’Tis the season to start planning summertime fitness goals! According to Top Doctor Israel “Izzy” D. Andrews, a dermatologist at Dermatology Solutions in Gilbert, there’s much more to looking good than pumping iron and squat jumps. The skin is the body’s largest organ, and a sweat-inducing workout can significantly alter our epidermis. Dr. Andrews gives us a glimpse into how to take care of our skin before, during and after exercise to maintain a healthy summertime glow.
Is sweat in any way good for the skin?
There is a difference between sweat and glow. The latter is the flush you get after a vigorous [workout] sesh that combines with the moisture of your skin [to give] your body a shine… This is a combination of blood vessels, sweat and endorphins… Sweat is a double-edged sword when it comes to the skin. It helps regulate our body temperature and cools us when we are warm. It also gets rid of metabolites and toxins from our body. We need sweat to enable our bodies to push through those heavy workouts, but the downside is sweating can clog [pores] and excess sweating [dampens] the skin, making it so that anything on our skin penetrates deeper, for better or worse… If you wear heavy products like ointments or even mineral sunscreens while working out, they can create a barrier to the sweat and oil our body produces, leading to occlusion of our pores and can contribute to, or worsen acne and folliculitis.
What are some misconceptions about certain skin care products? What would you recommend?
An overwhelmingly significant number of claims made by cosmeceutical companies are false, misleading or overexaggerated… Influencers are doing one thing and one thing only: trying to sell you something. Whether they believe the claims or not, and whether they are board-certified dermatologists – the only people who you should be taking your skin care advice from – they are biased by the profit they make pushing a product. That being said, and what I tell my patients, is understand your skin type and find a good moisturizer, a good method of sun protection, drink water, eat healthy, exercise and practice good skin hygiene, and you are pretty much set.
Some people like to sweat outdoors in the elements with a good run, hike or bike ride. How should they be protecting their skin?
Checking the UV index for the time of day you are working out is key. Fortunately, smartwatches and apps have this info for you. Sun protective clothing from companies like Coolibar, Solumbra, Athleta or even UPF protective workout gear from your local sporting goods store are a good way to start. Beyond that, I would really focus on topical sun protection such as sunscreen and sunblock. That being said, choice of sunscreen and sunblock are going to depend on the body area we are trying to protect. In your more sweaty and oily areas, I would recommend a light cream or lotion. These are thinner and less likely to clog your pores. They require a bit more work as they should be applied 20 to 30 minutes before going outside, and can get in your eyes causing irritation, but if applied correctly can give you 1 to 2 hours of sun protection with an SPF 50, [which is] the max I recommend. Creams are better for less sweaty areas like the arms and legs but not so much for the face, chest and back.
Obviously, suntanning is bad, but what are your thoughts on self-tanning products?
This is not an exaggeration – suntanning is not just bad, it’s literally the worst thing you can do for your skin. Aside from the significant skin cancer risk, it ages your skin [and] gives you wrinkles and sunspots. Spray tans are OK as long as you are not allergic to the chemicals used. Make sure you do a small spot test before applying it to your whole body. Also with sweat, friction and body heat, a spray tan will leech off of your skin onto clothing.
What are the biggest dermal offenders found at the gym? How do you ward them off?
The biggest dermal offenders are actually the small things. I’m talking bacteria, viruses and fungi. Any good gym will have anti-bacterial and viral wipes to clean equipment to prevent the spread of these microbes, which are everywhere. Typically, I recommend this before you use the equipment. Skin that comes into contact with surfaces that haven’t been appropriately cleaned are more likely to lead to things like bacterial impetigo, folliculitis, viral infections like molluscum warts and yes, even herpes. Let us not forget bathroom tile-induced foot fungus… always wear sandals or shower shoes in the [gym] shower. I am not a big promoter of anti-bacterial soaps and washes after the gym as we have good bacteria on our skin too, and these soaps tend to be irritating to people with sensitive skin or conditions like atopic dermatitis. You can’t go wrong with a good soap and water wash immediately after the gym with a regular bar of soap.
What are some best practices for before and after your workout to maintain healthy skin?
Before the gym, I would make sure that any products you are wearing on your face – or anywhere else – be washed off given their occlusive nature, propensity to run into your eyes when you sweat, and their contributions to acne or hair follicle occlusion and inflammation. This includes makeup, thicker moisturizers, sunblock and serums. Depending on your hair care practices, things like scalp oils, pomades and leave-in products should also be washed off. Your body temperature heats up enough during a workout and you dissipate a lot of heat through the scalp, so think about all the stuff you wear up there melting and covering your hairline… On a microscopic hair follicle level, it will block pores and break you out. Excess scalp skin occlusion can also contribute to dandruff if you have this already. Ideal clothing is also a good investment for the skin. I would recommend moisture wicking fabrics. These fabrics usually incorporate some combination of nylon and/or polyester to keep the skin dry so there is not excess moisture leading to maceration of the skin. This can help prevent irritation and decrease the risk to some of the infections overly moist skin is prone to. The most important thing you can do after a workout is to get in the shower and wash… It’s that easy! I always say, no one should wear their workout all day. If you can’t hop in the shower, make sure to clean your face with a gentle cleanser that has either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in it, the former is gentler on sensitive skin. Cleansing wipes are another good alternative both before and after a workout.
What’s the deal with lotion? Is it not actually good to put it on every part of your body?
Lotion is a vehicle that carries moisture into the skin. By definition, a lotion is an alcohol-based vehicle, and while that may be a good choice for oily skin or oily skin areas, in the dry, arid desert that is Arizona, this would not be my go-to for other, less oil-producing areas like the arms, legs, hips and lower back. Vehicles such as [water-based] creams and ointments are going to be better at providing your skin with the moisture it needs. Heavy creams and ointments should be avoided in post-pubescent skin on the face as this can lead to occlusion and may worsen acne in teens and adolescents. Generally, gels, serums and lotions are better for facial skin.
Is exfoliating bad?
In my professional experience, I have not seen a need to exfoliate skin. When done too often or too severely, it can have damaging effects on the skin… If you want that healthy glow, drink water, [use] moisturizer and sun protection, and eat healthy.
Is there a connection between diet and condition of skin?
Yes, absolutely! Following a healthy and well-balanced diet improves your overall health. Of course, your skin is going to benefit from this as well. When it comes to the gym and workouts, dietary supplements are important to discuss. Pre-workouts are typically drink mixes loaded with branched-chain amino acids and loads of caffeine. These will increase your metabolic rate and sweat production. Depending on what else is in these concoctions, [they] can lead to some skin problems. Post-workout, it’s time to hit that protein for muscle recovery. One thing we see in several small case series and studies is that whey-based protein can increase androgen secretion, leading to more oil production in the face, chest and back [and] the onset or worsening of acne. If acne is an issue you have or had and you want to maintain healthy, acne-free skin while still going for that pump, I recommend switching to vegan-based protein shakes [or] just get your protein from foods like eggs, fish, nuts and meat.
Anything else you’d like people to know?
Exercise is great for your skin and your body. The two are related – you can’t have poor internal health and expect your skin to reflect that. Things that are organic are not always great for your skin. There are a lot of botanicals and extracts being put in products, which can lead to bad skin reactions and severe rashes. Test everything you purchase on a small area of skin before applying it all over. Things like tea tree oil, witch hazel and green tea extracts have no empirical evidence supporting their use. However, herbal products can actually cause severe allergic reactions, so approach with caution. Don’t overdo it with skin care products. A lot of what is advertised is exaggerated or blatantly false. If you have questions about the products you are using or planning on using, I recommend discussing them with your dermatologist. There are a lot of dermatologist wannabes out there who think they know the skin as well as your friendly neighborhood board-certified dermatologist. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Dermatologists undergo four to five years of basic science, medical, surgical and cosmetic training to be the pinnacle of expertise in skin health and skincare. If someone is giving you skin care advice, check their credentials. The American Academy of Dermatology website has ample resources… and has launched a “Your Dermatologist Knows” social media campaign to combat all the medical misinformation.
Dr. Israel “Izzy” D. Andrews is a PHOENIX magazine Top Doctor and can be reached at Dermatology Solutions, 4915 E. Baseline Rd., Gilbert, 480-832-2213, dermsolutionsaz.com
