What causes body acne? Because acne starts in a pore -- a hair follicle and its attached oil gland -- it can happen almost anywhere on your body, not just on your face. The ears, neck, chest, back, scalp, shoulders and buttocks have the greatest density of pores, making them fertile grounds for acne. The same hormones, plugged pores and proliferation of bacteria that produce acne on your face are at play with body acne.

Chest, shoulder or back acne, sometimes called "bacne", is more common if you live an active lifestyle. It can be worsened by constant rubbing from shoulder straps and athletic equipment. Severe cystic acne on the torso is generally more common in males and tends to scar easily.

The good news? The same medicines that work on facial acne are effective for body acne. Proactiv+ also has specially formulated medicated products to deal with body acne breakouts. Cystic, scarring acne frequently needs prescription medications to bring it under control.