Does Sweat Cause Acne? 

If you’re here, it’s likely because you’ve noticed that your acne flares up after your workouts. It’s a natural cause-and-effect question — does sweat cause acne?

Well, I’m going to cut to the chase here: No, sweat does not cause acne.

In my eBook Unmasking Acne I laid out how I solved my adult acne problem — using both lifestyle and diet changes — and I did the research! In fact, I did ten years of it!

So, I can tell you right now, being told that sweat causes acne is all a big lie that skincare companies have told you in order to sell more of their products (which rarely even work).

So if it’s nothing to do with sweat, then what exactly does cause acne – and why are you so prone to breakouts after a workout?

In this article, I’ll get into why you may be breaking out after your workout, what’s causing the problem, and what you can do about it!

Let’s get started!

Does Sweat Clog Pores?

First, let’s break down sweat. Specifically — what happens when you sweat?

When your body temperature rises, one of the roughly three million sweat glands in your body releases sweat (a liquid made up of salt, protein, ammonia, and urea) from your eccrine sweat glands.

This helps to cool your body down as it evaporates off from your body.

Sweat, being a liquid, cannot clog your pores. In fact, sweat both helps to flush your sweat glands, and contains dermcidin which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. 

If you’re dealing with either bacterial or fungal acne, then your sweat can actually help fight the causes of acne as well as naturally moisturize and assist your skin barrier to protect and clean your skin.

However, when you exercise, blood flow to your skin increases. This then loosens and allows the sebum (the oil produced by your sebaceous glands) in your pores to come out more easily. 

Note that I didn’t say that it opens your pores, because your pores can’t actually open or close!

If the sweat then dries on your skin, dead skin cells, bacteria, and sebum can all build up and clog your pores — especially if you have dirt, makeup, or oil already present. 

That’s what can lead to acne.

Does Working Out Trigger Acne Breakouts?

None of the above really explains why your acne is flaring up when you work out, though. 

Well, there are likely three main reasons why you’re breaking out when you exercise.

The first is that pre-workout supplements can trigger acne! This is due to the excess amounts of sugar or artificial sweeteners, preservatives, caffeine, and dairy products present in the mix.

All of these are a nightmare when it comes to adult acne! 

Sweeteners, preservatives, and caffeine can both cause your insulin to spike as well as dehydrate your skin, which — as we all know — can lead to an acne breakout.

Additionally, dairy has been known to increase acne breakouts regardless of whether its whole, low-fat, and skim milk (less so with cheese or yogurt).

Secondly, if you’re breaking out after working out, it may actually be a case of heat rash.

Heat rash is often mistaken for sweat pimples, but is caused by sweat becoming trapped when your sweat pores are blocked. Depending on how deeply trapped the sweat is, it could be more or less severe, and will usually go away once the skin has cooled.

Lastly, your breakouts could be sweat pimples.

Sweat pimples occur when your sebaceous glands become clogged (as I’ve already discussed). 

It can be exacerbated by tight-fitting clothing (which is why heat rash and sweat pimples are often confused with one another), humidity and heat, or already present makeup, oil, and dirt on your skin.

As you can see, there are plenty of risk factors for your acne associated with working out!

What Workout Supplements Cause Acne Breakouts? 

The main products that cause acne breakouts are pre-workout supplements and whey or pea protein-based supplements.

Pre-workout, as I’ve already discussed, contains a plethora of ingredients that can aggravate your acne.

Whey supplements contain milk proteins, which we know is a big no-no for acne sufferers! 

Additionally, this study from 2017 investigated the effect of IGF-1 on sebum production — a hormone that’s found in dairy — and found that it increased sebum production, which could potentially lead to acne breakouts.

Lastly, pea-based protein powders — a popular choice with vegans — can also cause an adverse reaction in some acne sufferers, depending on how their body processes the pea protein.

This doesn’t entirely rule out all protein powders, however, as there are acne-friendly protein powders available on the market. You just have to pay extra attention to what’s in your protein powder before you use it!

How to Prevent Acne After Working Out

So, what can you do about breakouts if you’re finding that you’re breaking out after working out?

Here’s my best advice — which is also backed up by leading dermatologists and nutritionists!

Pre-Workout

• Make sure your skin is free of makeup

As makeup can clog pores, do yourself a favor and remove it from the equation!

• Tie your hair back

Especially if you have long hair, both the natural oils in your hair and your hair products can end up on your skin – which could then lead to clogged pores.

• Wear clean workout clothes every time

Dirty workout clothes harbor all sorts of nasties, such as sebum secretions, dead skin cells, bacteria, and more — all of our favorite baddies when it comes to clogged pores!

Additionally, making sure that your workout gear isn’t too tight-fitting will help with circulation and prevent your skin from overheating, which could lead to heat rash or sweat pimples.

• Wear oil-free sunscreen

If you’re planning on exercising outside, make sure that you protect your skin from the harsh effects of the sun. The sun can dry out your skin, which causes your sebaceous glands to produce more sebum – leading to clogged pores.

Just make sure that you choose a sunscreen that is broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or more, water-resistant, and oil-free.

Mid-Workout

• Always use a clean towel

Dirty towels harbor bacteria, so if you use that on your skin, you’re just rubbing bacteria, dead skin, and oil all over yourself. Yuck!

Make sure you gently pat at your skin, too, rather than rubbing, as this can aggravate your skin and lead to flare-ups.

• Try not to touch your face with your hands

Think of all of the people who have touched the things in the gym before you. Now, think about putting that all over your face. Not very pleasant, right? 

Make your face a no-touching area while you work out, and avoid transferring other people’s gross germs to your skin!

• Try not to share equipment, such as shoulder pads or helmets

As these touch areas of the body that produce sebum and may encourage the shedding of dead skin, you’re just encouraging the transfer of those to yourself once you then use it on your body. This can lead to acne!

• Be sure to wipe down any communal equipment

Most gyms have antibacterial spray and paper towels for you to clean equipment before and after you use it. This isn’t just a courtesy for other gym-goers, but also a must if you suffer from acne. 

Bathing in someone else’s sweaty bacteria soup? No thanks!

• Stay hydrated

Not only is it important to stay hydrated when you’re working out because of the water you’re losing through your sweat, but it can also help to prevent sebum from building up.

Post-Workout

• Have a shower

Now, while having a shower post-workout is generally a good idea (if nothing else, it will make you feel fresher), I argue that you don’t actually need to wash your face properly after your workout. 

In fact, this study from 2008 over a period of 2 weeks (working out 5 times a week) found no difference in acne breakouts between subjects who showered and washed their faces within an hour after their workout, or subjects who showered and washed their faces at least 4 hours afterward.

So, have a (not-too-hot) shower to cleanse your body of any dead skin cells, sweat, or oil that may have built up while working out – but know that you don’t have to wash your face. 

If you do decide to, just make sure that you’re using a mild, natural, and oil-free cleanser, and be gentle!

• Change your clothes

Always change out of your workout clothes into fresh, clean clothes. 

The same concept applies, just like with towels:  you don’t want to keep material that could harbor dead skin, bacteria, or oil close to your skin. All of this could lead to acne breakouts.

• Hydrate!

Just as important as when you’re mid-workout, make sure you’re hydrating post-workout too. 

Where is Sweat Acne Most Common? 

While you have sweat glands all over your body, the majority of these are on your face, armpits, neck, groin, and buttocks. Additionally, you have quite a few sweat glands on your back and arms.

These, therefore, are the most common areas where you may experience an acne breakout after working out.

Other problem areas include where you’ll find skin folds (such as under your breasts), or where your skin may rub against sports equipment.

In particular, acne caused by friction or tight clothes and headwear is known as acne mechanica.

That’s why it’s so important to wear clean, loose clothing that allows your skin to breathe, as well as make sure that you don’t share equipment that touches your skin (such as helmets and shoulder pads). 

Finally, clean any communal equipment before use!

Best Clothing to Prevent Acne During Workouts 

In addition to being loose-fitting, the best workout clothing should also be moisture-wicking. 

That means that the fabric does not absorb moisture, such as sweat, and instead transports it to the surface of the material. It’s then able to evaporate away from your body, which not only keeps you drier but cooler too.

Examples of moisture-wicking materials include:

• Polyester

• Polypropylene

• Nylon

• Merino wool.

When working out, avoid wearing cotton clothing as this absorbs moisture. This not only makes the material feel heavy but can also trap sweat against your skin, which could exacerbate acne.

You should be aware, however, that not everyone’s skin reacts well to synthetic materials! 

If you’re still getting acne breakouts even with all of my above tips, then it could be your workout clothing that your skin is reacting to.

What Else Can You Do to Prevent Acne Breakouts?

As I know first-hand, acne breakouts can be brought on by a variety of things including stress, diet, and lifestyle.

Making sure that you fix these things at their core is going to help significantly with clearing up your acne.

Eating plenty of healthy fats, especially coconut oil (which may even help when applied directly to your skin!) is a big one. There’s plenty of science around how healthy fats in your diet can actually help your skin, so don’t give this one too much side-eye!

Adding probiotics to your diet can also significantly help reduce acne due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-pathogenic characteristics.

Additionally, incorporating regular visits to infrared saunas can also significantly improve your immune system and acne! I’ve personally been going to infrared saunas for years and they worked really well for me and my skin.

Besides, who doesn’t love a visit to the sauna once you’ve had a big workout? 

Finally, if you’re suffering from fungal acne, MCT oil worked really well for me with both my acne and dandruff. I go into it in more detail in this post, as well as how I applied it and what other (natural) products I used.

Best Skincare Products to Get Rid of Sweat Pimples

Now, while I’m a big fan of letting your skin’s natural microbiome do a lot of the heavy lifting, I know that this approach isn’t for everyone.

Therefore, the GoodGlow team and I have also done a ton of research into the best skincare products currently available on the market for acne sufferers.

We’ve reviewed them according to ingredients, our personal criteria and needs, as well as science-backed evidence. Not only that, we’ve personally tested them!

So, if you’re looking for a skincare product that could help you with sweat pimples, here are our top three products!

Best Cleanser For Acne

Our best overall cleanser currently on the market is the Clearstem GENTLECLEAN Vitamin Infused Calming Wash.

This cleanser performs well at removing makeup, debris, and dirt, as well as hydrating your skin and calming any irritation.

Its ingredients contain green tea, goldenseal, and vitamin C, all of which have strong antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. This can help to reduce acne-related redness in the skin, as well as really clean your skin.

We loved it because it was gentle on the skin but still highly effective, and left our skin feeling fresh and not over-cleansed.

Other high-performing ingredients for acne relief include:

• Cucumber fruit extract

• Licorice root extract

• Glycerin.

We also loved the fact that it was vegan as well as cruelty, silicone, paraben, and gluten-free, and that it contains no hormone disruptors.

Best Moisturizer For Acne

My favorite moisturizer, which was the best overall moisturizer for hormonal acne, is the Clearstem HYDRAGLOW Stem Cell Moisturizer.

This particular moisturizer proved excellent for a variety of skin types. In addition to being especially made for those suffering from acne, it’s made with natural ingredients like bakuchiol and stem cells.

In addition to helping with acne, both the bakuchiol and stem cells help to rejuvenate and repair your skin – which can have the overall effect of making your skin more youthful.

I also really appreciated the finish with this cream, which didn’t feel greasy. In addition, it’s also vegan, cruelty-free and gluten free, and doesn’t contain silicone or toxins. 

The only downside? It’s a little on the more expensive side. In my opinion, it’s absolutely worth it.

Best Sunscreen For Acne

As I’ve mentioned in this article, it’s really important to pick a good sunscreen if you’re intending on working out outside. Not only will this protect your skin from harsh UV rays, but it’ll also help prevent breakouts.

Our favorite sunscreen is Paula’s Choice CLEAR Ultra-Lite Daily Hydrating Fluid (SPF 30+).

Not only is this sunscreen excellent for fungal as well as bacterial acne, but it also applies really easily with a light texture without leaving a greasy feel to your skin.

It’s great for all skin types and contains small concentrations of Salicylic Acid, which could help with inflammation or acne damage. We also liked it because it gives your skin a nice healthy glow.

Just be aware that it currently only comes in SPF 30, which is good for normal coverage but not as ideal for sunnier days!

Recommended Products 

Looking for a couple more recommendations for help with your acne and sweat-related breakouts? Why not check out our following articles and product reviews to get started:

• Our 6 Best Makeup Removers for Acne-Prone Skin

• Our 11 Best Toners for Acne

• Our 10 Best Pillowcases for Acne-Prone Skin.

FAQs

Conclusion

If you came here looking for an answer to the question, “Does sweat cause acne?”, I hope I’ve answered it conclusively for you!

The key takeaways to remember:

• Sweat itself doesn’t cause acne

However, the build-up of dried sweat, dirt, bacteria, oil, and make-up can clog your pores and lead to an acne breakout.

• Heat rash and sweat pimples may look similar but are different

It’s important to know the difference between the two.

• Pre-workout and supplements could be causing your breakouts

Be sure to check ingredients carefully, as excess sugar, milk products, or pea protein could be negatively affecting your skin.

• Practice good hygiene when working out to avoid sweat pimples

This includes wearing clean, breathable workout gear, not sharing equipment such as headgear or shoulder pads, making sure you’re wiping down communal equipment, dabbing away sweat with a clean towel, and changing into clean clothes after your workout. And, as always – stay hydrated!

• Sweat is not bad for your skin

You don’t need to wash your face after your workout. It’s completely up to you. If you do, be gentle!

Lastly, if you’re really looking for a deep dive into the best ways to treat your acne (sweat-related or otherwise!), why not check out my ebook Unmasking Acne? 

In the ebook, I cover my journey with adult acne and what I did to tackle it successfully. I also go into a deep dive into all of the natural ways you can begin your journey to better skin today.

I’d love for you to give it a try! Let me know how you got on in the comments below.

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