Not only is a moderate amount of exercise good for maintaining a healthy body and for managing stress, it is also very beneficial to your skin. There are people who think that exercise makes their acne worse, but if your acne gets worse due to exercise, it is normally because of something you are putting on your body rather than what you are doing to it. There are certain factors to consider when determining if exercise is actually aggravating your acne.

An initial factor to examine is any cover-up or makeup applied to the skin. Though there are very light makeups available that contain no oils or work not to clog the pores of the skin, clogging and accumulation in the pores can still occur in strenuous activity. The best recommendation is to wear as little makeup as can be worn, and ensure that said makeup is cleaned off immediately after the activity is complete.

Although there have been studies that have concluded sunlight in small amounts can help to lessen acne, prolonged exposure has been proven to clog pores and cause damage. Some kinds of acne medicine can even elevate how sensitive you are to the sun’s rays. You should, therefore, always use sunscreen if you plan on doing your exercises outside. Make sure the sunscreen you choose has no oil and an SPF factor of at least 15 for both UVA and UVB rays. After completing your workout, make sure you wash off the sunscreen as soon as possible, because these products can clog your pores as easily as your make-up does.

The clothes you wear can also affect your skin. When you wear manmade materials, heat and moisture can get trapped next to your skin. This will create the right environment for bacteria to grow, which contributes to acne outbreaks. Two particular fabrics to avoid are lycra and nylon. If you exercise heavily, you may want to try out some of the newer fabrics that have come out recently. They have specially designed to keep wetness away from your skin.

Making sure that you have the proper fitting equipment can be the best way to battle friction related breakouts. For instance, you don’t want your wetsuit too tight under your arms. If you use a helmet, ensure it fits properly and does not slide around on your head. Also, line your helmet with a layer of soft, washable cotton fabric, like an old t-shirt.

If possible, shower immediately and put on dry clothes as soon as you possibly can. No matter what exercise routine you do, it is not good for your skin to stay in wet clothes. If it isn’t possible to shower, change into dry clothes and wipe moisture away with a clean towel or medicated pads. When drying your face, blot, don’t wipe. Vigorous wiping can cause make-up, sunscreen, dirt and/or other unseen material to impel deeper into the pores.

It is best to shower immediately after working out. However, no matter when you shower, you may want to use a medicated exfoliate cleanser. Remember to always be gentle with your skin. Scrubbing hard will not make you cleaner or cause acne to vanish. In fact, it may irritate existing lesions or develop new ones.

Maintaining a healthy exercise schedule is beneficial for every person, and a healthy body is naturally conducive to healthy skin. You will be more likely to have one if you have the other. Know what causes your skin to become irritated, and take care to avoid those things. Once you have removed those irritants from your exercise routine, your workouts will always be free from breakouts.