Exercise and Acne: Is Your Workout Causing Breakouts?

Make no mistake: Exercise is great for your body and mind, and it can be an excellent way to boost your skin’s health. Working out helps flush toxins from the body and nourishes skin cells by increasing blood flow to your skin. Regular exercise can also ease stress and improve the quality of your sleep –– all good things for getting great skin and better health. 

If you’re noticing a link between exercise and acne breakouts, however, you’re not alone. Post-workout acne is a struggle for many guys, but you don’t need to ditch your gym membership to see improvements in your skin. By sticking to the following seven tips, you can hit the weights and still see fewer breakouts. Here’s what we recommend.

Exercise In Clean Workout Clothes

We get it: You can wear some clothes more than once before you need to wash them, but your workout clothes don’t count. If you’re tempted to pull yesterday’s gym shorts out of the wash pile, pause and back away from the hamper. Pore-clogging oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria all hang out on your sweaty exercise clothes, so make sure to wash them after every use to avoid breakouts. 

A quick tip: Buy enough sets of workout clothes to last you a week and wash them all at once when you do laundry. Then all you have to do is grab a clean set of clothes every day and hit the gym –– easy. 

Wear Sunscreen If You Exercise Outside

Sun exposure can contribute to acne and breakouts by causing damage to your skin while drying it out. Make sure to apply an oil-free sunscreen to your skin every day before heading out of the house, and especially if you exercise outside. 

Our UV-Defense Moisturizing Balm offers oil-free hydration while helping to prevent sunburn and free radical damage. It also contains nourishing anti-aging ingredients that help improve your skin’s health with regular use. 

Wipe Down All Your Equipment & Gear

Used exercise equipment harbors acne-causing bacteria, oil, sweat, dirt, and grime –– and you don’t want that on your body or your face. 

Make sure to wipe down all workout equipment before and after you work out with a sanitizing cleaning solution. You can’t count on it being clean from the previous person who used it, so don’t take chances. Also, make sure to clean any gear that touches your face, such as earbuds or headphones. 

Always Avoid Touching Your Face 

It might take some practice, but train yourself to stop touching your face if you want clearer skin, especially when you’re sweaty. Acne-causing dirt and bacteria can get transferred from your hands to your face, so consider this habit as part of your hygiene routine. 

Shower Right After Your Workout

Don’t sit around in sweaty workout clothes if you want to avoid post-workout pimples. 

Taking a shower right after you exercise can help keep dirt, bacteria, and grime from penetrating your pores. Keeping your skin as clean as possible, while wearing loose, sweat-wicking workout gear, can help keep infections and breakouts in check. 

Use Oil-Free Skincare Products

Use only premium, oil-free skincare if you want the best skin possible. A purifying cleanser and hydrating moisturizer are a great place to start if you’re new to men’s skin products. If you want to step it up, add an exfoliator two or three times a week to slough away dead skin cells, dirt, and acne-causing bacteria. 

Our Classic Maintenance Set is our most popular kit for guys who want a simple, fast routine that helps prevent acne while improving your overall skin health and texture with regular use. Use daily for best results, and always wash your face after your workout. 

See A Dermatologist If You Need To

If you’ve covered all your acne-prevention bases and you’re still breaking out, see your dermatologist. Topical prescriptions can be helpful for guys who need stronger treatments, and your dermatologist can also help address deeper acne scarring or more significant skin damage. 

No matter how severe your acne is, it’s possible to see improvements with a comprehensive acne-management plan. Regular exercise, effective hygiene, a healthy diet (think more fresh veggies and less sugar and processed carbs), and high-performance skincare can all make a major difference in the look and feel of your skin over time, so stick with it.