Many of us get annoyed when we start sweating on the treadmill, in front of an audience or on a hot day. However, sweating is less of a nuisance — and more of a convenience — than you might think. For instance, sweating regulates your body temperature in high heat and emotional situations. In fact, just a small bead of sweat can chill a liter of blood by one degree. And, it can lead to healthier skin. Here’s how.
Sweating flushes out toxins
Would you believe that 30 percent of the body’s toxins are eliminated through sweating? According to The Detox Book: How to Detoxify Your Body to Improve Your Health, Stop Disease, and Reverse Aging, sweating not only removes uric acid and metabolic waste, but also sebum, dirt and other impurities that can clog pores, cause skin damage and accelerate the aging process.
Just make sure you wash the impurities away with a quality cleanser. Cleansing also reduces bacteria, which cause the smell we all know and don’t love — body odor.
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Sweating reduces acne
Like working out? Experts say that regular workouts boost sweating, which can improve your skin, helping with breakouts and unclogging pores, according to WebMD.
“In the long run, people who exercise have a better complexion overall. If they have acne, it’s better controlled, and if they have occasional breakouts, they are definitely less severe and clear quicker and easier,” David Goldberg, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City, tells WebMD.
Interestingly, exercise might also have anti-aging benefits. According to Dr. Goldberg, regular exercise delivers oxygen and other nutrients to your skin cells, which is ideal for collagen production.
Sweating prevents infection
Some research suggests that sweating may prevent certain skin infections. Specifically, researchers at the Eberhard-Karls University in Tübingen, Germany, found that human sweat contains a “natural antibiotic” called Dermcidin — a protein that fights certain skin disease-causing bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, reports the BBC.
Despite this finding, though, don’t rely on your sweat to protect you from bacteria — particularly from a dangerous drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacterial infection called MRSA. The majority of infections occur in healthcare settings, but there’s a chance of getting MRSA from exercise equipment, towels, showers and anything else you share with your fellow members at the gym.
To avoid infection:
- Wipe equipment down before and after use
- Only use clean, dry towels
- Wash with soap and warm water immediately after working out
- Wear sandals when showering at the gym
- Wash your hands for at least 15 seconds before leaving the gym or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel
Sweating under the sun
Be careful when sweating in the sun. One study found that sweating may boost your skin’s photosensitivity, leaving you more vulnerable to sunburn and UV-related skin damage, reports WebMD. Especially when UV rays are strong, wait to work out until sun exposure is low. When you do decide to work up a sweat outdoors, always wear sunscreen.
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See also:
Exercise: Another Essential Part of Your Skincare Routine
Attention Athletes: How to Prevent and Combat Top 3 Skin Concerns
Haircare and Breakouts: Blame Your Routine