Acne can appear on many parts of the body. The most typical of places to suffer is the face. However, it is also possible to get acne on the arms. This is less common because the arms do not usually produce a lot of oil. They do, however, have sebaceous glands or skin pores that can become clogged with oil and skin particles producing pimples. Therefore it is possible to develop arm acne, and it is something that can be very distressing.
Acne on the arms can be problematic, partly because the arms are often covered by clothing. This means that the acne developed on the arms can be irritated by rubbing of clothes. It is advisable that you do not wear clothing that is constrictive, does not breath and aggravates the acne on the arms. It is rare that arm acne develops to a very significant problem. If this does happen it is advisable to see a dermatologist. Benzyl peroxide is one option if the condition is serious enough to call for medication. In most cases of arm acne however it is enough to keep the skin clean. You should wash after getting sweaty or dirty so that the skin pores stay clean and do not collect excess oil.
A condition called
keratosis pilaris
is often confused with acne on the arms. This is a condition, where keratin protein is formed in the skin and red pumps on the skin are produced. This often occurs on the arms. There is no treatment for this, only exfoliation, which smooths out the pumps. However, the pumps will always return which makes this condition hard to fight.
I you have ruled out the possibility of keratosis pilaris and you know it is arm acne then here are steps to prevent it:
• Keep skin clean
• Use suitable clothing that does not rub the skin
• Do not use soap with chemicals that dry the skin
• Benzyl peroxide can be used as treatment
