While facial acne may be the most common type of acne, pimples can pop up anywhere — including your chest, back and even your butt. Yes, you read that right. Butt acne (also called buttne) is really a thing and it can be totally frustrating. Besides making sitting or wearing tight pants uncomfortable, the area can also be tricky to reach — and therefore hard to treat.

Thankfully, there are things you can do to get rid of buttne, including a handful of preventative measures. To find out exactly how to treat blemishes on your behind, I spoke to dermatologists. Keep reading to discover what they said about how to get rid of butt acne, and the best products you can use to do it.

Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.

Ready to treat your buttne? These body washes and spot treatments are specifically formulated to treat body and butt acne and were recommended by experts, are favorites of NBC Select staffers or are highly rated.

Made specifically for your bum, this lotion has tea tree oil, which Dr. Yoram Harth, board-certified dermatologist and medical director of MDalgorithms, says can reduce inflammation and soothe bumps. The lotion is also hydrating, which can prevent more acne from popping up — that’s because if your skin feels dry, your oil glands go into overdrive to lubricate the area, which can cause even more zits. The brand recommends applying this three to four days during a breakout to help clear skin.

This body wash, which won an NBC Select Wellness Award, contains salicylic acid, which can exfoliate and unclog pores, says Dr. Anna Chacon, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami, Florida. The wash can remove bacteria and unclog pores, while also hydrating thanks to shea butter and glycerin. NBC Select associate updates editor Zoe Malin uses this body wash after sweaty workouts and likes how gentle it is. “It is non-irritating and leaves my skin feeling soft and clean,” she says.

I was sent this product a few years back when it first came out and was instantly taken with the cute packaging — there’s a Corgi’s butt on the lid. But it’s what is inside the jar that is really impressive. It’s like a face mask but for your butt. The formula contains a blend of glycolic, malic and azelaic acids to gently resurface the skin and it contains tiny beads to gently exfoliate as you wash it off. Simply spread a thin layer on your skin, wait three minutes, then rinse off.

Former NBC Select editorial intern Andriana Kourkoumelis uses this wash in her daily shower routine. As someone who struggles with textured skin and acne all over her body, she says “this wash has helped keep my pores unclogged and made me breakout less overtime.” The acne body cleanser also made our list of the best body washes for acne-prone skin. It has salicylic acid to unclog pores, plus ceramides and hyaluronic acid to boost hydration and prevent irritation.

Kourkoumelis loves this spray by Magic Molecule because it works to reduce irritation from breakouts, tattoos, bug bites and even buttne. “This spray basically sanitizes your skin and prevents breakouts before they even happen,” she says. The spray helps heal more than 50 common skin problems and works to remove bacteria, reduce redness, calm skin and minimize imperfections over time, according to the brand. Magic Molecule also offers a smaller size, which is perfect for travelling.

We list this as one of the best body washes for those with oily skin or who get regular breakouts. It has salicylic acid to exfoliate and unclog pores. The formula also has glycerin to keep skin hydrated, according to the brand.

Included as one of our best treatments for teen acne, these First Aid Beauty facial pads are made for sensitive skin because they can gently exfoliate using an alcohol-free (read: non-drying) formula, according to the brand. Their gentle nature makes them a good option for buttne, too.

Both Chacon and Harth warn against using anything too aggressive because irritating the skin on your butt can get particularly uncomfortable since you have to sit on it. Chacon also notes that pads are easy to swipe across acne that may be hard to reach back there. These pads also have hyaluronic acid and white tea extract to hydrate and protect your skin.

We recommended this spray in our story on getting rid of back acne, but it will work for your butt, too. The nozzle allows you to easily spray a fine mist of a salicylic mixture over any infected area that may be hard to reach. The leave-on formula is gentle enough for daily use and works by exfoliating the skin to unclog pores, according to the brand.

Butt acne can pop up when the pores in that area get clogged. A gentle exfoliating treatment can help prevent that from happening or address pores that have clogged. These pads are soaked in a mixture of witch hazel and salicylic acid to gently exfoliate and aloe vera to soothe. The pads should be wiped over clean skin and can be used daily.

Buttne is exactly what it sounds like — acne on your butt. “Anyone can develop buttne, but those who are more prone are individuals who sweat excessively, wear tight or non-breathable clothing, or have prolonged periods of sitting,” says Chacon. “Athletes or those who regularly exercise may also be more susceptible due to increased perspiration and wearing tight workout attire.”

Some of the same things that cause facial acne can also lead butt acne. “It can be triggered by clogged pores due to excess oil, dead skin cells, or bacteria,” says Chacon. “Sweat and friction can exacerbate these issues, leading to irritated and inflamed hair follicles.” Finally, warm weather can also up the chance of breakouts on your butt. This is because higher temperatures mean more opportunities to sweat and clog pores.

When I asked experts about what to look for in products that treat butt acne, these are the main things they suggested keeping in mind:

• Ingredients: “When looking for products to combat buttne, look for ingredients that exfoliate and have antibacterial properties,” says Chacon. “Salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and glycolic acid are common ingredients in treatments that can be effective for treating buttne because they help to unclog pores, reduce inflammation, and fight bacteria.” Tea tree oil is another ingredient that can help with buttne. “The components in all of these ingredients reduce inflammation, fight the bacterial cause of folliculitis, and soothe irritated skin,” says Harth.
• Product category: Medicated body washes and spot treatments that include the above ingredients can help treat buttne, says Chacon. You can also use a body scrub to exfoliate the skin on your behind, which can help unclog pores. “Just be sure whatever scrub you use is gentle and not too abrasive,” says Harth. Anything irritating can exacerbate breakouts.”
• Ratings: With so many acne products on the market, I focused on picks that come highly rated. All of the products listed below have at least a four-star average rating from at least 1,000 shoppers.

Both of the experts I spoke to agree that lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in keeping new butt breakouts from happening. They suggest the following:

• Watch the sweat: Do what you can to minimize sweating in that area. “One way to do that is by wearing loose, breathable clothing,” says Chacon.
• Switch out your pants: Sometimes sweat is unavoidable, like during a hard workout or in the hotter months. During times you know you’ll perspire a lot, change out of your sweaty clothes as soon as possible, says Chacon. This can prevent bacteria from popping up and infecting your pores.

• Give your butt a skin care routine: A good skin care routine can help prevent acne on your face, and it can do the same for your butt. “Incorporate exfoliating and antibacterial skin care products into your routine,” says Chacon, who suggests using them weekly even when you don’t have a breakout.

At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Dr. Anna Chacon is a board-certified dermatologist in Miami, Florida.
• Dr. Yoram Harth is a board-certified dermatologist and medical director of MDalgorithms. 

I am a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, I interviewed two board-certified dermatologists and researched highly rated butt acne treatments on the market.

Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.