Almost everyone has experienced blemishes on their face and body. Though it’s a common experience, acne lesions still may be embarrassing, especially when they occur on other parts of the body like the chest and arms. Several types of acne lesion plague the body. Two of the most common acne marks, whiteheads and blackheads, tend to linger on the body. Whiteheads and blackheads occur when the hair follicle becomes clogged with bacteria, dead skin cells and sebum (a fatty substance secreted by sebaceous glands). The difference between whiteheads and blackheads is whether the clogged hair follicles are open or closed. Whiteheads are clogged follicles that produce a closed bump. Fortunately, you can get rid of lingering blackheads and whiteheads the same way.

Take a shower with a body acne cleanser. In addition to daily showering, take a shower after an intense workout or if you become sweaty. This removes whitehead-causing bacteria from the skin.

Apply topical creams to your arms. Lotions with alpha hydroxy acids remove whiteheads by removing dead skin cells, according to MayoClinic.com. Benzoyl peroxide also removes dead skin cells. The peroxide also kills bacteria. Salicylic acid and sulfur are also over-the-counter ingredients that can help with mild acne, according to MayoClinic.com.

Exfoliate your arms weekly. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells from your arms. You can exfoliate using items such as loofah sponges, sugar scrubs or exfoliating gloves.

Avoid clothing that hugs the arms. Tight clothing worsens body acne by not allowing the skin to breathe.

Wear your hair away from your arms. Sometimes long hair can promote whiteheads.