Exercises Perfect for Acne-Prone Skin

First, you must wash your face and exercise with a clean face. Many women exercise without removing their makeup. However, this behavior leads to devastating consequences for the skin. Sweat released during exercise mixes with makeup residue, clogging pores and causing skin problems such as acne and pimples. Therefore, it is essential to remove makeup and wash your face thoroughly before exercising to ensure no residue remains. If you are unable to wash your face meticulously, cleansing wipes are very useful.

If you have washed your face before exercising, simply prepping your skin with a toner is sufficient. It is best to avoid using oil-based products like essences and nourishing creams, as they can clog pores along with sweat. If you have severely dry skin, it is advisable to apply a moisturizer lightly. Also, keep in mind that taking vitamin supplements containing the antioxidants of vitamins C and E, or consuming vitamin-rich fruit juice, are good ways to prevent skin aging.

Second, be sure to wipe away sweat produced during exercise using a personal towel. Sweat released during exercise removes toxins from the body and promotes smooth blood circulation, helping to cultivate clear and clean skin. However, wiping away sweat with your hands is a cause of skin contamination. This is because it is common for people to wipe sweat with hands that have touched equipment used by many others.

If you have severe acne, it is better to engage in exercises that produce less sweat rather than strenuous ones that cause excessive sweating. This is because excessive sweating from high-intensity exercise can cause skin impurities to clog pores, leading to acne. If you enjoy intense workouts, it is advisable to wash your face before exercising and gently pat away sweat during the workout. It is also necessary to wash your face with a foam cleanser afterward. As a general rule, wipe away any sweat with a soft towel and wash your face thoroughly.

Third, it is best to avoid hot baths or saunas after exercising and finish with a quick shower. Many people seek out saunas to loosen tight muscles after a strenuous workout, but this accelerates skin aging. Hot baths and saunas promote moisture loss from the skin, and since a significant amount of sweat has already been expelled through exercise, this loss can lead to a feeling of dehydration.

Since our bodies are filled with heat generated by exercise, it is better to keep shower time as short as possible. If you wish to take a half-body bath after exercising, wait at least 30 minutes. Taking a half-body bath immediately after a workout prevents sufficient oxygen and nutrients from reaching the muscles, leading to poor circulation; furthermore, it accelerates metabolism to burn calories, which negatively affects skin nutrition.

Finally, it is beneficial to nourish the pores that have opened after a workout with a face pack. After exercising, impurities within the skin are expelled along with sweat, stimulating metabolism and blood circulation. If you use a mask or pack that provides moisture and nutrients at this time when the pores are open, you can achieve twice the usual effect. The top priority after a workout is to soothe skin that has become agitated due to heat, while also replenishing moisture to skin that has lost elasticity due to dehydration.

If you want healthy skin, it is best to avoid applying makeup after a workout. Applying makeup after exercise causes the skin to absorb irritating ingredients, potentially damaging it. If you must wear makeup, it is recommended to use a BB cream that is gentle and provides light coverage.

/Contributor: Director Seo Dong-hye, Areumdaun Nara Dermatology Clinic