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Bellevue Acne Clinic

Will sweating make my acne worse??

Exercise does a body good; we all know that. So how does that affect your acne?

If you skip the shower after the gym, it can become a problem. Dried sweat becomes a food source for the bacteria that cause acne (Propionibacterium acnes). If these bacteria multiply on your skin, you end up with zits.

Many of my patients notice a correlation between exercise and acne. Some patients notice that exercise worsens their acne, and some notice that exercise improves their acne. Why the discrepancy? There are many possibilities. If the exercise causes you to wash your face a second time per day (when you were previously only washing your face once per day), then exercise may help your complexion. If you exercise over your lunch break and you can’t shower until 10 pm, then exercise might worsen your skin. If you tend to exercise only in the summertime (when you have more vacation time and you are more relaxed), then the decreased stress may contribute to your improved skin.

Poor ventilation can worsen exercise-related acne. Tight, non-breathable clothing that stays damp can be a breeding ground for those nasty bacteria. Also, if you are using dirty sports equipment (like a chinstrap), that can contribute to acne as well.

So keep hitting the gym! Just remember to stay hydrated, wear appropriate clothing, wash your face afterwards and use your acne products.