ERM, SO, I’VE GOT THIS RASH…
Bumps, itching, spots – your skin can suffer from all sorts of mysterious problems long after your teens. Tackle them head on
YOUR PROBLEM BACK AND CHEST ACNE
Cause: Pustules on your body are caused by excess oils collecting in your pores, which then attract bacteria called P. acnes and result in whiteheads – and more bacteria. ‘It’s a vicious cycle,’ says Dr W Elliot Love, a US-based dermatologist. Solution: Use a benzoyl peroxide body wash, which is antibacterial and helps break down clogs. Then apply a retinoid to the affected area daily to help reset your skin cells’ cycle. Buy: Acnecide 5% W/W Gel (£10.49, boots.com); Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% (£33, lloydspharmacy.com)
YOUR PROBLEM BUMPS ON THE TORSO
Cause: This condition, called folliculitis, appears as small red itchy spots. Basically, bacteria are attacking pore clogs around your hair follicles. It thrives in warm, moist environments, so you may see flare-ups after wearing sweaty kit too long.
Solution: Wash with an antibacterial body wash and apply an antibacterial cream until it clears up. Buy: Dove Care & Protect Body Wash
(£4.89 dove.com)
YOUR PROBLEM AN AWKWARD ITCH Cause:
Sometimes referred to as jock itch (or, medically, tinea cruris), this issue is caused by a fungus that thrives in ‘warm, moist environments’, according to Dr Love. It can also live elsewhere – like on your feet, thighs or bum. You can tell it’s jock itch if the rash looks redder or develops blisters on the outer edges. That’s where the fungus is actively causing inflammation.
Solution: If you’re not keeping your bits clean, ‘you’re creating a breeding ground for fungus’, says Dr Love. Wash at least once daily and use an antifungal powder spray (avoid creams, which can make the area even more moist) twice a day to get rid of the rash. Then spray once every other day to keep it from coming back.
Buy: Daktarin Powder (£4.99, chemist-4-u.com)
YOUR PROBLEM ROUGH PINKISH PATCHES
Cause: It’s called keratosis pilaris, or, ahem, chicken skin. The bumps are pinkish and dry, caused by dead skin cells plugging up the hair follicle when cold weather disrupts usual dead skin shedding.
Solution: Remove the dead skin using an exfoliant scrub or salicylic or glycolic acid, says Dr Love. Buy: Aēsop Redemption Body Scrub (£27, aesop. com); Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment (£15, spacenk.com)
YOUR PROBLEM ECZEMA
Cause: ‘With eczema, the mortar that’s holding your skin cells together breaks down because of dryness, then your skin is prone to inflammation,’ says Dr Love. This looks like a dry, red rash that can be itchy and flake.
Solution: Moisturise. ‘Using moisturiser is like putting mortar back between the bricks,’ says Dr Love.
Buy: Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body
Lotion 300ml (£7.69, boots.com); Vaseline
Pure Petroleum Jelly
(£2.99, boots.com)