Tag Archives: exercise

Acne Mechanica: Breakouts From Working Out?

Do you play sports?  Do you exercise?  Are you wearing sports and exercise clothing and equipment?  Have you noticed that you’re experiencing breakouts happening where your sports bra or helmet touches?  If you answered “yes”, you are experiencing something called ACNE MECHANICA.

When you’re working out or playing sports, pores that are clogged are being subjected to pressure and friction from your clothing and/or workout gear. The debris and bacteria trapped inside the pores will then erupt into a papule or pustule. Sweating during your activities and not washing it off afterwards also aggravates the follicles which can lead to breakouts.

So, what are you supposed to do?  Stop working out? Stop playing your favorite sports activities? NO. You need to prevent the pores from being clogged in the first place. First things first: Immediately shower off after your activity using a non-comedogenic cleanser for the face and body such as the Ultra Gentle Cleanser.  Then, apply an exfoliant such as Mandelic Serum or Salicylic Serum to keep the dead skin cells from building up. Lastly, use a Benzoyl Peroxide acne medication to kill the bacteria inside the pores so pimples don’t have the opportunity to form. Acne Mechanica is preventable.

PS! Don’t forget to put on some loose fitting clothing after showering- nothing too tight on your body AND becareful- wear white clothing when using Benzoyl Peroxide as it will bleach fabric.

When you know how to properly cleanse pre and post workout/sports, you won’t need to choose between having clear skin or being physically active.  You can have the best of both worlds!

Wash Your Face Pre and Post Workout!

Getting in daily exercise is important for overall health and well-being.  An important skin care tip to remember is to wash your face both pre and post workout.

If you’re someone who works out in the morning, you definitely want to wash your face BEFORE exercising.  I know you’re probably thinking, “What’s the point? I’m going to have to wash my face again as soon as I’m done.”  Yes, you are correct about washing your face after you exercise but allow me to explain why you should also cleanse your skin BEFORE you work out…

If you’ve used any type of ‘active’ products on your skin the night before such as retinoids (Vitamin A), alpha hydroxy/ beta hydroxy acids (lactic, glycolic, salicylic, mandelic serums), prescription skin care or acne medications such as benzoyl peroxide, then they need to be rinsed off of your skin prior to working out.  Why?  When you sweat, it will mix with these products which can cause redness, irritation and dryness which leads to inflammation.  Sweat can also mix with sebum (facial oil) which leads to clogged pores. It takes just a minute or two to wash up before working out.  Do it.

After your workout, you need to wash your face to cleanse away sweat and bacteria to prevent your pores from getting clogged.  Do this within 15 minutes or so of completing your workout. Leaving sweat on your face after exercising can cause irritation and dehydration because sweat contains salt. If you’re short on time, you can use a baby wipe to quickly remove sweat and then rinse your face with some tepid water. But, make sure you do a proper face cleanse as soon possible.  Baby wipes are only to be used in a pinch and make sure they are acne-safe and fragrance free!  The one I recommend is Kirkland brand which is available at Costco.

Last but certainly not least, after washing your face remember to use your toner and moisturizer as well as SPF (if during the day).

Coming soon to PRIIA is Face Reality Skin Care!  You’ll be able to pack acne-safe skin care products in your gym bag to keep your skin clear and healthy!