When it comes to the skin, there’s a few conditions that are rarely – if ever – talked about. Sure, we hear time and time again about all the latest skincare trends and how to achieve glowy and luminous skin, but sometimes there’s some unsexy conditions that just never get mentioned. One such condition is ‘Butt-ne’. Don’t be alarmed if you’ve never heard of it before.
In the past it’s been one of those unspoken of skin issues, but now, Biologi’s Dermal Specialist Lucy Macdougald is here to tell us all about it.
Lucy Macdougald
WHAT EXACTLY IS BUTT-NE?
“Well, let’s say ‘Butt-ne’ is ‘Mask-ne’s’ uglier sister! By now it’s likely you’ve heard all about ‘Mask-ne’ which is short for ‘Mask Acne’ and ‘Butt-ne’ is short for ‘Butt Acne’. Yes, you read that right. It’s ‘acne’ that happens down there. Butt-ne refers to breakouts, blackheads, bumps or pimples that appear on your butt. Although the name alludes to it being acne, in most cases, it’s actually not. While in some cases it is a bout of pimples, for many it is actually inflammation around hair follicles known as folliculitis. Visually, it looks like your butt has broken out in spots and while you personally may not be flexible enough to see it, you can likely feel the lumps and bumps. In all cases, it’s one of those skin conditions that can unfortunately be rather embarrassing for the sufferer and hard to know how to treat (because no one talks about it)!”
WHAT CAUSES BUTT-NE?
“The root cause is typically inflammation but constant rubbing or even waxing can also cause Butt-ne. There seems to be a surge of people suffering Butt-ne of late and the cause is likely put down to a change in lifestyle habits. The past few years has seen many of us literally living in our active wear thanks to new work-from-home mandates. This means we’ve been spending extended periods of time wearing tight clothing and any constant rubbing can cause the condition. It can also happen when a sweaty gym session and the combined constant rubbing creates the perfect breeding ground for a bout of Butt-ne. Add to that the fact that some people might leave their gym gear on for the rest of the day, further exacerbating the issue. In order to avoid this, it is important to remove any sweaty gym gear as soon as you can because rubbing that material on your butt is the perfect breeding ground. Other causes which that can cause Butt-ne is when people wash less, wash later in the day, or even wear the same clothes more than once (never outfit repeat any gym gear without thoroughly washing it first)!”
WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT IT?
“In short, it’s an incredibly embarrassing topic to bring up! In fact, any skin condition that might happen south of the face can be a hard topic to broach (even more so, when it’s ‘down there’). While it’s embarrassing to admit, there is a high chance that other people are, or have, experienced Butt-ne at some point in their lives! The truth is, the more we talk about these kinds of things, the less embarrassing they can be. The good news? It can be easily treated!”
HOW CAN WE TREAT BUTT-NE?
“Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, keep that area as clean as possible. A great way to remember to do this is by treating your butt cleanse the same way you might treat your face cleanse. Just don’t use any harsh or stripping ingredients, instead use a gentle cleanser like Biologi’s Bc Refresh Cleanser. Once a week you can also incorporate a gentle exfoliant to slough off any build up or dead skin cells. Avoid the use of chemical exfoliants and please do not scrub the area. This area of your body is incredibly delicate and needs to be treated as such by using natural and safe ingredients. Any harsh ingredients can actually make the condition worse by aggravating or inflaming the area. This can also make matters worse by causing scarring or pigmentation.
The second thing you need to do is try to soothe any inflammation of that area. The best way to do this is by adding in some hydration (but again, be REALLY CAREFUL about what products you use). Just remember that anything you apply to your butt has the potential to travel to other parts of the body. Avoid any harsh or chemical laden options and look for natural and safe products like Biologi’s Bf Restore Face and Body Serum which a potent but gentle serum that can soothe and repair that area, leaving the skin on your butt feeling hydrated and soft. This serum is safe for regular use and contains no synthetic ingredients or chemicals.
In all cases, if it feels as though what you’re dealing with a condition that might be more than a couple of pimples on your butt, you need to seek the advice of an expert. In some cases, you could be dealing with a fungus or other skin concern which will need a professional opinion. An expert might prescribe an anti-fungal medication because folliculitis caused by a fungus won’t improve if you’re just treating it as acne.”
