Many people know the benefits of moisturizing the skin, but applying it to the back can prove tricky. Dry skin can become irritated and itchy, but these simple solutions may help someone apply lotion to hard-to-reach areas.
Some people use moisturizers as part of their daily skin care routine. Others use creams and lotions to combat the symptoms of sensitivity or skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
Whatever the reason, these tips and techniques demonstrate how to reach awkward places on the body that may otherwise prove difficult to moisturize.
Here, we’ll explain why you need to moisturize your back and the best ways of applying it.
Why apply lotion to the back
The skin is the body’s largest organ. It is a protective barrier between the body and the outside world. Our skin also protects the body from environmental hazards, such as pollutants and bacteria.
Itching, burning, and stinging sensations may be signs of skin sensitivity, and can cause your skin to feel tight and uncomfortable. Moisturizers, however, can reduce these signs of dryness and leave the skin feeling smoother and more elastic.
Additionally, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) warns that hot water can strip the natural oils out of the skin, which can lead to dryness. They recommend keeping showers and baths short, ideally between 5–10 minutes, with the temperature warm instead of hot.
The AAD also recommends applying moisturizer to damp skin immediately after bathing, ideally within the first 3 minutes.
Different ways of applying lotion to your back
The simplest way of ensuring complete coverage for moisturizing your back is to get someone else to do it. However, this may not be practical in every situation, and companies have made various products available to help people moisturize.
Use the forearms
If you are fairly flexible and can place the back of your forearm and hand across your back comfortably, you may not need an applicator.
To perform this method:
- apply moisturizer to the back of the arm from the elbow to the fingertips
- be careful not to rub the lotion into the arms, but let it sit on the skin’s surface
- place the arms behind the back with the elbows bent
- rub the forearms and backs of the hands up and down the back until the skin absorbs the lotion
- repeat as necessary until the back is sufficiently moisturized
If you are not very flexible, it may help to warm up slightly first with some gentle stretches. You may also find it helpful to use one arm at a time.
However, the AAD points out that people need to gently massage moisturizers into the skin for optimal results. An individual may have issues maintaining an even pressure over the whole surface of their back.
Use an applicator
Many companies have designed sponges on long, curved handles to help people apply lotion.
These foam sponge heads may have a textured surface to reduce the risk of the moisturizer sliding off before it reaches the back. You can put the moisturizer onto the foam head and rub it over your back.
