At a Glance: Acne is a common skin problem that affects almost everyone at some point in their lives. It doesn’t spare anyone – including you! It can develop on almost any part of your body, even your chest.

Just imagine you’re a woman who is window shopping at a mall when a gorgeous dress with a plunging neckline catches your eye.

You’ll surely look like a million dollars in it at your next girls’ night out!

Perhaps you’re a guy browsing through the latest menswear section when you pass by an entire rack of the hottest deep V-neck shirts that you can definitely pull off anytime.

You know this shirt is going to make you a hit with the ladies at the club.

But just as you try on this sexy number in the fitting room you see them, staring at you like piercing, tiny, red eyes...

What’s the problem? Your chest acne!​

Chest acne breaks out whenever it can. It doesn’t matter who you are.

You can be of any age, background, or lifestyle and it can ruin your life!

And just like everyone else, you may be too self-conscious about it. Instead of seeking help you go back to your old, boring wardrobe that conveniently conceals your pimply front side.

But why worry and hide when you can easily get rid of those annoying spots.

In this article, we’ll help you understand what causes chest acne and what you can do about it, including proven and effective ways how to keep it from coming back.​

Why Do I Have Chest Acne?

Before we spill the beans on how to get rid of chest acne, let us first understand how chest acne develops.

See, your sebaceous glands produce the oily, waxy substance known as sebum which helps waterproof and lubricates your hair and skin.

However, when sebum mixes with dead skin cells and dirt, it tends to form a “plug” over your pores and follicles.

When a follicle becomes clogged, the bacteria P. acnes, which also lives on the skin, thrives on excess sebum and multiplies quickly.​

This irritates your skin and even causes it to become infected. Once infection sets in, your skin develops inflamed tiny red bumps known as pimples.

Over time, the infection goes deeper into the skin and creates swollen, pus-filled lesions.

When these lesions erupt, the infection may spread to other areas of your skin and cause more breakouts.​

The Culprit Behind Your Chest Acne

Chest acne develops from factors that differ from one person to another. These factors depend on your biological makeup and lifestyle.

For you to understand how to get rid of chest acne, it’s best for you to identify what these factors are.

Below are the three biggest factors that cause acne to pop out on your chest:​

Can Hormonal Imbalance Cause Chest Acne?

Testosterone is a hormone that is found primarily in men and less so in women. It is one of the main culprits of hormonal acne.

If you’re a man, your testosterone levels coincide with your physical activities. Thus, the more active you are, the higher your testosterone levels.

If you’re a woman, your hormones fluctuate due to puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and lactation. During those periods, your body produces more testosterone than it would under normal circumstances.

In both cases, too much testosterone causes an overproduction of sebum, which causes acne to flare up.​

Your diet can also be a large factor. If you love dairy products, you might as well ditch it.

Dairy contains the growth hormone IGF-1, which spikes the insulin level in your body and triggers acne.​

Can Stress Cause Chest Acne?

Yes! There is a definite correlation between stress and chest acne, especially if you’re a man.

The adrenal glands release cortisol which regulates stress levels. Cortisol production is exceptionally high if you're a man, and higher the cortisol level, the higher the insulin production.

When your body produces more insulin, your skin also produces more sebum than usual.

Whether you are a man or a woman, research shows that stress can either cause new acne or worsen pre-existing cases.​

Can The Products I Use Cause Chest Acne?

Yes, you bet it can!

Chest acne may occur as an allergic reaction to cosmetic products and toiletries that are comedogenic.​

Certain beauty products, such as soap, shampoo, lotion, makeup, and perfume that directly come into contact with the skin on your chest, may contain pore-clogging ingredients that cause acne breakouts.

How To Get Rid Of Chest Acne Overnight and Fast

Now that you have an idea of the possible causes of chest acne, it’s time that we share our little secret with you on how to get rid of it.

Getting rid of chest acne doesn’t need to be a hassle. These simple steps will give you a smooth, acne-free décolletage in no time! That’s a woman’s cleavage revealed by a low neckline in simple terms.​

Here are all the chest acne treatments that you can follow to be rid of acne on your chest:

Now let’s take a look at each of these treatments in turn.

1. Exfoliate

Make it a habit to exfoliate your chest area using a body wash with 2% salicylic acid and exfoliating cotton gloves.

Do it gently. Avoid scrubbing too hard as it will irritate the area and cause your skin to dry out.

Use circular motions with an even amount of pressure to help shift dead skin cells and open up your pores.

Repeat daily and replace your exfoliating gloves every two months to avoid introducing germs back to the area.​

2. Moisturize

Apply moisturizer or cream with a concentration of 0.5% to 2% salicylic acid to the area; this will help dry out your chest acne.

3. Apply Spot On Treatment

Apply benzoyl peroxide to your chest area. The active agents in this solution help dry out acne and assists in peeling dead layers of skin that block your pores.

Allow the cream to dry thoroughly. Just avoid dark colored clothing as benzoyl peroxide is known to stain.

4. Mask It

Apply a cream mask on your chest area and use as directed before rinsing off.

Do it as often as two times a week. This will help draw out dead skin cells from the pores and clear your skin from chest acne.​

5. Be Gentle

When drying your skin with a cotton towel, gently dab instead of rubbing.

Rubbing off moisture from your skin will only exacerbate the condition of your chest acne.​

6. Covering Up Your Chest Acne

While we highly suggest non-invasive procedures and a change of lifestyle to people like you who want to learn how to get rid of chest acne, we understand that acne treatments need time to work.

When you badly need to cover up your chest acne as a quick temporary fix, makeup always does the trick.​

Here’s how you can do it:

How To Stop and Prevent This Skin Problem

It sure is nice to know how to deal with this skin problem, but wouldn’t it be better if you never had it in the first place?

We've highlighted the areas that may be causing your chest acne, but we also want to stress the importance of prevention in curbing your breakouts.

Hormonal Chest Acne

You may think that there isn’t much you can do about chest acne if it’s caused by your hormones, especially if you’re a woman – but we beg to disagree.

With the combination of the right products and the right attitude, you can alleviate hormonal fluctuations and prevent chest acne breakouts.​

1. Quell PMS

If PMS is causing your chest acne to flare up, you should consider evening primrose oil as your new best friend.

Extracted from the seeds of the evening primrose plant, it is rich in Gamma-linoleic Acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid.

How does it prevent you from developing chest acne?

GLA is converted into prostaglandins which help regulate your hormones and help your body ward off inflammation.

2. Get on the pill​

You can take oral contraceptives to help regulate your menstrual cycle and ease PMS symptoms.

Often, in the form of a 28-day-cycle pill, they reduce the hormonal impact on your body and, in turn, keep your acne at bay.

3. Burn, baby, burn!

Exercise helps balance out hormones during your peak hormonal changes.

You don’t necessarily have to live at the gym – a short but intense workout will do just fine.

A 45-minute-a-day routine like yoga, circuit training, or swimming will keep your hormones and stress levels under control.

Don’t forget to hit the shower once you’re done, though! Keep in mind that sweat traps in dead skin cells and oil in your pores which cause acne.​

Dietary Chest Acne

Ever heard of the maxim “You are what you eat”? We cannot emphasize enough how true it is in clearing acne from your chest.

Chest acne is often caused by allergic reactions to certain food substances. Your skin reacts to food allergens the way it would to toxic substances – it gets inflamed.

1. Don’t do dairy

One of the most common acne-causing food allergies is dairy, so you might want to cut down on it.

If you’re a man, dairy will most likely stimulate androgen, as well as raise insulin levels in your body.

Too much of these will cause your skin to produce more sebum which will definitely cause your chest acne.​

2. Say no to sugar

Sugar and spice don’t do anything nice – to your skin, that is!

Your blood sugar levels increase when you consume too much sugar.

In turn, your adrenal glands release cortisol and adrenaline to break it down into energy.

But because your body is at a stage where it doesn’t really need much cortisol or adrenaline, your hormones fluctuate and cause acne to break out.

3. Opt for omega-3

You don’t really have to starve yourself to avoid chest acne breakouts. Instead, you need to focus on eating healthily and eating for beauty.

If you want to cure chest acne, your best option is to select foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like nuts, seeds, fish, chicken, and leafy greens, among others.

Foods that are high in omega-3 support a healthy skin inflammatory response that you need for clear, acne-free skin.

The Bottom Line

Despite being one of the most attractive areas of both the female and male body, you might often neglect the skin on your chest and not give it as much TLC as it deserves.

Perhaps it’s about time you change your attitude towards your front side and observe a strict skin care regimen that will keep acne breakouts from ruining it.

As it is harder to get acne off your chest, you must not only use the right products and treatments but, more importantly, make the right changes in your habits and lifestyle.

And with our complete guide, you’ll be confidently shopping for and wearing clothing with low necklines in no time!