5 Ways to Keep Your Skin Healthy and Clear While Exercising

A good workout can do wonders for the body, but it can also have adverse effects on the skin. Taking precautions before and after you jump in a game of pick up or hop on your 10-speed is critical to keeping your skin healthy and lustrous. Here are five ways you can maintain your complexion and still stay in shape:

1. Less is more. Before you hit the elliptical, make sure that your face is free from any kind of make-up. Although it might be easier to jet straight from the office to the gym, make-up and certain kinds of moisturizers and cream can clog up your pores while you’re working up a sweat. Preventing your pores from breathing can lead to acne cosmetic, a mild form of acne that appears as little red bumps.

2. Back off the hair products. Most conditioners and shampoos you find in the drug store are chock full of chemicals and oils that slide down your face as you exercise and block your pores and cause acne on the forehead. For those with long locks, tying your hair up with an elastic is another way to let your skin breathe.

3. Sunscreen. If you’re going on a hike or doing any other outdoor activity, apply a lightweight sunscreen with sufficient SPF to keep your skin from getting burned. A heavy sunscreen can block your pores and result in acne. Coppertone has the dermatologist approval, and here’s a list of other brands MDs recommend.

4. Preventative measures. Wash your skin before and after you workout to avoid breakouts. DCL Dermatologic Cosmetic Laboratories Balancing Cleanser and Panoxyl Creamy Acne Wash, 4% Benzoyl Peroxide are tried and true soaps that will keep your skin healthy. Leave generic cleansers at home as they can dry out the skin.

5. Moisturize. If you’re an avid weight lifter, find a hand cream that will keep your hands from cracking, like the Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Fast Absorbing Hand Cream.