Exercise does wonders for the body and mind, but does it make your skin more prone to breakouts? This week fitness blog FitBottomGirls probes the answer to that question and more.
Is working out good for your skin?
While your heart, lungs, muscles, and bones gain the most benefit from working out, the skin isn’t left behind. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, exercise increases blood flow to the surface of your skin and brings oxygen and nutrients to your whole body — your skin included, writes FitBottomGirls.
Sweat, while mostly water, also contains small amounts of ammonia, urea, salts, and sugar. The beauty of sweating is that it flushes impurities from your skin, notes the blog. What about people prone to acne? Sweating might actually help, say experts at the Children’s Hospital of Colorado in the US. While sweat doesn’t play a direct role in either fighting or causing acne, sweat could help unclog blocked pores and reduce stress, both which benefit your skin.
Keep it clean
To protect your skin during workouts, avoid wearing clothing that rubs or chafes, and be sure to keep protective equipment like helmets, hats, and sunglasses clean, writes news resource SparkPeople. When working out, avoid touching your face to prevent blemishes. To wipe sweat from your brow, blot your skin with a clean, dry towel.
If you have long hair, pull it back from your face, and pin bangs off of your face to prevent additional dirt and oil from clinging to your skin.
Should I remove my makeup before working out?
SparkPeople adds that when it comes to makeup, most products on the market are noncomedogenic, so they shouldn’t clog pores even if you wear them while working out. Plus since overwashing your face can strip your skin of necessary oils and cause irritation, pre- and post-workout washes may be overkill. Best bet: early morning workouts sans makeup. – AFP RELAXNEWS
