School is back in session! That means the sports season is also in full swing. A lot of teenagers come to see us about acne, which is especially difficult to control while they are in sports. Let’s discuss some causes of acne, prevention strategies, and products that can help the athletes in your family this fall sports season.

Causes

It’s no secret that hormonal changes during adolescence contribute to an increase in acne formation. In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, 85% of people between 12 and 24 experience acne. So, why is this? Hormones can cause the overproduction of keratin, a fibrous protein on the skin. They also trigger pores to enlarge and more sebum to be produced. Sebum is a waxy substance secreted by our sebaceous glands that keeps skin smooth and soft. Combine too much keratin, enlarged pores, and increased sebum with bacteria, and you have a recipe for blocked, inflamed pores. When this happens, pustules, inflammation, or even cystic nodules can form on the skin. Essentially, this is how hormonal changes can lead to the zit-formation process.

Besides hormonal changes, athletes are especially vulnerable to acne issues. When we exercise, our bodies eliminate toxins through the pores of our skin and lungs. However, most sports require athletes to wear uniforms and equipment during practice and games that constrict air flow and make it difficult for the skin to breathe. Gear like chinstraps, shoulder pads, knee pads, and helmets keep athletes safe during play, but these things can also trap heat, moisture, and bacteria against the skin. This combo creates the perfect environment for acne (Acne Mechanica) to form. Once the irritation, inflammation, and acne formation begins, it can be difficult for the skin to heal without giving it a break from whatever is causing the issue. Not something easy to do mid-season! Fortunately, there are strategies to implement to help skin stay healthy all season long.

Natural Preventative Measures

Athletes may be unable to control the type of equipment they are required to wear or the environmental conditions in which they perform. However, athletes can care for their skin in ways that will mitigate acne outbreaks. Here are a few recommendations:

• Clean any shared equipment before and after you use it. Bacteria can spread quickly from athlete to athlete when coaches don’t firmly establish hygienic practices with their team beforehand. Examples include properly sanitizing uniforms, knee pads, and even weightlifting equipment.
• Remove sweaty workout clothes after practice or a game and shower immediately. If a shower isn’t available right away, carry a travel-size Clean Sweep Toner in your gym bag, spritz a cotton pad and apply it to acne-prone areas as a quick solution in this circumstance. Change into a fresh set of clothing until you can shower.
• Wearing looser fitting clothing during practice, preferrable with moisture-wicking technology, can allow the skin to breathe and sweat to evaporate.
• Choose cleansers without synthetic fragrance or harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin. But limit using cleansers more than two times a day. Any more than that, and you can do more harm than good!
• Diet can also influence your athletes’ skin. Avoid eating foods that contain a lot of sugar, dairy, and trans-fatty acids. Eat colorful fruits and vegetables with vitamins and minerals that promote skin health.
• Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. Athletes who sweat a lot will need even more! Keeping your insides hydrated keeps your skin hydrated.

Simple Body Solutions

Simple Body has several solutions for athletes with acne-prone skin. Developing a regular skincare routine can go a long way toward preventing problems this sports season.

• In the morning, cleanse your face with Lavender Foaming Face Wash. Made with Lavender Tea and vegetable glycerin (which is a skin moisturizer for extremely dry skin), this wash naturally cleans without drying out the skin.
• Next, mist a cotton pad with Clean Sweep Toner and apply it to the face and acne-prone areas to clean dirt and oil from pores and tone the skin.
• Applying moisturizer to acne-prone skin may seem counterintuitive. However, the combination of oils and butter in our Daily Face Cream closely resembles the sebum our sebaceous glands naturally make. Dry skin can make our body believe it needs to produce more oil. Consistent application of Daily Face Cream can balance oil production and prevent breakouts.
• Use Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil and Lavender Lavandula angustifolia essential oil in a 1:1 ratio to spot-treat breakouts.
• Perspiration and sweat are two ways our bodies naturally eliminate toxins. That doesn’t mean you have to stink! Although we do not recommend antiperspirants, we have all-natural, effective deodorants that absorb odor. Try Lavender, Himalayan Magic, Cedar+Clove, Citrus Burst, or Unscented Deodorant options from Simple Body.

Sports are a fantastic way to learn how to care for our bodies through exercise and movement. Even though some skin issues are hormonally and genetically predisposed, we can influence many things in our environment to prevent and mitigate acne outbreaks and have healthy skin on and off-season.