How you take care of your skin before and after your workouts is essential to maintaining skin health. Follow these dermatologist-approved tips to keep your skin clean and blemish-free during your sweat sessions
It’s no secret that the benefits of regular exercise are plenty. Great for the body and mind, a good workout will also help boost collagen production to keep your skin firm, supple, as well as improving blood circulation to give you a healthy glow.
Yet, people tend to neglect the aftereffects of sweating during an intense workout. If you don’t take good care of your skin after exercising, the sweat can cause bacteria buildup and even irritation—especially if you are training outdoors when the skin is exposed to environmental pollutants.
But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your skin for a good workout. We asked Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a top New York-based dermatologist of Schweiger Dermatology Group to share her tips for creating effective an pre- and post-workout skincare routine that will do wonders for your skin and overall health.
Keep reading for expert advice on what you should do before and after hitting the gym to keep breakouts and clogged pores at bay. It’s time to update your gym bag beauty checklist.
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Before exercising
Before working out, give your face a deep cleanse. It’s important to make sure your skin is clean and fresh before jumping into a workout, as wearing make-up and rich skincare products would make it difficult to breathe, thus leading to clogged pores and acne breakouts.
“Exercising would cause the blood vessels to dilate and an increase in body temperature and sweat volume to the skin,” said Rachel. “Sweating with make-up or heavy skincare on can result in dysregulation of skin temperature and a buildup of bacteria in the pores, creating the perfect environment for inflammatory skin conditions such as rosacea and acne.”
A gentle cleanser is highly recommended, as it can keep your skin barrier healthy and give your skin the right levels of hydration.
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