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Originally Posted by Matthew Shea  That sounds like ingrown hairs, elai. You have to break the pimple and pluck the hair out of it before it'll go away. I tend to get them on the front on my upper legs and around my neck due to the fabric of my clothes rubbing against them. |
Ingrown hairs can definitely contribute to acne and visa versa—they are both dysfunctions of follicles (some of them happen to contain hairs).
There are several options that may help you… the key is exfoliation.
The most natural option is the gentle use of a good pumice or other form of scrubby thing (I use a soft bristled brush with a long handle so I can reach my back). You can use it alone, or try it with a body wash that contains salicylic acid (not as natural, I know), which should gently, but chemically assist in shedding the top layer of dead clogging skin cells.
The other thing that I’ve tried with some improvement has been the newer lotions that have come out with beta hydroxy acid (BHA) and/or lactic acid. They are usually marketed at “age fighting” products, but the above ingredients also help to shed the dead layer of skin cells, decreasing the likelihood of forming the clogged pores/hair follicles.