Leave-on formulas give salicylic acid longer to work than a wash that rinses off in a minute. Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA is the one I would try first for rough, bumpy skin, and The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum is a fragrance-free option that exfoliates within pores. For the middle of your back, First Aid Beauty Body Acne Clearing Mist and Murad Clarifying Body Spray both spray on, the first with glycerin to hydrate.

Nécessaire The Body Peel is the strongest here, a daily 12% acid peel with 1% BHA for bumps, ingrowns and strawberry skin, and the brand warns it feels sticky because of its high level of actives. U Beauty Resurfacing Body Compound is a fast-absorbing gel with AHAs, enzymes and salicylic acid. iS Clinical Body Complex uses fruit and sugar acids with aloe and hyaluronic acid, and Kiehl's Expertly Clear pairs salicylic acid with niacinamide in a face and body moisturizer.

A routine that works: wash with a salicylic acid body wash three times a week, then use one leave-on treatment on the nights in between.

What I would skip: a leave-on acid right after shaving or waxing. Freshly shaved skin stings, so wait a day before you apply it.

Kate Somerville built her brand on the treatment table first. Kate Somerville Skincare debuted in 2005, a year after her clinic opened on Melrose Place, and The Cut reports that the plastic surgeon Steven Hoefflin opened a clinic for her early on and took her under his wing. ExfoliKate Resurfacing Body Scrub is a triple-action scrub, peel and mask with salicylic and lactic acids that works in three minutes. Fur Ingrown Microdart Patch uses tiny dissolving microdarts to deliver hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid and licorice root to ingrown hairs.

For single spots, Caudalie Vinopure Targeted Spot Solution visibly reduces the size of breakouts in as little as four hours, and Origins Super Spot Remover is a 1.5% salicylic acid gel. Peace Out and The INKEY List make hydrocolloid pimple patches with salicylic acid, and Kiehl's Truly Targeted is an invisible liquid pimple patch with niacinamide that also fades post-acne marks. First Aid Beauty Acne Clearing Pads are facial pads with 2% salicylic acid to treat blemishes and prevent new ones.

A patch tip: apply it to clean, dry skin and leave it on overnight without touching the center.

What I would skip: scrubbing an active breakout with the ExfoliKate or the Nécessaire exfoliator. Keep scrubs for rough texture and use patches or spot gels on pimples.

Body breakouts respond to steady, gentle care more than to force. Shower soon after a workout, use a salicylic acid body wash a few times a week, and let it sit for a minute before you rinse. Wear breathable fabrics, and wash gym clothes and sheets often. Moisturize afterward with a light, fragrance-free lotion, since dry, irritated skin can make bumps look worse. If breakouts are painful, deep or leaving scars, a dermatologist can prescribe something stronger. Give any new routine about a month before you judge it, since body skin takes time to respond, and add one product at a time so you know what is helping.