How Is Exercise Great for Your Skin?

Most of us exercise to lose weight and fit into our old jeans. Some people exercise to be fit and improve their health, and some people exercise to improve their skin. Indeed! One of the best benefits you can get from exercise is great skin. Don’t believe me? Read on to find out more.

How exercising makes your skin glow

Breaking out a sweat is quite similar to getting a mini facial. Ever tried those steam machines they use at the dermatologists, which they use to prep your face up for cleaning and pricking? Exactly.

Exercise increases body temperature, which causes your pores to dilate. Sweat, in turn, flushes out trapped oil and dirt along with it. This helps reduce the appearance of whiteheads and blackheads, which ultimately reduce pimples.

Exercise also boosts circulation and blood flow, increasing the amount of oxygen that flows to your skin. This gives your skin that much needed glow, and supports the effects of any skin care product that you use.

Working out on a regular basis reduces stress and helps you sleep better at night. We all know the effects of stress and lack of sleep and what it can do to our looks.

Stress may cause flare ups of acne or other skin conditions such as psoriasis. Reducing your stress levels can prevent these flare-ups or at least keep them at bay.

Aside from that, getting enough sleep keeps your skin looking well-rested and reduces puffy eyes or dark under-eye circles.

Regular physical exertion tones muscles, which also mean healthier and tauter skin. This is due to the fact that firm and strong muscles provide more support to the skin, making it appear all the more elastic.

It may also reduce the appearance of cellulite, especially on the thighs, buttocks and fatty part of the skin. While you cannot completely erase cellulite with exercise, you can work out to help improve its appearance.

Working out is great for your skin, but comes with some risks

True enough, exercise is really great for your skin, but it also comes with some risks. So before putting your running shoes on and heading outside the door, there are some things that you have to take note.

One common problem is the risk associated with exercising outdoors. Running, jogging, swimming or doing anything outside the house can expose you to the sun, which may ultimately damage the skin and increase your chances of developing skin cancer.

Thus, you may want to exercise early in the morning or late afternoon, and avoid doing so from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

If you need to work out during these times, make sure that you wear sunscreen. There are pH balanced products that do not sting the eyes. Even then, wearing sunscreen may not be enough to protect you, since sweat can remove the sunscreen on your skin.

Some researches even show that sweat may increase your chances of burning. With that, try to wear protective clothing and materials to cover your body and face as well.

Other skin problems associated with exercise are irritation, chafing and rashes, which are caused by a combination of sweat and specific types of fabric. In fact, people prone to acne may develop acne mechanica, which is caused by increased perspiration and tight-fitting clothes.

You can prevent these skin problems by wearing loose fitting workout clothes and items that wick away moisture. Of course, remember to always wash your face or take a shower after exercising, to make sure that you wash out all the sweat and prevent all the dirt and grime from settling back inside your pores.

Be careful if you have skin problems!

Some existing skin problems can be worsened by physical exertion, and these include eczema, rosacea and psoriasis. You do not have to avoid exercising though, because the benefits of a regular workout routine outweigh the discomfort and temporary problems that it causes.

To avoid flare ups, try to exercise in a cool environment, or avoid exercises that cause you to sweat too much. Swimming or exercising in an air conditioned room, for example, can keep the skin cool even as you work out. You can also slather on a moisturizer to keep the skin protected from dried up sweat.

Indeed, exercise is really good for the skin. While it may cause minor discomforts and disadvantages, its effects on your skin and health are ultimately worth it.

What about you, have you been exercising already? If so, have you noticed changes in your skin lately?