Training and staying active brings great benefits. Among the most important are that it fights fatigue, strengthens both muscles and bones, improves circulation and even increases intellectual capacity, thanks to optimizing oxygenation of the brain. Knowing this, it is difficult to think that exercise is harmful, and actually exercise itself does not cause problems, but there are factors that negatively influence our body.
In this case, we have sweat. Sweating itself is capable of producing certain damages or undesirable conditions. Therefore, we are going to know how exercise damages the skin through perspiration and some advice from expert dermatologists to deal with these problems.
How does sweating damage the skin?
1. It is capable of producing acne breakouts
This is because sweat can cause clogging of the hair follicles . As a consequence, pimples, or whiteheads, are produced, which are prone to swelling, infection and turning into acne.
There are other factors that influence this, such as dirt and oil that the skin produces naturally. All this accumulates on our skin, and as the pores open with sweating, this dirt can penetrate, causing the development of acne.
For this there is a solution that is very simple. In the case of women, it is advisable to remove makeup before doing a routine. Later, after exercise, it is also necessary to clean the face well with soap, or with wet towels to thoroughly clean the follicles on the face. This part applies to both men and women.
2. It can make rosacea worse
When a person exercises, sweat causes vasodilation, a process in which the blood vessels widen. What causes this phenomenon is to increase the oxygen that passes through the skin through the blood flow. This allows nutrients to be transported that help repair damage caused to the skin by external factors, such as the sun, which is why sometimes, after exercising, our face and other parts of the body take on a reddish color .
Actually, this is not a bad thing, but it can be a problem for people who suffer from rosacea. It is also capable of causing inflammation, due to the increase in body temperature, which can bring unpleasant sensations for people who suffer from this problem, in addition to worsening their condition.
The solution to this problem is very simple. If a person suffers from this, it is best to have a cold cloth handy. In this way, when applying it to your face, you will avoid an excessive increase in temperature.
3. Dry the skin
By sweating, our body is losing fluid, and the skin is affected in this. Another factor that seriously influences are the routines that are done outdoors, in which the sun can hit us directly on the skin.
Skin that lacks hydration will look dry, not to mention that skin color can fade. The best thing to do to avoid this is to keep your skin well hydrated. For this, plain (or coconut) water can help a lot.
If we know that we will be exposed to the sun, we cannot forget the sunscreen; We must also take into account that our sportswear protects us from the sun.
4. Clogs hair follicles
We mentioned this above, but now we will dig a little deeper.
When we perspire, our body expels all kinds of toxic components in the skin, some of which are related to some diseases and aging. This is good, but sweat can also irritate the skin.
The problem is when those toxins clog the sweat glands or follicles, causing problems like acne, and a type of rash called folliculitis. This rash can occur in areas such as the back and chest, but also in those parts where sebum is produced, which is a consequence of the accumulation of sweat and dirt.
To solve this problem, it is best to wear clothes that are not tight. In addition, it is recommended to remove sweat with a warm bath when finished, and then apply a moisturizer to the skin.
References
- Triffin, M. 6 Ways Your Workout Can Screw With Your Skin – and How to Get Your Glow Back. For Livestrong [Revised January 2020].
