How to Exercise and Avoid the Skin-Related Issues

Exercising regularly has a huge upside. It’ll help you maintain your weight, boost your mood and self-esteem, and do wonders for your skin. 

You may have already noticed just how good your flushed skin looks after an intense workout. This post-workout glow isn’t in your head. During exercise, there’s an increase in blood flow to all the organs, including our largest one, the skin. This provides oxygen to the skin cells and clears impurities from the skin.

Exercise also enhances our skin’s appearance through stress management and sleep regulation. Working out lessens anxiety, which, in turn, can decrease the likelihood or severity of skin conditions like acne, eczema, or psoriasis, since stress can be a factor in these conditions. And doing it regularly usually will help you sleep better, which means you shouldn’t have to contend with those pesky dark circles under your eyes anymore.

But the sweat shed during exercise can clog pores and cause breakouts and chafing. And excessive sweating can lead to seborrheic dermatitis, or dandruff, especially if you’re already prone to this condition. This is because dandruff is caused by a yeast that lives on the skin – and thrives in warm, moist environments.

That said, with a little mindfulness, you can reap all the benefits of exercise and avoid the skin-related issues. 

Protecting your skin during a workout

Before your next workout, take note of these preventive measures.

Don’t wear makeup. Sweat mixed with makeup is much more damaging to skin because your pores are essentially clogged before the workout even begins. Even if you’re pressed for time, take a minute to first wash your face with a gentle cleanser.

Splurge on moisture-wicking clothing. If you’re someone who’s felt that moisture-wicking clothing is overkill, know that there’s genuine value in these synthetic fabrics because they draw sweat away from your skin and dry quickly. This helps you cool down your overall body temperature and prevent clogged pores.

Clean up after yourself — and others. Gyms can be a haven for germs. But you can create a relatively sterile environment around yourself by using a clean towel to pat yourself dry while you exercise, disinfecting shared equipment before and after using it, and using your own equipment, like a yoga mat, whenever you can.

Applying sunscreen is nonnegotiable. Any time you exercise outside, it’s critical to protect your skin from dangerous UV rays. You can do this by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 around 15 minutes before you head out. Reliable sweatproof sunscreens are not hard to find. And, yes, they still need to be reapplied every two hours.

Protecting your skin after a workout

Indulge in those endorphins after a hard workout, by all means. You’ve earned it. But do so on the way to the shower. It will clear your skin of sweat, oils, and bacteria, and help to keep pores clean.

If a shower’s not in your immediate future, at least wash your face with a gentle, non-comedogenic cleanser or wipe any areas of your skin that tend to break out with pads containing salicylic acid. When you’re done, change into clean clothes.

This last part should go without saying, but we’ll say it just in case: Don’t go barefoot in the gym’s locker room or shower. Ever. By doing so you run the risk of skin infections like fungus or warts. A pair of simple flip-flops is all you need to stay safe.