The weirdest and grossest places to get acne and how you should treat them, per a derm

Acne can emerge at the most inopportune times, in the most annoying places.Pimples most commonly pop up on your forehead or nose — but the face is far from the only place breakouts are possible.Bumps are sometimes found in awkward areas such as the armpits, scalp and even your butt.Treatment varies according to where the inflammation is present, and sometimes, what appears to be acne at first glance may not even be acne at all.“People don’t realize acne needs a specific kind of hair follicle to form, and those follicles aren’t everywhere,” said board-certified dermatologist Dr.

Christina Marcelus, MD, MS, FAAD.“So when someone tells me they have acne in their armpit or on the sole of their foot, my first job isn’t to treat the acne.

It’s to figure out what it actually is, because it usually isn’t acne.We broke down where on the body it’s actually possible for pimples to emerge, and when you may need to take a second look or see a doctor — plus, the best acne treatment to stash in your bathroom cabinet for those unexpected flare-ups.If you’ve ever noticed small bumps on your bikini line after hair removal, chances are the culprit is simply an ingrown hair.“Shaving, waxing, and epilating traumatize the follicle, and the hair curls back into the skin — that’s an ingrown hair, not a pimple,” said Dr.

Marcelus.“Tight synthetic underwear and long stretches in damp workout clothes make it worse by trapping heat and friction.”The first line of defense is changing out of your wet clothes the second you’re done with a workout to avoid any bacterial build-up in nether areas.

Then, adopt a body wash or pad with salicylic acid, which target follicular plugging and ingrown hairs.Salicylic acid is the key ingredient in this formula, which also includes three essential ceramides to hydrate and restore the skin’s natural barrier.It targets sensitive skin without harsh beads that scrape or further irritate the area.Beat post-bikini wax irr...