Back and Chest Acne Treatment in Singapore — Clearing Bacne and Its Scars
Written and medically reviewed by the doctors of The Clifford Clinic. Last medically reviewed 5 November 2026.
In short, back acne (bacne) and chest acne are the same condition as facial acne on thicker, oilier skin that sweats under clothing all day, which is why they are harder to clear and more likely to scar. They are treated at the cause. The clinic’s chest and back spray with a prescription cream first, a short oral course where the acne is inflamed, and for bacne that keeps coming back the three treatments that act on the oil glands themselves. AGNES RF for the pores that always break out in the same place, AviClear laser for widespread acne across the back or chest, and Gold PTT for oily, congested skin. Scars are treated once the acne is under control.
Why back and chest acne is different from face acne
The skin on the back and chest is thicker, its oil glands are larger and more densely packed, and it spends the day under a shirt, a bra strap or a backpack. Sweat, friction and trapped heat block the follicles and feed the bacteria inside them, so bacne tends to be more inflamed, deeper and slower to heal than acne on the face. Singapore’s humidity makes all of this worse. It also goes untreated for longer, because it is hard to see and hard to reach with a cream, which is why so many patients arrive with marks and scars already present.
Friction from straps and seams adds to it, which doctors call acne mechanica. Hormones play a part too. Puberty, the menstrual cycle, anabolic supplements and some medications raise oil production on the back and chest as they do on the face. Half of people with facial acne also have it on the back, shoulders or chest, and chest and breast acne are treated the same way as the back.
Is it bacne or folliculitis?
Not every rash of bumps on the back or chest is acne. Small, itchy, uniform red bumps across the upper back and chest, often after antibiotics or in people who sweat heavily, are usually Malassezia folliculitis, a yeast in the hair follicles. It does not respond to acne creams and clears with an antifungal instead — see fungal acne. Bacne is a mix of blackheads, red bumps, pus spots and deeper lumps of different sizes. The doctor tells them apart at the consultation, because treating one as the other wastes months.
Breakouts on the buttocks are usually folliculitis rather than acne, covered on the butt acne page.
Back acne treatment, step by step
Chest and back spray with a prescription cream. Creams are hard to apply to your own back, so the clinic dispenses its own chest and back spray, used after the shower, together with a prescription cream for the areas you can reach. These hold the result after any of the treatments below.
Short oral course. For inflamed bacne, doxycycline or minocycline for three to four months alongside the spray, never on its own and never indefinitely. For severe or scarring bacne, isotretinoin, prescribed and monitored by our doctors.
Treating the oil glands. For bacne that keeps coming back, the three treatments below act on the oil glands themselves.
The three back acne treatments that act on the oil glands
AGNES RF — SPOTS THAT COME BACK IN THE SAME PLACE
Radiofrequency through an insulated micro-needle destroys the oil gland under each recurring pore on the shoulders, back or chest, so it stops producing. Two to three sessions. $800–$1,500 a session. AGNES acne treatment →
AVICLEAR — WIDESPREAD BACK AND CHEST ACNE
A 1726 nm laser that shrinks the oil glands across the whole back or chest in three sessions, no medication, no downtime. The treatment we use most for widespread body acne. $1,800 a session, $3,000 for two. AviClear →
GOLD PTT — OILY, CONGESTED SKIN
Gold nanoparticles driven into the pores and heated by laser so the glands make less oil. For an oily back or chest that keeps producing blackheads and small spots. Three sessions a week apart. $1,000 a session, $2,500 for three. Gold PTT →
Which back acne treatment for which back
| Your back or chest | What we use |
|---|---|
| Blackheads and small bumps across the back | Gold PTT course |
| Red, inflamed spots over a wide area | short oral course, then AviClear |
| Widespread bacne that keeps returning | AviClear course |
| The same shoulder, upper-back or chest spots every month | AGNES RF on those pores |
| Deep painful lumps, scarring already | isotretinoin, or AviClear if isotretinoin is not suitable |
| Itchy, uniform small bumps | antifungal, not acne treatment |
Back acne scars and marks
Scars on the back are the main reason to treat bacne early. They come in four kinds and each is treated differently.
Dark marks left after a spot fade with sunscreen, a prescription cream and, where they persist, the Q-switch laser. Red marks respond to the Vbeam laser. Pitted scars are treated with fractional CO2 laser or Infini RF microneedling once the acne is controlled. Raised and keloid scars, which the back and chest are prone to, are flattened with steroid injections and Vbeam.
Scars on the body remodel more slowly than on the face, so a course takes longer and is planned after the acne is clear. Facial scars are covered on the acne scar treatment page.
Preventing bacne — gym, sweat and clothing
Sweat does not cause acne by itself. Sweat trapped under tight synthetic fabric for hours does, because it blocks the follicles and feeds the yeast and bacteria in them. Shower straight after exercise, or at least change out of the damp shirt. Wear loose cotton or wicking fabrics, wash sports gear and bra bands after every use, and keep conditioner off the back by rinsing hair with the head tilted forward. Do not scrub, and do not squeeze, which on the back is the surest way to a keloid.
Back acne treatment cost in Singapore
| Item | Price (before GST) |
|---|---|
| Doctor consultation | $100 |
| Chest and back spray, prescription cream, oral medication | quoted at consultation |
| AGNES RF | $800–$1,500 per session |
| AviClear (body) | $1,800 per session, $3,000 for two |
| Gold PTT | $1,000 per session, $2,500 for three |
| Scar treatment (Vbeam, Q-switch, fractional CO2, Infini, steroid injection) | quoted after the acne is controlled |
The doctor gives you the full price before anything is done. All of the clinic’s acne treatments are compared in cost on the acne treatment price list.
What a back acne consultation involves
The doctor examines the back, shoulders and chest under good light, rules out folliculitis, grades the acne and maps any pores that recur, notes the scars already present, and sets out the plan on the day. Progress is reviewed at six to eight weeks. Medication takes two to three months to show its effect and the result keeps building to six months. Scar treatment starts once no new spots are forming.
Back acne treatment FAQ
The chest and back spray with a prescription cream is the foundation. Inflamed bacne adds a short oral course. Bacne that keeps returning is treated at the oil glands, AGNES for the pores that always flare, AviClear for the whole back or chest, Gold PTT for oily congested skin. The doctor matches the treatment to the pattern.
The back has larger, denser oil glands, thicker skin, and spends the day under clothing that traps sweat and heat. It is also harder to treat consistently because you cannot see or reach it.
Yes. Chest and breast acne are truncal acne like bacne and use the same spray, medication and gland treatments. The doctor checks the chest at the same consultation. Buttock breakouts are usually folliculitis and treated differently.
Yes. Malassezia folliculitis gives itchy, uniform small bumps, often after a course of antibiotics, and clears with an antifungal rather than acne treatment. The doctor tells the two apart at the consultation.
Dark marks with sunscreen, a prescription cream and Q-switch laser. Red marks with Vbeam. Pitted scars with fractional CO2 or Infini RF. Raised or keloid scars with steroid injections. Scar treatment starts once the acne is controlled.
Not on its own. Sweat trapped under tight clothing blocks follicles and feeds the yeast and bacteria in them. Shower after exercise and wear breathable fabrics.
Medication shows its effect in two to three months and keeps improving to six months. An AviClear course is three sessions a month apart with results building afterwards, Gold PTT three sessions a week apart. Scars are treated after that.
Yes. AviClear is used on the back, shoulders and chest as well as the face, and is the treatment we use most for widespread body acne.
Consultation $100. AGNES $800–$1,500 a session. AviClear $1,800 a session or $3,000 for two. Gold PTT $1,000 a session or $2,500 for three. Spray, medication and scar treatment quoted at consultation.
The Clifford Clinic, 50 Raffles Place #01-01, Singapore Land Tower, Singapore 048623 (Raffles Place MRT, Exit B). Tel +65 6532 2400, WhatsApp +65 8318 6332.
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Our acne doctors
Every acne plan at The Clifford Clinic is set and reviewed by one of our doctors. You see the same doctor at each review.
Dr Gerard Ee
Managing Director · MBBS (St George’s) · MRCS (Edin) · PG Dip Dermatology (Cardiff)
Trained at SGH, NUH and Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. Accredited in lasers, light therapies, fillers and Botox. Has published in medical journals on surgical and aesthetic topics.
Dr Chow Yuen Ho
Medical Director · MBBS (NUS)
More than 10 years in clinical practice with a special interest in aesthetic dermatology procedures and lasers. Formerly founding Director of Medical Informatics at SGH.
Dr Law Zhi Wei
Partner · MBBS (NUS) · MRCS (Edin) · PG Dip Practical Dermatology (Cardiff)
Surgical training across KKH, SGH and CGH. Accredited in lasers, radiofrequency, ultrasound therapies, Botox and fillers, with a focus on acne care.
Dr Bernard Ong
MBBS (NUS)
Aesthetic and wellness medicine. Former national-level badminton player who represented Singapore at the Youth Olympic Games.
Book your back acne consultation
To have your back or chest acne assessed and the treatment that fits set out on the day, message us on WhatsApp or call the clinic.
Mon–Fri 10am–8pm · Sat 10am–5pm · 50 Raffles Place #01-01 Singapore Land Tower