, which is a synthetic fiber that wicks away moisture, so it doesn’t stay close to skin.”
- Not trying to “scrub away” butt acne. Scrubbing can do damage to skin’s barrier that impairs its ability to protect skin against environmental damage.
How to get rid of butt acne dark spots
The reality of having butt acne – or the conditions that resemble it – is that you might experience post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH. This type of discoloration occurs when melanin over-deposits or unevenly deposits on skin after it goes through an inflammatory process (like a bump or breakout).
If you do end up with hyperpigmentation on your bum, there are steps you can take to help reduce its visible appearance.
First, you can spot treat the area with 10% azelaic acid to reduce discolorations. Azelaic acid benefits are numerous and this ingredient is backed by research for its ability to help fade post-breakout marks and smooth bumpy texture. Win-win.
You might also want to consider a retinol body lotion or niacinamide body serum to help improve the look of dark spots left behind after lesions on your bum begin to heal. Research shows both retinol and niacinamide help improve the look of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (9,10).
The amount of time it takes to get dark spots to begin to fade can be as little to a few weeks to as long as several months, but with diligence and consistency, you will achieve the results you want!
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References for this information:
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, February 2021 pages 1-100
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, August 2012, pages 301-310
- Research & Review: Drugs and Drug Development, July-December 2021, pages 30-40
- Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology, July 2021, pages 245-281
- The Journal of Dermatology, September 2024, pages 192-203
- Journal of Clinical Medicine, March 2022, pages 1-10
- Dermapathology, April 2023, pages 136-141
- The American Academy of Dermatology, Accessed May 2025, Website
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, January 2022, pages 69-81
- Cosmetics, April 2025, pages 1-12
