This is gross, but... I have a really oily, smelly, sweaty BACK

[gagamama]

This appears to be a new quirk I have developed over the past year or so, but it's getting worse as the weather gets warmer. Basically, my back is completely slimy, gets huge deep cysty spots, and stinks of something awful. If I touch my back and sniff my hand I can smell it, and it's not nice.

I assumed for ages it was due to conditioner or shower gel not being washed off properly, but I am very careful now to always wash my hair before my back. I scrub my back at least once a day with either salicylic acid-based facewash or Dettol soap and then either apply Clinique anti-blemish body spray or Johnson's baby powder powder, but it doesn't seem to make such difference. Yesterday I showered at 7.30am and scrubbed my back, covered it in talcum powder, put on a clean cotton blouse, and still by the time I got to the office at 9 it was slimy and smelly.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? I do get mild acne on my face, and I think I might also have hidradenitis suppurativa on my inner thighs and breasts, but this is completely different.

I'd see your doctor. It clearly goes beyond regular 'greasy skin' and, if you already have skin problems elsewhere, it could be that there is something more fundamental going on than can be treated with over-the-counter and topical applications. A hormonal problem, for example.

i def think see your doctor.

but in the meantime cut back on all the stuff you are applying. i think a nice scrub in the shower/bath to get rid of dead skin, and maybe a very, very light moisturiser afterwards ought to be ok

with harsh cleaning and scrubbing you end up stripping the skin... so the skin produces more oil to make up for it

Think you should use more gentle products adn go see your Doc, poor you, sounds awful.

i am a sweaty betty so feel your pain.

No more Dettol soap or scrubbing, tempting though it may be to use the heavy artillery. Try a mild non-soap liquid bodywash without sodium laurel sulfate, or very mild soap, then a moisturiser, again no sls, and no isopropyl palmitate or myristyl myristate. No scrubbing beads or loofah. A simple washcloth used gently is fine. You might like to use a mud mask occasionally if you can reach all over your back.

You can try benzoyl peroxide up to 10% on your back, but 5% and 2.5% are more gentle, although 2.5% probably won't do anything for cysts. Don't wear coloured clothes right over bp though, as it bleaches and ruins anything not bleach-proof.

If part of the problem is sweat and smell, try switching to cotton or natural fibres if you wear a lot of synthetic fabrics, and have yourself checked out by a doctor.

Thanks for the advice. I've definitely been putting off going to the doctors, the last time I mentioned my skin she just told me to use Cidal antibacterial soap (which I have been using, but switched to the Dettol one as it's cheaper - but smells like cleaning products, unsuprisingly!) and that was it. But I've moved since then so I'll get myself checked out with the new doc.

I think the reason I scrub is because it's hard to reach so I'm just wildly going at it with the sponge/shower puff. I will try going more gently. I just feel so gross. My hair is quite long at the moment too, about down to my shoulder blades - I wonder if I cut it back to above my shoulders it would also help?

a link to a site I found helpful at one point -- there's info on a lot of different types of acne on the site, plus a suggested method of reducing or curing it.

Hmmm, something funny happened there. Here it is again.

Could I suggest that it's got a bit infected? The larger spots and pimples are really prone to this especially when they're on an area that doesn't get much air. Bacteria gives off a nasty smell as soon as it's multiplying again - so soon after you've washed so obviously a nightmare for you!
Some antibiotic cream and/or Really pills might actually be what you need. Minocycline or erythromycin is often prescribed.
Really hope you get it sorted soon, must be a nightmare for you x

i have the same problem. mine is worse. my body becomes very oily within a couple of hours and smells really bad. people get sick around me. most of my co workers left because they cant deal with it. its really embarrassing. how ever i have been to many doctors. needless to say most doctors have brain of squirrels and cant think out side of the box. they only know what they were taught in school. in cases like this they need to study why your body is doing what its doing. here is what i am thinking happening. when your body wants to get rid of something that your body sees as extra. your body will try to get rid of it any kind of way. if you notice your pee probably smells too, your stool may also smell worse than before. so a great deal of that comes out of your sweat. just like when you eat bad food. "food poisoning" your body will try to make you throw up. because it does not accept it. so i am thinking your body is not breaking down something in your diet. i have looked up this condition. that is very rare. called Trimethylaminuria. if you have this condition. your body is not producing the enzyme that breaks down protein. so when your body don't break down protein it will try to get it out of your body. and i bet you are feeling hot most of the time. please let me know if you still have this issue. and if you ever come up with a solution. i think talking to others who go through the same issue. can only help. hope you are getting well if you haven't yet. take care. my email is [email protected]