Does Sweat Cause Acne?

One of the biggest banes of puberty is acne. Your clear, baby soft skin is taken over by ugly, painful acne. This is an unavoidable growth pang that one has to survive till it lasts. Acne is not caused by a single factor. There are many factors that can lead to these ugly zits erupt on one's skin. Over production of skin oil, bacterial infection, hormones, toxins in blood, blocked skin pores, etc. are some of the common causes of acne. But, there are many people who believe acne breakouts can also be caused due to sweat.

Is Sweating Good for Skin?

The human body has two types of sweating glands. The eccrine glands are found all over the body and they help regulate body temperature. As sweating is controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain, any increase in the core temperature, triggers the eccrine glands to produce sweat. The other types of sweat glands include apocrine glands. These glands are present only in the armpits and navel area. These glands function only when stimulated or under stress. So, how is sweat good for the skin? Well, sweat contains water, sodium chloride and to some extent potassium. But, when you sweat you open up your skin pores. This helps you perspire. When you sweat, the water also brings along the toxins and dirt in your skin pores. Thus, unclogging the skin pores to some extent and detoxifying the skin. But, you must have noticed, in some cases, sweat tends to aggravate conditions such as acne and even eczema. Let us find out if sweat is actually a friend or a foe in disguise.

Can Sweat Cause Acne?

People, who tend to exercise or undergo physical work, perspire a lot. Especially after one steps out in the hot sun on a dry, dusty day. A good sweat will definitely help open up your pores and flush out the dirt from the skin. But, excessive sweat may make things worse. When one perspires, they should immediately clean it off. Otherwise, it may start clogging your already wide open pores. 

When you sweat, your skin becomes moist. This moist skin attracts dust and dirt that start sticking to the pores. When this happens, the pores start clogging and the oil secreted by the skin makes sure the dirt sticks to your pores. Once it evaporates, it leaves behind all the dirt, dust as well as bacteria on your skin surface. If you do not wash off your face with a face soap and water, the pores remain clogged. And finally, the next day, you observe acne greeting you.

Many times, people tend to develop acne mechanica. This is a form of acne that develops due to rubbing of the skin due to clothing or sports equipment. This means constant friction due to presence of a belt, strap, synthetic fibre or helmets and shoulder pads with the skin along with sweat can lead to acne mechanica. The skin is not able to breathe under the synthetic clothing or material rubbing against it. They start sweating and the extra heat, pressure and friction makes them vulnerable to acne. This type of acne can develop at any age at any time. It may appear not only on the face, but shoulders, back, waist, legs, under the arms or in the groin area.

So, does sweat cause acne? The answer is yes. It does lead to acne as it allows grime and dirt to stick to your skin. But, sweat also helps cleanse the skin to a small extent. So, you need to strike a balance between good sweat and excessive sweat. If you tend to sweat a lot, make sure you clean your face or have a bath frequently. People prone to acne mechanica, like musicians, sportsmen, etc. should make sure they wear loose-fitting clothes or cotton fabrics. Do not wear belts, straps and helmets for a prolonged period. You can try a few over the counter acne treatments and get rid of the ones that you may develop. A little bit of hygiene will make sure your sweat does not lead to acne eruptions.