Acne Breakouts?

Rocbola

It will pass. It's your body ridding itself of toxins. make sure you're washing your face twice a day and moisturizing. If it does not clear up in a few weeks visit your doctor or dermatologist.

This^^^^

Sweating does not remove toxins from your body. That is a silly myth.

Not this^^^^^

xfitbeach

Suffered from Acne in my early years. I now suffer with Rosacea. It presents itself the same as Acne. It is treated differently than Acne. Working out can be a trigger. Dermatologist manage symptoms. Goggle for more information. Just a thought.

nikkihk

It will pass. It's your body ridding itself of toxins. make sure you're washing your face twice a day and moisturizing. If it does not clear up in a few weeks visit your doctor or dermatologist.

This^^^^

Sweating does not remove toxins from your body. That is a silly myth.

Not this^^^^^

No, DrFlave is correct sweating does not remove toxins because.. Science.

And second... Washing your face twice a day + moisturizing is suggestion a topical solution to an internal issue... see a problem here? I won't argue that your particular case may be related to internal toxicity, as I said above... one step of many is to get tested for food allergies. (A cheaper but more lengthy option is to eliminate known triggers like Red meat, Dairy products, Processed foods, Wheat and wheat products, Refined sugar (sweets, white sugar etc) High fat foods, or Yeasty foods, Caffeine, or Alcohol... then reintroduce them slowly to see what might be your trigger. Getting tested is faster though.) BUT most acne is Hormonal.

I would talk to a doctor, not a dermatologist. Doctors are able to test you for issues beneath the skin vs. prescribing randomness that only affects the top layer of your problem and does NOTHING for what's causing it. It's like painting a wall to hide the mold beneath it... if you don't address the epicenter? The mold will seep through.

This also goes for "Acne Fighting OTC" crap like Clean and Clear or Neutrogena whatever (and the notion that washing your face twice a day will just "clear it right up")... if that actually worked, no one would have acne. I promise you, people with this problem wash their face plenty. Infact they cause MORE acne because they are aggravating their skin with all of the washing. I only wash my face before I go to bed and before I put on make-up and I splash warm water after workouts. Days where I stay home? I don't touch it... there is no need. You gotta let your skin do what it's built to do.

jayb0ne

I don't buy the 'toxins' thing... Just doesn't sit right with me. I haven't researched it, I could be wrong and y'all can feel free to make your own minds up, but it just sounds all too holistic to my mind.

Acne - proper acne, not just the odd spot - is usually hormonal. Exercise can drastically affect your hormone balance, particularly testosterone, estrogen, cortisol & the various endogenous morphine peptides - the first two in particular can have a big effect on your skin.

My top tip that helped me have a mostly acne free adolescence? Use a fresh towel each time you shower. Buy 7 towels and never use the same one for more than a day. May or may not help, but it helped me...

Good luck!

Jay

Rocbola

It will pass. It's your body ridding itself of toxins. make sure you're washing your face twice a day and moisturizing. If it does not clear up in a few weeks visit your doctor or dermatologist.

This^^^^

Sweating does not remove toxins from your body. That is a silly myth.

Not this^^^^^

No, DrFlave is correct sweating does not remove toxins because.. Science.

Wow, who can argue with that incredibly well thought out science based argument. JTFC, dude. You make me laugh. :flowerforyou:

MsJulielicious

use a mild cleanser
gently exfoliate once a week
use a moisturizer

and if it does not clear up in a couple weeks go to the doctor

^^ This!
I had to switch birth control and get a prescription to clear it up initially because nothing worked.
After that I switched to cetaphil cleanser and Cera Ve moisturizers and rarely wear makeup, and never wear makeup to the gym. I haven't had an issue since. Hope that helps

brittany2188

Make sure you're not wearing make up when you work out. That + sweating will clog your pores and cause breakouts. Also, washing with a cleanser too many times a day can strip your skin of natural oils and can cause over production of oils, causing breakouts. Too much exfoliation can cause breakouts. Warm water and a soft cloth can do wonders for your skin.

dodochoga

i would say more than "toxins", your body is changing in a hormonal way since you started doing the workouts. it might be best to see a dermatologist, because if your body reacts like this to exercise, it isn't going to go away.

Fitiny

I noticed I starting breaking out really bad when I started insanity. I also started eating new foods. Couldn't figure out what was causing it then thought the main thing I had introduced was peanut butter. Read up on it and turns out a lot of of other people have found it causes acne. Stopped eating it and instantly skin improved. Are you eating a lot of peanut butter? Or for some people dairy can cause it

I never thought of that but you must be right! I started eating peanut butter with apples as a snack, a lot. But now I'm not eating it anymore because I've noticed it messes up my stomach. And some how the acne thing is going away! I already scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist!
Thanks for the thought!

its_about_the_journey

One more suggestion from an acne "pro"- changing your towels and pillowcases more frequently may help. Try changing your pillow case every night, and using a new towel every time you wash your face. Moist towel + body residue = bacteria (and bacteria = breakouts).
It will make for a lot of laundry but it does the trick for me when I NEED to have clear skin for an event or something. Give it at least a week before you judge- your skin takes that long to respond to changes.

chrisnfeen

I'm usually a lurker but...coconut oil is a natural oil that fights bacteria and it's great on your skin! I wouldn't put it on before make up, but a good cleansing and then a tiny bit of coconut oil before bed is fantastic. Also I don't think anyone mentioned Vitamin E supplements. I'm 42 and I have been breaking out all my life-until those two items. Hope that helps!

meritage4

and at the risk of TMI when losing weight I get zits on my butt. It's the only time. Only when weight is dropping
Weight stabilizes and they clear up

So yes I'm a fan of the toxins theory.

nikkihk

Wow, who can argue with that incredibly well thought out science based argument. JTFC, dude. You make me laugh. :flowerforyou:

"If you really want to detoxify your system, you'd be better served by making sure your liver and kidneys are operating in tip-top shape, since it's these key organs -- not your sweat glands -- that are mainly responsible for filtering any toxins from your blood."

Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/men/sweating-odor/does-sweating-cleanse-your-system.htm

"Therefore, sweat is not made up of toxins from your body, and the belief that sweat can cleanse the body is a myth."

Source: http://www.uamshealth.com/?id=12247&sid=1

"Sweating for the sake of sweating has no benefits. Sweating heavily is not going to release a lot of toxins."

Dr. Dee Anna Glaser, a professor of dermatology at St. Louis University
Source: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jan/28/health/he-skeptic28

"You might not want to believe me, but it’s fact: you cannot sweat out toxins. Sweat is composed of 99% water and a tiny percent of salt, urea, proteins and carbohydrates. Salt, proteins and carbohydrates are natural. Urea is a by-product of protein metabolism and is non-toxic. It’s regulated to keep your blood at a healthy pH. Most excess urea is eliminated in urine (hence the name) and a small amount is in sweat."

Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, MD, FAAD
Source: http://thedermblog.com/2010/09/13/sweating-out-your-toxins/

"When it comes to removing toxins from the body, several organs are designed to do just that.

The liver plays a major role in breaking down and filtering substances from the bloodstream that the body can't use.
The kidneys remove substances such as urea, a byproduct of protein metabolism.
The gastrointestinal tract, including the colon, is also designed to get rid of what the body cannot use and to keep what it needs.
"There are myths that toxins clog up or get stuck in these organs that is just not true."

And without a doubt, sweating definitely would not be the way to go about it"

Dr. Rachel Vreeman, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine
Source: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/managing-your-healthcare/articles/2010/02/12/sweat-lodges-steam-rooms-arent-for-detox

---

Yeah.

I'll stick with Science.. but, you be sure to let me know if there is anything else you want to be wrong about today Rocbola.

Peace out, and... you can keep your flower.

froeschli

Exercise actually makes my face better, but my stomach starts breaking out (ugh!!!)
Anyhow, the tips from above (clean and mousturize) help with that too, plus hypoallergenic laundry detergent.

One thing I have noticed though, it seems better if I don't wait to cool down before washing the sweat off...

rebbylicious

you should use a moisturizer for oily/ blemish prone skin formulated specifically for the face. Another thing to do is definitely reduce your milk intake. Bare minerals makes a great moisturizer for combination skin. Be sure you are not using an astringent product prior to cleansing, it can trap dirt in your skin and close your pores around the dirt. Use warm water with your facial cleanser and use a special face cloth wiping in a downward motion. Once per week a good clay based face mask will help absorb access sebum deep in your pores.