Acne and Exercise

Moderate exercise is actually very good for your skin. It helps you maintain health and manage your stress levels. If  acne is aggravated by exercise, you may want to examine your routine. What do you wear when exercising? Where do you exercise? How vigorously do you work out?

Exercise-related acne is normally caused by something you put on your body rather than something you do with it. Remove these outside factors, and you may eliminate your workout breakouts.

These are a few things to watch for:

Make-up:

When exercising, wear little or no make-up. It is possible for even oil-free and non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) cosmetics to clog pores if worn during vigorous exercise. Wash as soon as possible after your workout.

Sunscreen:

If your exercise regimen is outdoors, always wear sunscreen. While acne can improve slightly after brief sun exposure, studies show that prolonged exposure will actually promote comedones and, of course, sun damage. Also, some types of acne medication make skin more sensitive to the UV rays, so sunscreen is even more important. When selecting a sunscreen, look for products that are oil-free with a protection factor of at least SPF 15 for both UVA and UVB rays. Just like make-up, sunscreen can travel across the skin's surface and collect in the pores, so clean up immediately after working out.

Clothing:

If you're prone to body acne, avoid attire made of 100% lycra or nylon. Some synthetic fabrics will trap body heat and moisture against your skin, creating ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria associated with acne. The best fabric is lightweight, loose-fitting cotton, or a synthetic-cotton blend. Natural fabrics allow the skin to breathe, and loose clothing is less likely to cause friction. If you're exercising especially hard and working up a good sweat, you may want to try some of the new fabrics designed to wick moisture away from your skin.

Equipment:

Some people are more likely to have breakouts or have their lesions aggravated in the areas affected by sports gear. The best way to avoid friction-related breakouts is a good fit. Be certain your helmet doesn't slide around on your forehead, or your diving wet suit isn't too tight under the arms. You can also reduce equipment-caused breakouts by lining your helmet with a layer of soft, washable cotton fabric such as an old t-shirt. And no matter which activity, it's always a good idea to keep your equipment clean and dry when not in use.

Moisture:

Take off those sweat soaked clothes. No matter how you exercise, don't sit around in your sweaty clothes or wet bathing suit when you're finished. If possible, shower off immediately and change into dry clothes. If this isn't possible, change into dry clothes and towel off  as best you can. When wiping sweat from your face, always use a clean towel, and blot gently rather than wipe. Aggressive wiping can irritate your skin, pushing make-up and sunscreen deeper into the pores.

Showering:

Again, it's always best to shower immediately after working out. You may want to use a medicated exfoliant cleanser, but always treat your skin gently. Scrubbing hard isn't going to get you any cleaner, or make your acne go away, and it will actually irritate existing lesions and possibly promote new ones. If you can't shower right away, you can still limit breakouts by using medicated pads. Keep a few in your gym bag.

So keep up the good healthy lifestyle! A sound exercise program is an integral part of your overall well being; and a healthy body is more likely to produce healthy skin.

Just be alert for the various factors that accompany your regimen, and try to remove the acne triggers; you'll be on your way to breakout-free workouts.