It’s no surprise that working out is good for you. But did you know that in addition to improving your physical and mental health, it enhances your skin health, too? Learn how exercise promotes healthy skin and how to care for your skin pre and post-sweat sesh.
“We tend to focus on the cardiovascular benefits of physical activity, and those are important. But anything that promotes healthy circulation also helps keep your skin healthy and vibrant,” says dermatologist Ellen Marmur, MD, author of Simple Skin Beauty: Every Woman’s Guide to a Lifetime of Healthy, Gorgeous Skin and associate professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.1
Improved Blood Flow Nourishes Cells
By boosting blood flow, exercise helps nourish skin cells and keep them vital. “Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells throughout the body, including the skin,” says Marmur. In addition to providing oxygen, blood flow also helps carry away waste products like free radicals from working cells. By increasing blood flow, exercise helps flush cellular debris out of the system. Marmur tells WebMD. “You can think of it as cleansing your skin from the inside.”
Improved Blood Flow Removes Waste
According to Dr. Amy McClung of U.S. Dermatology Partners Brodie Lane in Austin, Texas, “If you think about your bloodstream as a highway for your cell’s essential nutrients and waste removal, exercise increases the highway speed, which means that all the nutrients are getting where they need to be more quickly and waste or toxins are leaving the cells more quickly. So, your cells are getting more of what they need and being less affected by potentially damaging waste by-products and toxins. It’s a win-win for all of our cells, including those that make up our skin.” 2
Decreased Stress Reduces Flare-Ups
Exercise has also been shown to ease stress which, in turn, affects our skin. “By decreasing stress, some conditions that can be exacerbated by stress can show some improvement,” says Brian B. Adams, MD, associate professor and director of the Sports Dermatology Clinic at the University of Cincinnati. Studies show that the sebaceous glands, which produce oil in the skin, are influenced by stress hormones and that certain skin conditions like acne and eczema can improve when stress is reduced.
Regular Exercise Slows Down the Aging Process
In the past, dermatologists believed that exercising could help to keep skin looking healthier, but recent research tells us exercising may actually make it possible for you to turn back the clock for your skin.
A research study that examined the skin of individuals who were 65 and older revealed some impressive findings. The study took a base sample of the community members’ skin. Then, these individuals were asked to maintain a moderate aerobic exercise routine for three months. When testing the skin after the three month exercise period, the skin of the individuals who were exercising more frequently closely resembled healthy skin for individuals of much younger ages, between 20 and 40.3
Dr. McClung says, “I love telling patients that exercising may help them to look younger! There is more and more scientific evidence supporting the fact that appropriate exercise keeps people looking younger for longer.
How to Maintain Skin Health as You Exercise
While exercise can improve the health and appearance of your complexion, practice these pre- and post-workout habits to give your skin the TLC it deserves.
Pre & Post Workout Tips
- If you’re exercising outdoors, wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Choose a non-comedogenic formula so it doesn’t clog your pores. This applies even if you’re working out in a gym with windows that let light in. Ensure your SPF is sweatproof, too, and says it’s both water- and sweat-resistant.
- After working out, shower sooner than later. At the very least, rinse off to remove built-up sweat, oil, and germs. If you’re acne-prone, try a body wash that contains benzoyl peroxide which combats bacteria that causes breakouts.
- If you’re not showering at the gym, wash your face before you leave. Use lukewarm water and opt for a gentle or mild cleanser.
- Top with a lightweight moisturizer to help your skin retain water.
- And, while it goes without saying—hydrate. Drink water before you start exercising and after, too. Drinking water post-workout will help restore any fluid levels you’ve lost and will even help your muscles recover.
1 Peter Jaret. Exercise for Healthy Skin. WebMD. April 2011. Source
2 Top 5 Benefits of Exercise for Skin Health. U.S. Dermatology Partners. Sept. 2020. Source
3 Gretchen Reynolds. Younger Skin Through Exercise. The New York Times. April. 2014. Source
