Acne when working out or sweating.

[LRLW69]

Okay so im 15 years old and i've had acne on and off for the last couple of years, but it seems like when i gain weight and stop working out face clears up big time. I know that working out can increase acne but right now im trying to get healthy and loose a little weight but lately i dont even want to work out (not from being lazy) but because of acne, im starting to break out really bad.

i usually work out for 40-50 minutes and go running for about 20 minutes around the nieghbor hood, when i do i make sure once everytime i run around the block i splash water on face and dab it with a clean towl, i've tried almost everything to prevent it but it seems like its either acne or healthy body and if attitude is bad im not going to keep working out and feel good about myself/

anyone have any suggestions i would greatly appreciate it.
thank you for your time.

[vamp]

Well, it just so happens that I went through the same problem, except acne covered 3/4 of body. (no lie!) I took pretty severe drugs to help combat it. As for the acne increasing when you workout, I'd bet part of it is because you system is trying to get rid of some of the crap in your system. Also, being female, your acne will increase as you head towards "that time of the month", it is a natual occurance, yes it sucks but such is life.

Now, first things first, use ivory bar soap! There are no perfumes or addatives in it that increase acne!

Second, shower after you workout to clean out the pores and use a washcloth or puff to help get rid of dead skin and dirt that clogs pores!

Third, Let the sweat pour, it cleans out your pores, the more you wipe with towels and such will increase the chance of acne!

Finally, read the sticky "read this before posting" in the diet and nutrition forum. Diet is huge with acne, and working out means more fuel so you need the right stuff.

A final hint to help you out. Include a couple of days swimming laps as a form of excercise as the chlorine helps dry out acne and fights the oil build-up on your skin.

Cheers.

[spawn]

I was suffering from same problem. I'm 25 years old and I still have (actually had) acnes on face. I went to doctor to find a solution. She asked me some questions. I told her that I'm working out. She said that weight lifting can increase level of some hormons which are excreted by liver. This can cause acne. And foods have no direct relation with acnes. There is no scientific evidence that proves it. I always thought that if I eat chocolates, chips, fatty things acnes will swell. Well, I was wrong. Because she gave some pills and creams. I read the prospectus and after effects was awful. I decided to refuse taking pills. Anyway, finally I found real solution. Rose water. Yes, clean your face or problem area with rose water (use cotton). Well I know that everbody has different body type but it worked on me. I'm eating everything that I want and I can work out. I hope it works on you too.

[dkforman]

This is a very late response because I've just recently discovered this website. Proactive is amazing. Its costs around $30 for a two month supply. You can find it at proactive.com or sometimes it is cheaper on ebay. It is well worth the cost and if you start using it, you will never stop! It is very gentle to the skin and you will not believe the results.

[juan92]

talk to your doctor, but remember you are 15 so its natural

[SimplyBlessed]

ProActiv is not the solution! ProActive can actually cause some people to have worse breakouts. ProActiv only treats the topical acne symptoms and not the problem deep in the poors. ProActiv also does not help to cure acne long term and it can be quite expensive to maintain. Once a person stops using ProActiv the problem can actually become quite worse.

The best thing for mild to moderate acne is what vamp said- using a non-scented chemical free antibacterial soap for the body, and I suggest witch hazel for the face (applied with clean cotton balls).

Moderate acne should be combated with a change in hygiene rituals and a benzoyl peroxide topical solution.

Don't forget to use an oil free moisturizer with sunscreen. Your face may flare up and appear worse for the first week or so but it will get better after that!

[SimplyBlessed]

Benzoil peroxide is not meant for long term use and some people have skin that is way too oily to begin with. It is important however to use the moisturizer and sunscreen mentioned at the end of post. I like the idea of homeopathic oil cleansing but when I had facial problems if I put any oil or regular moisturizer on face it would go bizerk. What you use may be great for keeping the face clean and free from breakouts but I doubt it would help someone who is already having a problem.

[SimplyBlessed]

I am a twin and I never had problems with skin and sister had terrible acne. Once I conquered cancer in 2006 body was never the same. I went through many many problems with skin, teeth and hair after so many chemicals trying to fight the cancer. Now that I'm put back together again I might try your oil cleansing secret! Thanks for the compliment!

[Boss Man]

I will echo what Katie said, you are a young Lady with such a warm, vibrant appearance, and I often think with people like that, it's an extension of the person inside.

Most people like you and Katie, that have that visual warmth, often have the emotional warmth as well, as one stems from the other.

If that makes sense.

[SimplyBlessed]

Awww!

[jazzychristinaa]

This forum is what made me become a member to this site. I was wondering the exact same thing,[and it popped up on google] -not only did I see really good advice from you guys, but consideration for one another. You guys sound like an amazing group of individuals. Good luck, and thank you for the advice.

[dawbg4]

well if anything i think sweating cleans your pores so in opinion its not the sweating that is causing acne. its probably something else mate. I may be wrong :O

[Boss Man]

Sweating is healthy.

The only things it might do is if you sweat too much, is increase dehydration risk and increase risk of things like Cramps and electrolyte imbalances, from the reduced sodium in the body.

[mjjdm1985]

Ok I did not read all of the replies but I will offer advice for what I have done. I went through a lot of trouble with acne. I have played sports whole life, and in basketball in college if you lose a game you sit still covered in sweat and wait for the next one, so naturally I kept having problems. acne is almost cleared up 100% now. A few of the things that didn't work for me during search to cure the problem: ProActiv (dried face up and made it burn, also irritated skin causing me to break out more after about a week), all of the topical and oral medications the dermatologist prescribed, Face washes containing salicylic acid or benzoic acid (which is almost all of them, these acidic topicals will also dry up your face and irritate your skin), Accutane (this actually cleared it up for a while but the experience was horrible and it came back in about 6 months after finishing the cycle; I would definitely recommend not to take this).

conclusion, and what has worked for me, is that the majority of acne can be avoided simply by good habits and good hygiene. Most of it within the short time after the workout is over. So much of it is simple but also hard to think of on a daily basis until it is habit.

Here's what I did to clean up acne:

Work out consistently every day. WITHIN 15-20 minutes of the end of the workout, take a shower. This will keep the sweat on your face from drying and clogging your pores. Keep the water on lukewarm (not hot) until you have cleaned your hair and face (you can turn up the heat to wash your body). Hot water will irritate your face causing you to break out; cold water will close your pores and if they're still dirty you'll break out. During the shower wash your hair ( I use head and shoulders shampoo then conditioner) because dirty hair touching your face later will leave oils on your face clogging your pores and causing a break-out. This is why a lot of guys have acne on their foreheads where their hair touches. For the facewash, I personally used Neutrogena face wash (comes in a blue container at Walgreens for ~$5). It has eucalyptus oil in it to clean rather than acids, which irritate the face. When you're done cleaning your face, dab it gently with a towel to clean, not roughly because that will irritate your skin. When I get out of the shower I put a non-scented face lotion on face immediately because I have dry skin, this is probably not necessary if your skin is not dry.

Only take 1-2 showers a day because excessive showering can dry out your skin, then the top layer of your skin sloughes (spelling?) off and can fill your pores. Do not wash your face at other times unless you sweated a lot again, then you will need to wash it gently.

Other tips:
Change your pillow cases once a week. Wear clean clothes. Avoid smoke. Eat healthy--vegetables, fruits, chicken, turkey, whole wheat grains, almost entirely water to drink--this is good for your body in general and, though it has not been proven, I have a pretty strong suspicion that what is good for your whole body will be good for your acne. Don't touch your face too often.

Everyone is different. I would definitely recommend trying this for a week or two and hopefully you will see results. NOTHING else worked for me and I think I tried everything.

[dusk]

Not a fan of reviving dead threads but this might be useful for other people who stumble on this thread in the future.

Keep in mind that you're 15 and acne is normal - as undesirable as it is.

But there are some measures you can take to make things better. Your habits will play a big role in your acne breakouts.

- Take a shower after you work out or once a day
- Wear a clean shirt that's been washed with simple detergent after your shower
- Don't place yourself in situations where you will sweat too much i.e. wear appropriate layers of clothing when you're going about your business in winter or summer or what-have-you
- Wash your bedsheets regularly, at least once every week or every two weeks
- Stop drinking carbonated beverages like Cola... leave the coke to when you get to the clubs when you get older and mix it with rum instead
- Drink clean, filtered water, just an extra glass or two a day
- Use simple soaps, as suggested Ivory or Dove are great soaps
- I've heard that salycylic acid ointments or solutions dabbed onto the face and skin help, so that may help too

Lastly, the most important thing about these pointers is that they are all habits - you have to be consistent with them.