How to Get Rid of Butt Acne When Nothing Else Worked

February 02, 2026

By: Truly Beauty

POV: You've tried everything and you're still losing the butt acne battle.

Since butt acne is often actually folliculitis, it’s super stubborn. Constant friction, sweat, and thick skin trap bacteria far below the surface where standard skincare can't reach. So, how do you get rid of butt acne for good?

After years of formulating specialized body treatments, we’ve mastered the triple-threat approach. By combining the oil-soluble power of salicylic acid with the surface-refining strength of glycolic and lactic acids, our formulas penetrate even the thickest skin to target the root cause of butt acne.

Why Butt Acne Is So Hard to Get Rid Of (And Why Most Advice Fails)

You feel like you've tried everything. But here's the thing: You could be treating the wrong condition, the wrong way. The skin on your butt is different from the skin on your face. It's thicker. It has deeper hair follicles. And, it experiences constant pressure and friction. All of these factors can trigger breakouts. It's also why butt pimples are deeper, slower to heal, and less likely to clear up with surface-level treatments. 

Ultimately, to clear butt acne long-term, you have to treat it like a follicle problem, not a surface blemish. The way to do that is with the combination of salicylic acid (BHA) and AHAs, used daily. 

What Causes Butt Acne? 

Butt acne forms when hair follicles become blocked and inflamed. That blockage usually comes from multiple factors stacking on top of each other.

1. Friction + Pressure

Sitting, working out, tight leggings, cycling, and even sleeping on your back all create constant friction. This irritates hair follicles, pushes sweat and bacteria deeper, and triggers inflammation before a pimple even forms

2. Sweat That Can’t Evaporate

Your butt is almost always covered. Sweat gets trapped against the skin, creating a warm, moist environment where bacteria thrive.

3. Dead Skin Buildup

Body skin sheds more slowly than facial skin. Without proper exfoliation, dead cells accumulate and block follicles from the top down which can lead to breakouts.

4. Bacteria

Even freshly washed skin still hosts bacteria. When follicles are blocked, bacteria multiply, leading to painful, inflamed bumps.

5. Shaving or Hair Removal

Micro-cuts and ingrown hairs dramatically increase follicle inflammation, especially if you're not exfoliating and shaving properly. Read our How to Shave Body Hair guide to prevent these painful bumps.

How to Get Rid of Butt Acne 

Stop wasting time on products that don't work. To finally clear butt pimples, you have to stop treating your body like your face. Start this 3-step routine that treats both acne and folliculitis by targeting the pores, hair follicles, and bacteria. 

Step 1: Deep Clean with Truly 24K Gold Black Soap Cleanser

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The bumps on your butt are often clogged hair follicles caused by friction and sweat (usually from clothing or working out). Because body skin is tougher and thicker than facial skin, you need salicylic acid to go deep. 

Powered by salicylic acid, Truly's 24K Black Soap Cleanser works by dissolving the "glue" that holds dead skin cells and oil inside your pores. It deeply exfoliates, reduces bacteria, and detoxes congested skin while soothing inflammation to help reduce the appearance of buttne.

Step 2: Fight Bacteria with Truly The Clearing Body Serum

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After cleansing, your pores are open and ready for a treatment that stays put. While experts often recommend benzoyl peroxide, it tends to be too harsh for most skin types which can sometimes worsen inflamed acne.

Truly's The Clearing Body Serum is a dermatologist-tested treatment with a gentle, acne-fighting blend of willow bark extract and lactic acid. Light and non-greasy, it sinks in and kills the bacteria that causes those painful, stubborn bumps while exfoliating the surface to prevent clogged pores and future blemishes.

Step 3: Smooth Texture with Truly Smooth Legend Serum

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Even after the bumps clear up, you’re often left with rough texture or dark spots. This is where glycolic acid comes in. This alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) exfoliates skin and promotes cellular turnover, fading the marks left behind by old breakouts.

Truly's Smooth Legend Serum combines glycolic acid with lactic acid and squalane to resurface, smooth skin texture, and eliminate bumps for visibly clearer skin.

Butt Acne vs. Folliculitis: How to Tell the Difference

Most people search “how to get rid of butt acne,” but what they actually have is folliculitis. Here’s how to tell the difference without guessing:

Signs It’s Butt Acne

• Larger, inflamed bumps
• Whiteheads or pustules
• Painful when pressed
• Improves with exfoliating acids

Signs It’s Folliculitis

• Clusters of small red or flesh-colored bumps
• Often itchy or irritated rather than painful
• Centered around hair follicles
• Flares after sweating or shaving
• Doesn’t respond to typical acne treatments

Why it's Important to Know the Difference

Traditional acne advice focuses on oil control. Folliculitis requires antibacterial ingredients, deep follicular exfoliation and onsistent prevention. If you treat folliculitis like facial acne, it often gets worse, not better.

Is it Really Butt Acne or Something Else?

Butt acne is often mistaken for other skin conditions like folliculitis and keratosis pilaris. Here's what they are and how to tell whether you're dealing with one of these conditions, and not actually acne.

Folliculitis

Folliculitis means inflamed hair follicles. When hair follicles are inflamed, you may notice irritation, redness, pain, itchiness, or swelling. The appearance of an inflamed hair follicle can easily be confused with pimples, especially if it develops a white head. Because you have hair follicles almost everywhere on your body, you can experience folliculitis nearly anywhere too, including your butt.

You might be experiencing folliculitis for a number of different reasons. For one, your tight clothing may be irritating your skin. Another possibility is sweat because of the non-breathable clothing you might wear. Sometimes, hair follicles can become infected. This occurs if you are in a hot tub or pool that isn’t cleaned as it should be.

As you can see, there are several reasons why you may experience inflamed hair follicles and end up with what resembles acne on your butt. It's important to distinguish whether you're dealing with folliculitis in order to know how to get rid of butt acne fast.

Keratosis Pilaris

Another common cause of butt acne is keratosis pilaris. This looks different from folliculitis because it appears as smaller rough bumps on your butt. These bumps may be the same color as your skin or red. Sometimes, they are so small that they cannot be seen. You might only notice keratosis pilaris when you touch your skin.

Keratosis pilaris is caused by built-up keratin in the pores. Then the pore closes up, causing a bump to form. You may notice these bumps throughout your body, including your thighs, arms, and butt. While there is no obvious cause of these bumps, they may improve over time. Many people deal with them as children and teens and then they disappear.

How to Prevent Butt Acne 

First, make sure you follow all the steps in this how to get rid of butt acne fast guide. It's important that you stay consistent with your skincare routine to keep pores clear. 

Next, try to wear loose-fitting, breathable clothing to avoid causing friction which may result in blemishes and folliculitis. 

And finally, make an effort to stand up and move around as much as possible since sitting too long can contribute to butt acne.

Butt Acne FAQs

Can Butt Acne Go Away on its Own?

Butt acne doesn't usually go away on its own. To clear it, you'll need to exfoliate daily with a salicylic acid cleanser and apply a topical acne treatment.

Is Butt Acne Contagious?

No. Even folliculitis isn’t contagious in typical cases. It’s caused by bacteria already present on your skin.

What is the Best Product for Butt Acne?

The best butt acne product is Truly's 24k Black Soap Impurity Cleanser which uses salicylic acid and 24k gold to unclog pores, clear hair follicles, and fight acne-causing bacteria for visibly clearer skin.

For best results, use daily in the shower and let it sit on your skin for a full minute before rinsing.

Should I Moisturize if I Have Butt Acne?

Since most moisturizers tend to be too rich and can clog the pores, we recommend applying a hydrating serum with acne-clearing ingredients like Truly's The Clearing Body Serum. It clears acne with lactic acid + willow bark extract while supporting skin barrier health.

Can Diet Cause Butt Acne?

Diet isn’t a primary cause, but excessive sweating and inflammation can worsen flare-ups.

What About Butt Acne Scars?

If your acne has already healed but left dark marks, see our guide: How to Get Rid of Butt Acne Scars.

When Should I See a Dermatologist? 

If bumps are painful, spreading, or not improving after 6–8 weeks of treatment, a dermatologist can rule out fungal folliculitis or other skin conditions.

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