Lifting= acne?

rawvegpower

I started lifting about a month ago and I’m astonished by my results this far putting on about 4-5lbs. But as a result my adult acne has been consistently getting worse. Have you experience this? Is so any suggestion for what helped you, or did it taper off naturally?

Thanks MFP community.

Davidsdottir

rawvegpower wrote: »

I started lifting about a month ago and I’m astonished by my results this far putting on about 4-5lbs. But as a result my adult acne has been consistently getting worse. Have you experience this? Is so any suggestion for what helped you, or did it taper off naturally?

Thanks MFP community.

I haven't had any issues yet this bulk (3 months in), but I've noticed that between the increased cals and creatine during previous bulks that it has become an issue for me.

DancingMoosie

Lifting doesn't seem to affect mine either way. Perhaps you just need to try a different skin care routine? I had a bad breakout this fall after taking a prednisolone pack. I got Equate version of Clearasil oil-free daily face wash with salicylic acid. My skin is doing much better now.

mortuseon_

IIRC increasing your calories sometimes have the effect of increasing acne (or perhaps it was the other way around, that short term calorie reductions can reduce its incidence). Either way, it should level out. I don't know what you're doing skincare-wise, but if you aren't already using one, a BHA or AHA (or both) after washing your face might help with the acne - just make sure you moisturise afterwards, and ideally use sunscreen.

Davidsdottir

If it gets really bad, I recommend Proactiv Plus. That stuff is the only thing that works for me.

VintageFeline

Any skincare products with glycolic acid/AHAs will help control it. There's a bunch now so will be easy to get your hands on it but Proactiv is one of them.

Have you changed your diet per advice received here recently? If so, your hormones could be re-regulating which can do funky things but it will be short term.

rawvegpower

Thank you all for your responses. I’ll be changing up my skin care, vitamins, and Protein powders to see if that will do it. These last few days have been pretty tough, it’s like I time traveled back 10 years. Considering the newbie gains I’m experiencing I wouldn’t be surprised if my hormones are playing a role in the problem.

canadianlbs

i'd say try making your changes one by one, so you can isolate which one might be the deciding factor. no sense in throwing out your entire existing routine just because one thing among all of them was the one that caused things to calm down again.

on the 5 pounds . . . not to discourage you because gains are gains and if you're stronger today than you were on day one then the rest can be kind of irrelevant. but just as an info point, most people experience a few pounds' worth of water retention when they start out on a lifting programme. it's a good thing in its own way, but i'm afraid if you're assuming your body put together a pound of muscle a week over the past month, that's not terribly likely to be strictly true.

[edited here because i started doubting that one, not being a man myself or having any ideas about what's 'realistic' for men. almost certainly others will know, though.]

rawvegpower

canadianlbs wrote: »

i'd say try making your changes one by one, so you can isolate which one might be the deciding factor. no sense in throwing out your entire existing routine just because one thing among all of them was the one that caused things to calm down again.

Thank you I’ll do that instead, the shotgun approach is not the right way to go. Patience is so hard when you have skin issues, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out and get back on track soon

lorrpb

Have you been eating more to support your gains? Look at the foods have you added or increased in your diet as possible contributors.

Lean59man

rawvegpower wrote: »

I started lifting about a month ago and I’m astonished by my results this far putting on about 4-5lbs. But as a result my adult acne has been consistently getting worse. Have you experience this? Is so any suggestion for what helped you, or did it taper off naturally?

Thanks MFP community.

I have experienced this when younger.

My gut feeling is that is that the weight training caused the body's testosterone levels to abruptly increase which caused the acne breakout.

Just a theory. The breakout subsided.

Okiludy

Mainly face but sometimes on chest or back. It isn't too extreme but still makes me wonder what is going on. It might be what @Lean59man or something completely else. Since it's only a few here and there I don't worry about it. Still, it seems that everytime one batch clears up another crop pops up and it gets annoying. Maybe diet related?

mortuseon_

Okiludy wrote: »

Mainly face but sometimes on chest or back. It isn't too extreme but still makes me wonder what is going on. It might be what @Lean59man or something completely else. Since it's only a few here and there I don't worry about it. Still, it seems that everytime one batch clears up another crop pops up and it gets annoying. Maybe diet related?

Could be diet, could also be sweat if it's on your body and you don't shower immediately afterwards. YMMV but I know some people have had success with low percentage tea tree body washes.

99JT

I've got acne all over my back pretty sure it's more from my diet than from lifting or sweat. Once I start cutting and Clean up my diet up it goes away even tho I do cardio and sweat way more.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I don't think you change your hormone levels that much via exercise. But you do sweat more and you are exposed to more germs in the gym (hands to face come to mind). I'd focus on hygiene: make sure you wash up right after you lift and keep your hands offa your face.

Gould118

I'm dealing with this as well! But I'm now discovering it's the protein powder that I have been taking that is causing brake outs for me.