Imagine this. You spend months working out and denying yourself the junk-food joys of the season for the ultimate summer pay-off: a smokin’ hot bikini body. You spend days (and a small fortune) finding the perfect two-piece to show off the fruits of your lunging labors. You arrive at the magical day of the mother-of-all pool parties (you know, the one where not one, but two of your ex’s will be in attendance), and when you turn to get the 360 view of your toned-tush you see it… a smattering of big, red, just-south-of-your-shoulder pimples – all but dooming you to the caftan cover-up you swore off last summer.

Earlier in the week we talked about the havoc that a hoard of pimply pustules can wreck on the lovely visage of our grown-up façade. We deemed a bout of adult acne officially a ‘don’t’ and discussed an assortment of ways to let this infliction know that it is officially off the ‘invite’ list – for good. Let’s treat below-the-neck body blemishes to a helping of the same, shall we?

BACNE… Yet another enemy of smooth, supple summer skin. But why you?! And just… well… why?!

One geez-that-should-have-been-obvious reason for a body-breakout could be the bevy of products you pile daily onto your luscious locks. The ingredients in your shampoos, conditioners, sprays and molding muds are specifically designed to cling to your hair… and guess what else? Your skin makes just as nice a nesting place for these products as your silky strands, even going so far as to clogging up your pores. (How dare you, sir.)

Another reason for body acne could be – and we’re sorry to say this – your workout. Yep, the very sweat-inducing workout that earned you that toned tush and mid-section could be causing your breakout. And this reason is two-fold:

1. Tight workout-wear – namely spandex shorts, pants and your sports bra – trap perspiration against your skin. The sweat then mixes with bacteria, dirt and oil, clogs your pores and triggers your acne to do it’s worst.

2. In addition to that little gem is the fact that exercise stimulates your adrenal glands to pump out testosterone, making your body produce even more pore-cloggin’ oil. Sheesh! Does no good deed go unpunished?

The point we’re making is that the skin on your body deserves just as much care as the skin on your precious face. The best course of action is to adhere to the following tips and makes sure your two-piece party entrance isn’t deterred by a bout of bacne that could have been avoided:

1. Make sure you’re washing, conditioning and rinsing your hair before you lather up your body. That way the ingredients meant to add moisture, luster and shine to your hair won’t linger on your back. Try cover your back with a towel (or your dress robe) before you go on a spritzing frenzy to ensure that your strategically-tousled locks stay put without clogging the pores lining your delicate shoulders.

2. Stop a post-gym breakout with a simple swipe of an individual salicylic acid-based towelette over acne-prone gym areas prior to your workout. After all, prevention is the best medicine!

3. Treat your beautiful back (and backside) with the same care you would your face. Exfoliate, cleanse and moisturize. And if your bacne decides to fight – go on and fight back with an acne-fighting body wash. Take that, bacne! Who’s your momma now!