Written by Michael Dermansky – Senior Physiotherapist – MD Health
We know that regular exercise is good for our body, our muscles, heart and brain, but is it good for our skin as well? Not really surprisingly, yes it is. There are both immediate and long-term benefits of exercise on your skin health, but a few good practices can help manage the side effects of exercise on your skin.
The Benefits Of Exercise On Skin Health
The immediate benefit of exercise is that your skin will “glow”. Increased blood flow to the skin during exercise helps flush out cellular debris, improve drainage of the lymphatic system and reduce puffiness of the eyes. Combined with the endorphins released during exercise, these factors are the primary reason for the exercise “after-glow”.
In addition, due to sweating, as long as you have cleaned your skin before exercising (such as removing make-up and skincare products) can help clear out your pores from exercising.
In the long term, the benefits are much more profound. Most importantly, exercise promotes collagen production, the production of new skin cells and ultimately anti-ageing of the skin. Although the absolute mechanism of how this happens is not fully known, it is believed that exercise reverses the damage to the component of the cells called mitochondria, the power station of cells that produce the skin cell’s fuel chemical, ATP. This allows cells to more easily repair and make components such as collagen and hyaluronic acid.
In general, it was found that people who exercise regularly have a thicker second layer of the skin, the dermis. A thinner dermis layer is associated with sagging skin and wrinkles. One potential explanation for this is exercise increases the release of an immune chemical (Interleukin 15), which may facilitate this process.
Regular exercise is also known to reduce stress and is a natural treatment for anxiety and depression. When we are overly stressed, our body releases a natural hormone, cortisol together with adrenaline as part of the fight and flight response. Cortisol raises our blood sugar levels, which leads to more glycation in skin cells, the binding of sugar to proteins such as collagen, which causes damage and ageing over time.
Finally, regular exercise improves sleep which helps both in reducing stress (lowering cortisol levels) and the healing and skin repair process. Repair occurs when you sleep, so a healthy 7-9 hours of sleep a night is a major part of healthy skin.
The Minor Side Effects Of Exercise & How To Manage Them
There are a small number of minor, but very manageable side effects of exercise that can be kept under control with good skin habits accompanying your exercise routine
- Acne and break-outs – If you exercise with make-up or clogged pores, sweating can lead to a build-up of bacteria and breakouts. A few good habits can help minimise this outcome. Ideally, exercise without putting on make-up or at least removing make-up and foundation before exercising. If you have to wear make-up during a workout, choose products that are non-comedogenic, meaning they won’t clog up your pores. After your workout, having a quick shower helps clear the skin of sweat, oils, and bacteria and helps to keep pores clean. The salt in sweat can lead to seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff, which is caused by yeast that lives on our skin. Other issues which may be caused by sweating include eczema and psoriasis, which can be minimised by a post-workout shower. Finally, if a post-workout shower is not an option, cleansing the skin with either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide wipes can help. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble and can penetrate effectively into the pores, providing deep exfoliation as well as preventing excess oil production. Benzoyl peroxide kills bacteria which leads to acne and odour, however, can be irritating for people with sensitive skin and therefore may not be the right product for everyone. At a minimum, washing your face and wiping your body with lukewarm water will go a long way in minimising breakouts.
- Rosacea – this can flare up with increased blood flow to the skin and increases in body temperature with exercise. Good habits to minimise this reaction may be to exercise in either an air-conditioned environment or during a cooler part of the day. In addition, looser fitting clothing that allows the body to stay cooling during a workout will help. Finally, applying a cool compress to the problem areas after your workout can also settle symptoms
- Sun damage from exposure – the damage caused by the sun from exercising outdoors not only increases your risk of skin cancer but also undoes the benefits of exercise on skin health. If you choose to exercise outside during the hours of the highest ultraviolet light exposure, applying sunscreen regularly is a must. You may be reluctant to use sunscreen during exercise because it can be greasy and it gets into their eyes causing stinging. Newer Ph-balanced sunscreens are available that don't sting. In addition, sweating can remove sunscreen as you exercise, meaning it takes 40% fewer UV rays to burn your skin than when you are not exercising. This means that wearing loose, comfortable clothing that covers exposed areas of your body and a hat will give you added protection against skin damage. Finally, remembering to make it a habit to regularly reapply sunscreen as you exercise especially if you are exercising for prolonged periods of time will minimise your risk.
Regular exercise should clearly be a normal and consistent habit for your skin health and your overall health, but a few small and important practices, such as wearing appropriate clothing, exercising make-up free, showering post-exercise or other cleansing practising and using appropriate sun protection can go a long way in making your skin health the best it can be.
Michael Dermansky, Mkurugenzi Mkurugenzi wa Physiotherapy, MD, Afya: Tunajua kwamba mazoezi ya kawaida ni nzuri kwa mwili wetu, misuli yetu, moyo na ubongo, lakini ni nzuri kwa ngozi yetu pia? Si jambo la kushangaza, ndiyo. Kuna faida za haraka na za muda mrefu za mazoezi kwa afya ya ngozi yako, lakini mazoea machache mazuri yanaweza kusaidia kusimamia athari za mazoezi kwenye ngozi yako. Faida za Mazoezi Kwa Afya ya Ngozi Faida ya mara moja ya mazoezi ni kwamba ngozi yako itakuwa <unk>glow<unk>. Kuongezeka kwa mtiririko wa damu kwenye ngozi wakati wa mazoezi husaidia kuondoa mabaki ya seli, kuboresha mifereji ya lymphatic na kupunguza upungufu wa macho. Pamoja na endorphins iliyotolewa wakati wa mazoezi, mambo haya ni sababu ya msingi ya mazoezi <unk> baada ya-kuangaza<unk>. Kwa kuongezea, kwa sababu ya jasho, ikiwa umesafisha ngozi yako kabla ya kufanya mazoezi (kama kuondoa vipodozi na bidhaa za utunzaji wa ngozi) inaweza kusaidia kusafisha pores zako kutoka kwa mazoezi. Kwa muda mrefu, faida ni kubwa zaidi. Kwa kweli, mazoezi ya mwili huongeza uzalishaji wa collagen, na kwa hivyo huongeza uzalishaji wa seli mpya za ngozi, na hatimaye kupunguza kuzeeka kwa ngozi. Ingawa utaratibu kamili wa jinsi hii inavyotokea haujulikani kabisa, inaaminika kwamba mazoezi ya mwili hubadilisha uharibifu wa sehemu ya seli inayoitwa mitochondria, kituo cha nguvu cha seli zinazozalisha kemikali ya mafuta ya seli ya ngozi, ATP. Hii inaruhusu chembe kurekebisha kwa urahisi na kufanya vipengele kama vile collagen na asidi ya hyaluronic. Kwa ujumla, watu wanaofanya mazoezi ya mwili mara kwa mara wana tabaka la pili la ngozi lenye unene zaidi, dermis. Tabaka nyembamba zaidi la ngozi huhusianishwa na ngozi iliyopungua na makunyanzi. Kwa sababu hii, mazoezi ya mwili huongeza kutolewa kwa kemikali ya kinga (Interleukin-15), ambayo inaweza kuwezesha mchakato huu. Mazoezi ya kawaida pia yanajulikana kupunguza mkazo na ni tiba ya asili ya wasiwasi na mshuko wa moyo. Wakati wa mkazo, mwili hutokeza homoni ya kawaida ya cortisol na adrenaline kama sehemu ya majibu ya kupambana na kukimbia. Cortisol huongeza kiwango cha sukari ya damu, na kusababisha glycation katika seli za ngozi, ambayo huunganisha sukari na protini kama vile collagen, na kusababisha uharibifu na kuzeeka kwa muda. Kwa upande mwingine, mazoezi ya kawaida hupunguza usingizi, ambayo husaidia kupunguza mkazo (kupunguza viwango vya cortisol) na mchakato wa uponyaji na ukarabati wa ngozi. Kwa sababu ya afya ya ngozi, usingizi wa saa 7 hadi 9 kwa usiku ni muhimu kwa afya ya ngozi. Madhara madogo ya mazoezi na jinsi ya kuyashughulikia Kuna idadi ndogo ya athari ndogo, lakini inayoweza kudhibitiwa sana ya mazoezi ambayo inaweza kudhibitiwa na tabia nzuri za ngozi zinazoambatana na mazoezi yako ya kawaida - Acne na break-outs - Ikiwa unafanya mazoezi na makeup au pores zilizofungwa, jasho linaweza kusababisha kuongezeka kwa bakteria na breakouts. Mazoea machache mazuri yanaweza kusaidia kupunguza matokeo hayo. Kwa mfano, fanya mazoezi bila kujipamba au angalau uondoe vipodozi na msingi kabla ya kufanya mazoezi. Ikiwa lazima uvae vipodozi wakati wa mazoezi, chagua bidhaa ambazo si za kuumiza, ikimaanisha hazitaficha pores zako. Baada ya mazoezi, kuoga mara moja kunasaidia kuondoa jasho, mafuta, na bakteria kwenye ngozi na pia kunasaidia kuhifadhi pores safi. Chumvi ya chumvi inaweza kusababisha ugonjwa wa ngozi unaoitwa seborrheic dermatitis, ambao ni ugonjwa unaosababishwa na kuvu. Matatizo mengine ambayo yanaweza kusababishwa na jasho ni pamoja na eczema na psoriasis, ambayo inaweza kupunguzwa na kuoga baada ya mazoezi. Kwa sababu ya hali hiyo, unaweza kuondoa ngozi yako baada ya mazoezi kwa kutumia salicylic acid au benzoyl peroxide. Asidi ya salicylic ni mafuta mumunyifu na inaweza kupenya kwa ufanisi katika pores, kutoa exfoliation kina pamoja na kuzuia uzalishaji wa mafuta kupita kiasi. Benzoyl peroxide huua bakteria ambazo husababisha acne na harufu mbaya, hata hivyo, inaweza kuwa na uchochezi kwa watu wenye ngozi nyeti na kwa hivyo inaweza kuwa sio bidhaa sahihi kwa kila mtu. Kwa kawaida, kuosha uso na kufuta mwili wako kwa maji ya joto ni njia nzuri ya kupunguza kuvu. - Rosacea <unk> hii inaweza kuongezeka na kuongezeka kwa mtiririko wa damu kwenye ngozi na kuongezeka kwa joto la mwili na mazoezi. Mazoea mazuri ya kupunguza athari hii inaweza kuwa kufanya mazoezi katika mazingira ya hali ya hewa au wakati wa sehemu ya baridi ya siku. Kwa kuongezea, mavazi yenye kufaa zaidi ambayo huruhusu mwili kubaki ukiwa baridi wakati wa mazoezi yatasaidia. Mwishowe, kutumia compress baridi kwa maeneo ya tatizo baada ya mazoezi yako pia inaweza kutatua dalili - Uharibifu wa jua kutokana na mfiduo - uharibifu unasababishwa na jua kutokana na kufanya mazoezi nje ya nyumba si tu huongeza hatari yako ya kansa ya ngozi lakini pia undoes faida ya mazoezi juu ya afya ya ngozi. Ikiwa unafanya mazoezi nje wakati wa saa za mwangaza wa ultraviolet, ni muhimu kutumia krimu ya kujikinga na jua. Unaweza kuwa na wasiwasi kutumia sunscreen wakati wa mazoezi kwa sababu inaweza kuwa mafuta na inapita ndani ya macho yao kusababisha kuuma. Vifaa vipya vya kujikinga na jua vyenye kiwango cha Ph vinavyopatikana ambavyo havichomi. Kwa kuongezea, kuota kunaweza kuondoa krimu ya jua wakati wa mazoezi, ikimaanisha inachukua miale ya UV 40% chini ya kuchoma ngozi yako kuliko wakati haufanyi mazoezi. Kwa hivyo, kuvaa nguo za kutosha, zenye kupendeza, ambazo hufunika sehemu za mwili wako zilizo wazi na kofia, zitakupa ulinzi zaidi dhidi ya uharibifu wa ngozi. Hatimaye, kukumbuka kufanya ni tabia ya mara kwa mara reapply sunscreen kama wewe mazoezi hasa kama wewe ni kufanya mazoezi kwa muda mrefu muda kupunguza hatari yako. Mazoezi ya kawaida ni muhimu kwa afya ya ngozi yako, lakini mazoezi machache madogo na muhimu, kama vile kuvaa mavazi sahihi, kufanya mazoezi bila kujipamba, kuoga baada ya mazoezi au mazoezi mengine ya kusafisha na kutumia kinga ya jua inayofaa inaweza kwenda mbali katika kufanya afya ya ngozi yako iwe bora.