June 27, 2024 • 19 mins
What’s a workout without a little sweat? It feels good to leave it all on the yoga mat and it's hard to deny that post-workout glow, but what about the post-workout acne or flare-up? Let’s explore how to get in a good, solid sweat without sacrificing our skin.
In this episode of Skinquries, our experts Dr. Thivi Maruthappu and Dr. Mamina Turegano help us understand what sweat is and explore solutions to our post-workout woes. While our special guest, Brianne Hogan will take us through her own skincare journey that saw the hot yoga she so badly needed to heal, add to her distress through painful, embarrassing breakouts. And how she was able to reclaim her practice and her skin.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
In the moment when your heart is racing and your
blood is pumping, sweating feels so good. But for our
guest Briann Hogan, the heavy sweating at hot yoga started
to leave its mark on her skin.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You know what, Like, as much as I wanted my
skin to look good, I was getting so much out
of my practice that it was more about let me
try to find a solution so I can keep doing yoga.
Wasn't really like, let me find a solution so I
look good. Even though that was part of it, I'm
not going to deny that, but it was also because
I don't want to give up something that's making me
feel good.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Exercise is such an important part of our lives, whether
it's a homeworkout, trips to the gym, or team sports
in a rec league. We have to get our body
moving to feel good. But the flip side are the
hardships our physical triumphs can put on our skin. Hi guys,
and welcome. I'm so glad you're here. I'm Nicole Berry
(00:57):
and this is Skin Querries, a show all about our
skin and its health as we grow in age. Our
skin is really a record of a life well lived
because there isn't one body part that I could think
of that reflects our well being as clearly as our skin.
So let's go on this journey together to really understand
what's going on with our skin. Let's unravel the mysteries
happening inside and out. Today we're talking about sweat and skin.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
I love to sweat.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
I've said this before on the show, but I would
choose being hot over cold any day. I have a
vigorous sauna practice, and I also love a great workout,
so when I put the two together, I'm in heabit.
That's why I've been doing hot yoga for over two
decades now. For anyone who hasn't tried it, hot yoga
is incredible because it combines yoga, which is great for
(01:51):
relaxing my mind my body. It's a great physical stretch
and really good physical activity. While combining it with a
heated room which vacillates between ninety eight and one hundred degrees.
It's steamy and sweaty and I love it. But on
the flip side, because there can always be some flip side,
is that there is a lot of sweat. We know
that sweat is a natural condition. It's necessary for cooling down.
(02:15):
It is really good for us, but it could lead
to things like intense odors and possibly flare ups to
a number of skin conditions such as plaquoriasis and acne,
to name a couple. So this got me curious how
good is sweating for us really? To get started, we
went out to get a sense of how you get
your heart pumping and your thoughts on skin and sweat.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
If I'm not playing sports regularly, then I'll like go
to the gym regularly.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I'll try to walk.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
When I can, but like you have to just like
always like be cleaning yourself after you like work out
because of sweat and like things like that, and also
rubbing with like a sports bra or like the athletic material.
It can be harsh into your skin.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
I think my skin, uh look much healthier when I
am consistent doing exercise. I think I noticed some changes
in the state of my skin. Not too drastic, but
you know, just a little bit more GLOWI maybe.
Speaker 6 (03:11):
Yeah, We'll go to the gym like three four times
a week, usually in cardio between. If you don't shower
after or I find that a breakout, I just get
oily and I just feel gross. I've always kind of
struggled with acne and then skin problems anyway, So I
found that when I was going to the gym more often,
I would just have to shower more often.
Speaker 7 (03:28):
I've been on a bit of a skin journey myself,
so I think being able to get a good sweat
and really sort of helps, I don't know, unclog some
pores and just refresh my face at least.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
It's so interesting to hear how some might think of
sweating as simply the end result of exercise, something to
be washed away and to be done with, but for
others like me, it's also associated with adding a glow,
being refreshing to our skin, and actually healing. I think
it's because as much as we know exercise is so
good for us, it can actually be hard on our skin.
(04:06):
Gym equipment can give us calluses, swimming and chlorinated pools
can dry out our skin and hair, and outdoor activity
can bring into play sunburns and bug bites. We have
to take in the good with the bad, but we
also can learn to do everything possible to mitigate skin.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Issues while breaking a sweat.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
So today I'm going to talk to two experts about
why we sweat how it affects us and how to
maximize its extraordinary abilities. But first, let's talk to Briann
Hogan about her journey. She is a writer, an author,
and a podcast host. Brian knows what it's like to
have skin issues get in the way of physical activity
(04:45):
that she really needed.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I was in my mid thirties and I was moving
to the middle of nowhere with my parents because I
was just in a rut. I had been stuck, just
not really feeling that good about myself.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Up until that point in her life, Briann had worked
hard to establish herself. She had been living in New
York City building a career. She had just published a book.
But as many of us can relate, Briann hit a
point where she just lost momentum. She needed a fresh start,
even if it meant moving back to the country with
her parents. With nowhere to go and little to do,
(05:23):
she joined the local yoga studio.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I just needed to just do something and have some
sort of a routine.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
So I started to go basically like five days a week.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I just threw myself into it and there were like
hour long sessions. I like exercise, but I also am
very spiritual. So I like the blend of both the
physicality of yoga as well as the devotion that yoga
has in terms of spirituality. And so I find that
when I've been in times where I've needed both, where
I think I need to release something physically, but I
(05:55):
also want to get in touch with myself internally, yoga
has been the.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Thing for me.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
And I like to push myself an exercise, so I
don't like traditional, slow moving yoga. So if I'm going
to do yoga, I was like, I'm going to go
hot all the way. I'm going to like really just
push myself to the brink. And also there's something about
sweating that I think purges out everything, like emotionally and
maybe even physically as well.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And it was working at first. It was great.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I mean I had to adjust to the heat and everything,
but I actually adjusted pretty well, like my body overall,
and I was like really happy about that, and I
was loving the yoga, loving just having a place to
go to. And then within I think a couple of
I think within a month or so, I noticed that
my skin wasn't as clear as it used to be.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Rand started to break out and it kept getting worse.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
So I started to notice the pimples starting to come
around my jaw line, my cheeks, and my forehead and
my temples, and I never really had pimples like that before.
My parents even said something to me, which I thought
was a little bit rude, but I thought, I guess
that means there's something really different with my face, and
(07:09):
so I was really self conscious about that. I also
started to notice pimples around my chest and like across
my back, so it was all like all over my body.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I was self conscious about it.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And so I was getting new makeup for myself, which
I never really wore foundation or concealer a ton before.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
So now that was another thing where I was like, oh,
I'm going.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
To get like acting prone makeup to cover up my
pimples and not only just for my face but from
my body. But it looks, you know, it's there, Like
you know, I'm not fooling anyone. It's like, you're like,
there's pimples there, but I'm just trying to convince myself
that they're not there, but they're there. And yeah, it
didn't make me feel attractive, and I definitely was self
conscious about my skin. I never really had major major
(07:55):
skin problems as a teenager, and I exercised before, so
I was like, I don't know, my skin is breaking
out the way that it was breaking out, And.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I was like, is it my diet?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Is it? I don't know, Am I not cleaning my
soul properly? Like I was like, I don't know, like
what's going on with my skin.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Anytime I've had a breakout, my first thought is yes,
I hope it goes away. But at the same time,
I think my lifestyle, my diet, just like Briann, but
none of those typical methods were working. In this case.
Briann was doing yoga to keep busy, but she also
needed it. It was making her feel better in her
body and her mind.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I just remember being super frustrated with my skin in
the beginning, like I really was like I really did
not like what was happening to my body, and I
didn't want to give up the yoga because I think
at one point my mom even suggested that she's like
just not doing yoga, and I was like, I don't
know if that's like the solution here, because I like
yoga and no, I don't like pimples on my face.
(08:54):
Or on my body. But I also don't want to
give up something that I'm finding a lot of relief in.
It's helping my body, it's helping my mind, it's helping
my spirit. So I did my own little wellness journey
in terms of trying to heal it. You know, I
got like tea tree oil, and I made sure that
I was always cleaning myself after yoga, you know, washing
(09:17):
my face after leaving the yoga class to go back home.
But I made sure that every time I finished yoga,
I would go to the change room and completely wash
my face, like do the whole thing. Like it wasn't
even just like a little wipe of a towel. It
was like I'm fully.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Cleansing my face with all the stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Like if I knew I had to go somewhere after yoga,
I would just take a shower at the gym and
make sure that I was immediately changing out of my clothes,
like right away, not having my clothes set on my
body for too long, and making sure that I was cleaning.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
The sweat because that was what it was.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
So once I discovered that that was the connection, because
it was starting to heal, and I wasn't breaking out
as much. Like as soon as I was cleaning more
and cleaning my skin, I was like, oh okay, like
this is the answer to it.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
It was the sweat all along. Briann was able to
get her skin back on track by being extra vigilant.
She made sure to keep her workout clothes fresh, she
showered immediately after sweating, and she kept her yoga mat clean.
I know that since I'm working out and sweating almost daily,
I have to also be very vigilant about cleaning my
(10:24):
workout clothes. In fact, it goes as far that I
have to replace my workout clothes every few months since
I'm sweating in them so much. So brian cleaning her
workout clothes really resonates, But sometimes it's not as simple
as keeping our skin and clothing clean. Sweat is a
hugely important function for our body, but it can also
be so hard on our skin. Let's hear from the
(10:46):
experts on how to care for it while staying active.
Coming up after the break, welcome back to skin quarries.
So earlier we heard from Brianne. She wanted a fresh
start and turned to hot yoga to help her mind
(11:08):
and body, but her breakouts were holding her back, and
it was the same sweat that was making her feel
so good that was causing the problem. Even though it's
incredibly common, acne can affect our confidence. It's often thought
of as a teenage problem, and largely it is, but
according to Yale Medicine, adult acne is one of the
most common reasons women between the ages of twenty and
(11:30):
forty visit a dermatology clinic. We don't necessarily age out,
So let's start with the basics. Doctor Thivi Marathapu, a
board certified dermatologist, is here to cover what is sweat exactly.
Speaker 8 (11:43):
So in our skin we have oil glands which produced
the oil that keep pausekin moist, and if you go
acne and things like that, you might produce a bit
too much. And then on top of that you have
sweat glands. And the purpose of sweat is excretion, but
to keep us cool. Primarily, it's really temperature regulation. So
we do eliminate substances in our body through our sweat.
(12:05):
It's not the biggest way that we eliminate thing that
is normally through pea. That's going to be the biggest
way that we get rid of stuff, but a little
bit does come out through our sweat and it contains salts,
so it can help to regulate the salts in the
blood as well. Sweat can be smelly at times, as
we all know, that's why we know wear deodorant, but
that's because certain areas the body harbor more bacteria and
(12:26):
that's what changes the odor. But if you clear out
those bacteria, you know, you can use certain washes like
a benzyl peroxide for example, an acne wash that can
reduce the smell and an odor that comes with sweat. Really,
the main function is bodied temperature control, which is one
of the major functions of the skin. So keeping your
skin at the right temperature is done either through sweat
(12:47):
or the amount of blood flowed to the skin. And
you'll know that because if you're hot, you might go
red and that's because your body is pushing more blood
into the skin so that you lose heat through the
surface of the skin. So really it's mainly temperature regulation.
But people do love to love a good sweat, don't
and they feel really clean after a good work out.
Good sweat you feel great afterwards, So I think there's
(13:09):
more to it than just temperature regulation. I think it's
also a little bit of that excretion is really helpful.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
I totally agree there is so much more to a
good workout than just the physical aspect. Doctor Thivy will
be coming back again in a later episode, but it's
so interesting. One of our skin's major functions is cooling
the body. The way it works is our sweat glands
that doctor Thivy mentioned are activated by our body's heat.
Once that happens, the glands bring water and salt to
(13:37):
the surface as sweat, which then evaporates and cools us down. Today,
we are so lucky to have another expert Triple Board
certified dermatologist, doctor Mamina Terragano, to tell us all about it.
Speaker 9 (13:50):
All those practices, whether it's like using a saana yoga
and specifically like hot yoga, like these things are really
boosting your circulation. Right, yes, sweating with the heat, but
that circulation, the heat going to your skin, you're bringing
more nutrients essentially to your skin. When people have good, robust,
healthy circulation, that's going to help their skin in general.
(14:12):
So that is what I think is playing a big
role with your glow.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Now that I have such a vigorous sweat regimen. My
skin I've noticed is more glowy and has more vibrancy
to it. So it makes sense that there's science behind it.
But how is it that sweat is also hard on
our skin?
Speaker 9 (14:28):
Yeah, sweat can definitely aggravate certain inflammatory conditions. Sweat I've seen,
in some cases exacerbate psoriasis. Sweat can also exacerbate things
in the acne family, whether it's regular acne or filiculitis. Okay,
filiculitis can look a lot like acne, but the difference
between acne and filiculitis is that filiculitis is from pathogenic bacteria,
(14:51):
like bacteria that doesn't usually belong on the skin, or
it's living in higher populations like staph oureus bacteria, whereas
the acne bacteria bacteria that's supposed to be there, it's
like natural bacteria that's just getting aggravated, maybe by sweat,
maybe by excess oil or excess skin. But sweat can
certainly aggravate the hair follicles, which can then bring more
(15:12):
inflammation and maybe activate some of the bad bacteria. For
an ezema patient whose skin gets aggravated by sweat, there
are a couple things that I counsel patient's on one.
You know, really with anyone with ezma, you want to
make sure that the skin barrier is healthy, that it's intact,
that it's repaired, because an impaired skin barrier is what's
(15:33):
going to be more easily aggravated by sweat, So making
sure that they're using the right emollients, moisturizers, skin barrier
creams to nourish and protect and build that skin barrier.
And the other is doing what you can to keep
your skin dry. So, like I know it's sometimes impossible
if you're like playing the sport outside and right like
(15:54):
you're in the middle of like a soccer game, you
can't like go and dry off as easily, but keep
doing what you can. And sometimes there's like certain powders
that you can use that can help a little bit.
But I think the biggest thing is like using creams
that just protect that skin barrier.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
As doctor Mamina says, there are ways to mitigate issues
you're having with the activities that bring you joy. The
best way to figure out what they are is first
talk to your dermatologist. And coming back to Brian, she
obviously didn't love breaking out as an adult, but it
was the enjoyment of the activity that fueled her desire
to solve the problem more so than just clearing up
(16:29):
her skin.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
What that experience taught me is that actually, I don't know,
maybe it was a yoga but I was like, you
know what, as much as I wanted my skin to
look good, I was getting so much out of my
practice that it was more about let me try to
find a.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Solution so I can keep doing yoga.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Wasn't really like, let me find a solution so I
look good, even though that was part of it, I'm
not going to deny that, but it was also because
I don't want to give up something that's making me
feel good, not necessarily like what's making me look good.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Because Brianne was willing to be her own advocate, she
worked out what the problem was and how to fix it.
Briann is a writer, and like many of us, she
incorporated her life into her work.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
So I thought, you know, I think people do to
yoga and they break out, and I was like, I
want to write about it because I think I can't
be the only one who goes to hot yoga and
suffers like this. So I was like, I'm going to
write about it because I'm sure other people are in
my shoes and being like, what the hell, like, what's
going on with my skin?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
As a hot yogi veteran, we know there are certain
principles they recommend, such as try not to wipe away
your sweat since it acts as your natural cooling system,
and hydrate as much as possible before and after your class.
But if you are dealing with specific skin conditions, you
can follow doctor Thivi and doctor Momina's recommendations. Rinse off
that sweat as soon as you can, try to wear
(17:49):
less tight fitting workout clothes that don't rub against your skin,
Towel off, and try your best to stay dry. If
you're having issues or flare ups, see your dermatologist. There's
no need to suffer silently or even worse, stop doing
what you love.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
I was super happy that I could still do yoga
and be happy with my skin, So, I mean, I
really loved yoga.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
It was really great for me at that time.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
And once I figured out what I needed to do
in order to keep doing it like then, it was great.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
I was like normal.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I was like, oh, this is how it should have
been all along. But I mean, maybe that was my test.
Like I feel, sometimes we have to do things in
life for a test, and yoga is supposed to be
this method of testing you and testing your mind and
your strength, and maybe that was my test of like
my skin. I have no idea, but I was glad
that I was able to continue my practice without my
(18:41):
skin having to suffer from it.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I find that so inspiring brand because you're really seeking
out solutions while continuing to.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Do what you love.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Skin Graze is hosted by myself Nicole Berry, an executive
produced by Yvonne Sheehand. Our senior producer is Tory Weldon.
Our junior producer is reem Al mcgraby, with help from
Austin Johnson. The show is mixed and features original music
by Sam Sagan. If you enjoy the show, share it
with your friends. You can also listen and follow on
(19:13):
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
And we'd love to know what you think, so make
sure to leave a review. Until next time
In the moment when your heart is racing and your
blood is pumping, sweating feels so good. But for our
guest Briann Hogan, the heavy sweating at hot yoga started
to leave its mark on her skin.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You know what, Like, as much as I wanted my
skin to look good, I was getting so much out
of my practice that it was more about let me
try to find a solution so I can keep doing yoga.
Wasn't really like, let me find a solution so I
look good. Even though that was part of it, I'm
not going to deny that, but it was also because
I don't want to give up something that's making me
feel good.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Exercise is such an important part of our lives, whether
it's a homeworkout, trips to the gym, or team sports
in a rec league. We have to get our body
moving to feel good. But the flip side are the
hardships our physical triumphs can put on our skin. Hi guys,
and welcome. I'm so glad you're here. I'm Nicole Berry
(00:57):
and this is Skin Querries, a show all about our
skin and its health as we grow in age. Our
skin is really a record of a life well lived
because there isn't one body part that I could think
of that reflects our well being as clearly as our skin.
So let's go on this journey together to really understand
what's going on with our skin. Let's unravel the mysteries
happening inside and out. Today we're talking about sweat and skin.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
I love to sweat.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
I've said this before on the show, but I would
choose being hot over cold any day. I have a
vigorous sauna practice, and I also love a great workout,
so when I put the two together, I'm in heabit.
That's why I've been doing hot yoga for over two
decades now. For anyone who hasn't tried it, hot yoga
is incredible because it combines yoga, which is great for
(01:51):
relaxing my mind my body. It's a great physical stretch
and really good physical activity. While combining it with a
heated room which vacillates between ninety eight and one hundred degrees.
It's steamy and sweaty and I love it. But on
the flip side, because there can always be some flip side,
is that there is a lot of sweat. We know
that sweat is a natural condition. It's necessary for cooling down.
(02:15):
It is really good for us, but it could lead
to things like intense odors and possibly flare ups to
a number of skin conditions such as plaquoriasis and acne,
to name a couple. So this got me curious how
good is sweating for us really? To get started, we
went out to get a sense of how you get
your heart pumping and your thoughts on skin and sweat.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
If I'm not playing sports regularly, then I'll like go
to the gym regularly.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
I'll try to walk.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
When I can, but like you have to just like
always like be cleaning yourself after you like work out
because of sweat and like things like that, and also
rubbing with like a sports bra or like the athletic material.
It can be harsh into your skin.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
I think my skin, uh look much healthier when I
am consistent doing exercise. I think I noticed some changes
in the state of my skin. Not too drastic, but
you know, just a little bit more GLOWI maybe.
Speaker 6 (03:11):
Yeah, We'll go to the gym like three four times
a week, usually in cardio between. If you don't shower
after or I find that a breakout, I just get
oily and I just feel gross. I've always kind of
struggled with acne and then skin problems anyway, So I
found that when I was going to the gym more often,
I would just have to shower more often.
Speaker 7 (03:28):
I've been on a bit of a skin journey myself,
so I think being able to get a good sweat
and really sort of helps, I don't know, unclog some
pores and just refresh my face at least.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
It's so interesting to hear how some might think of
sweating as simply the end result of exercise, something to
be washed away and to be done with, but for
others like me, it's also associated with adding a glow,
being refreshing to our skin, and actually healing. I think
it's because as much as we know exercise is so
good for us, it can actually be hard on our skin.
(04:06):
Gym equipment can give us calluses, swimming and chlorinated pools
can dry out our skin and hair, and outdoor activity
can bring into play sunburns and bug bites. We have
to take in the good with the bad, but we
also can learn to do everything possible to mitigate skin.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Issues while breaking a sweat.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
So today I'm going to talk to two experts about
why we sweat how it affects us and how to
maximize its extraordinary abilities. But first, let's talk to Briann
Hogan about her journey. She is a writer, an author,
and a podcast host. Brian knows what it's like to
have skin issues get in the way of physical activity
(04:45):
that she really needed.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I was in my mid thirties and I was moving
to the middle of nowhere with my parents because I
was just in a rut. I had been stuck, just
not really feeling that good about myself.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Up until that point in her life, Briann had worked
hard to establish herself. She had been living in New
York City building a career. She had just published a book.
But as many of us can relate, Briann hit a
point where she just lost momentum. She needed a fresh start,
even if it meant moving back to the country with
her parents. With nowhere to go and little to do,
(05:23):
she joined the local yoga studio.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I just needed to just do something and have some
sort of a routine.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
So I started to go basically like five days a week.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I just threw myself into it and there were like
hour long sessions. I like exercise, but I also am
very spiritual. So I like the blend of both the
physicality of yoga as well as the devotion that yoga
has in terms of spirituality. And so I find that
when I've been in times where I've needed both, where
I think I need to release something physically, but I
(05:55):
also want to get in touch with myself internally, yoga
has been the.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Thing for me.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
And I like to push myself an exercise, so I
don't like traditional, slow moving yoga. So if I'm going
to do yoga, I was like, I'm going to go
hot all the way. I'm going to like really just
push myself to the brink. And also there's something about
sweating that I think purges out everything, like emotionally and
maybe even physically as well.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And it was working at first. It was great.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I mean I had to adjust to the heat and everything,
but I actually adjusted pretty well, like my body overall,
and I was like really happy about that, and I
was loving the yoga, loving just having a place to
go to. And then within I think a couple of
I think within a month or so, I noticed that
my skin wasn't as clear as it used to be.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Rand started to break out and it kept getting worse.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
So I started to notice the pimples starting to come
around my jaw line, my cheeks, and my forehead and
my temples, and I never really had pimples like that before.
My parents even said something to me, which I thought
was a little bit rude, but I thought, I guess
that means there's something really different with my face, and
(07:09):
so I was really self conscious about that. I also
started to notice pimples around my chest and like across
my back, so it was all like all over my body.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
I was self conscious about it.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
And so I was getting new makeup for myself, which
I never really wore foundation or concealer a ton before.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
So now that was another thing where I was like, oh,
I'm going.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
To get like acting prone makeup to cover up my
pimples and not only just for my face but from
my body. But it looks, you know, it's there, Like
you know, I'm not fooling anyone. It's like, you're like,
there's pimples there, but I'm just trying to convince myself
that they're not there, but they're there. And yeah, it
didn't make me feel attractive, and I definitely was self
conscious about my skin. I never really had major major
(07:55):
skin problems as a teenager, and I exercised before, so
I was like, I don't know, my skin is breaking
out the way that it was breaking out, And.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
I was like, is it my diet?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Is it? I don't know, Am I not cleaning my
soul properly? Like I was like, I don't know, like
what's going on with my skin.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Anytime I've had a breakout, my first thought is yes,
I hope it goes away. But at the same time,
I think my lifestyle, my diet, just like Briann, but
none of those typical methods were working. In this case.
Briann was doing yoga to keep busy, but she also
needed it. It was making her feel better in her
body and her mind.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
I just remember being super frustrated with my skin in
the beginning, like I really was like I really did
not like what was happening to my body, and I
didn't want to give up the yoga because I think
at one point my mom even suggested that she's like
just not doing yoga, and I was like, I don't
know if that's like the solution here, because I like
yoga and no, I don't like pimples on my face.
(08:54):
Or on my body. But I also don't want to
give up something that I'm finding a lot of relief in.
It's helping my body, it's helping my mind, it's helping
my spirit. So I did my own little wellness journey
in terms of trying to heal it. You know, I
got like tea tree oil, and I made sure that
I was always cleaning myself after yoga, you know, washing
(09:17):
my face after leaving the yoga class to go back home.
But I made sure that every time I finished yoga,
I would go to the change room and completely wash
my face, like do the whole thing. Like it wasn't
even just like a little wipe of a towel. It
was like I'm fully.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Cleansing my face with all the stuff.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Like if I knew I had to go somewhere after yoga,
I would just take a shower at the gym and
make sure that I was immediately changing out of my clothes,
like right away, not having my clothes set on my
body for too long, and making sure that I was cleaning.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
The sweat because that was what it was.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
So once I discovered that that was the connection, because
it was starting to heal, and I wasn't breaking out
as much. Like as soon as I was cleaning more
and cleaning my skin, I was like, oh okay, like
this is the answer to it.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
It was the sweat all along. Briann was able to
get her skin back on track by being extra vigilant.
She made sure to keep her workout clothes fresh, she
showered immediately after sweating, and she kept her yoga mat clean.
I know that since I'm working out and sweating almost daily,
I have to also be very vigilant about cleaning my
(10:24):
workout clothes. In fact, it goes as far that I
have to replace my workout clothes every few months since
I'm sweating in them so much. So brian cleaning her
workout clothes really resonates, But sometimes it's not as simple
as keeping our skin and clothing clean. Sweat is a
hugely important function for our body, but it can also
be so hard on our skin. Let's hear from the
(10:46):
experts on how to care for it while staying active.
Coming up after the break, welcome back to skin quarries.
So earlier we heard from Brianne. She wanted a fresh
start and turned to hot yoga to help her mind
(11:08):
and body, but her breakouts were holding her back, and
it was the same sweat that was making her feel
so good that was causing the problem. Even though it's
incredibly common, acne can affect our confidence. It's often thought
of as a teenage problem, and largely it is, but
according to Yale Medicine, adult acne is one of the
most common reasons women between the ages of twenty and
(11:30):
forty visit a dermatology clinic. We don't necessarily age out,
So let's start with the basics. Doctor Thivi Marathapu, a
board certified dermatologist, is here to cover what is sweat exactly.
Speaker 8 (11:43):
So in our skin we have oil glands which produced
the oil that keep pausekin moist, and if you go
acne and things like that, you might produce a bit
too much. And then on top of that you have
sweat glands. And the purpose of sweat is excretion, but
to keep us cool. Primarily, it's really temperature regulation. So
we do eliminate substances in our body through our sweat.
(12:05):
It's not the biggest way that we eliminate thing that
is normally through pea. That's going to be the biggest
way that we get rid of stuff, but a little
bit does come out through our sweat and it contains salts,
so it can help to regulate the salts in the
blood as well. Sweat can be smelly at times, as
we all know, that's why we know wear deodorant, but
that's because certain areas the body harbor more bacteria and
(12:26):
that's what changes the odor. But if you clear out
those bacteria, you know, you can use certain washes like
a benzyl peroxide for example, an acne wash that can
reduce the smell and an odor that comes with sweat. Really,
the main function is bodied temperature control, which is one
of the major functions of the skin. So keeping your
skin at the right temperature is done either through sweat
(12:47):
or the amount of blood flowed to the skin. And
you'll know that because if you're hot, you might go
red and that's because your body is pushing more blood
into the skin so that you lose heat through the
surface of the skin. So really it's mainly temperature regulation.
But people do love to love a good sweat, don't
and they feel really clean after a good work out.
Good sweat you feel great afterwards, So I think there's
(13:09):
more to it than just temperature regulation. I think it's
also a little bit of that excretion is really helpful.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
I totally agree there is so much more to a
good workout than just the physical aspect. Doctor Thivy will
be coming back again in a later episode, but it's
so interesting. One of our skin's major functions is cooling
the body. The way it works is our sweat glands
that doctor Thivy mentioned are activated by our body's heat.
Once that happens, the glands bring water and salt to
(13:37):
the surface as sweat, which then evaporates and cools us down. Today,
we are so lucky to have another expert Triple Board
certified dermatologist, doctor Mamina Terragano, to tell us all about it.
Speaker 9 (13:50):
All those practices, whether it's like using a saana yoga
and specifically like hot yoga, like these things are really
boosting your circulation. Right, yes, sweating with the heat, but
that circulation, the heat going to your skin, you're bringing
more nutrients essentially to your skin. When people have good, robust,
healthy circulation, that's going to help their skin in general.
(14:12):
So that is what I think is playing a big
role with your glow.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Now that I have such a vigorous sweat regimen. My
skin I've noticed is more glowy and has more vibrancy
to it. So it makes sense that there's science behind it.
But how is it that sweat is also hard on
our skin?
Speaker 9 (14:28):
Yeah, sweat can definitely aggravate certain inflammatory conditions. Sweat I've seen,
in some cases exacerbate psoriasis. Sweat can also exacerbate things
in the acne family, whether it's regular acne or filiculitis. Okay,
filiculitis can look a lot like acne, but the difference
between acne and filiculitis is that filiculitis is from pathogenic bacteria,
(14:51):
like bacteria that doesn't usually belong on the skin, or
it's living in higher populations like staph oureus bacteria, whereas
the acne bacteria bacteria that's supposed to be there, it's
like natural bacteria that's just getting aggravated, maybe by sweat,
maybe by excess oil or excess skin. But sweat can
certainly aggravate the hair follicles, which can then bring more
(15:12):
inflammation and maybe activate some of the bad bacteria. For
an ezema patient whose skin gets aggravated by sweat, there
are a couple things that I counsel patient's on one.
You know, really with anyone with ezma, you want to
make sure that the skin barrier is healthy, that it's intact,
that it's repaired, because an impaired skin barrier is what's
(15:33):
going to be more easily aggravated by sweat, So making
sure that they're using the right emollients, moisturizers, skin barrier
creams to nourish and protect and build that skin barrier.
And the other is doing what you can to keep
your skin dry. So, like I know it's sometimes impossible
if you're like playing the sport outside and right like
(15:54):
you're in the middle of like a soccer game, you
can't like go and dry off as easily, but keep
doing what you can. And sometimes there's like certain powders
that you can use that can help a little bit.
But I think the biggest thing is like using creams
that just protect that skin barrier.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
As doctor Mamina says, there are ways to mitigate issues
you're having with the activities that bring you joy. The
best way to figure out what they are is first
talk to your dermatologist. And coming back to Brian, she
obviously didn't love breaking out as an adult, but it
was the enjoyment of the activity that fueled her desire
to solve the problem more so than just clearing up
(16:29):
her skin.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
What that experience taught me is that actually, I don't know,
maybe it was a yoga but I was like, you
know what, as much as I wanted my skin to
look good, I was getting so much out of my
practice that it was more about let me try to
find a.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Solution so I can keep doing yoga.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Wasn't really like, let me find a solution so I
look good, even though that was part of it, I'm
not going to deny that, but it was also because
I don't want to give up something that's making me
feel good, not necessarily like what's making me look good.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Because Brianne was willing to be her own advocate, she
worked out what the problem was and how to fix it.
Briann is a writer, and like many of us, she
incorporated her life into her work.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
So I thought, you know, I think people do to
yoga and they break out, and I was like, I
want to write about it because I think I can't
be the only one who goes to hot yoga and
suffers like this. So I was like, I'm going to
write about it because I'm sure other people are in
my shoes and being like, what the hell, like, what's
going on with my skin?
Speaker 1 (17:28):
As a hot yogi veteran, we know there are certain
principles they recommend, such as try not to wipe away
your sweat since it acts as your natural cooling system,
and hydrate as much as possible before and after your class.
But if you are dealing with specific skin conditions, you
can follow doctor Thivi and doctor Momina's recommendations. Rinse off
that sweat as soon as you can, try to wear
(17:49):
less tight fitting workout clothes that don't rub against your skin,
Towel off, and try your best to stay dry. If
you're having issues or flare ups, see your dermatologist. There's
no need to suffer silently or even worse, stop doing
what you love.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
I was super happy that I could still do yoga
and be happy with my skin, So, I mean, I
really loved yoga.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
It was really great for me at that time.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
And once I figured out what I needed to do
in order to keep doing it like then, it was great.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
I was like normal.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I was like, oh, this is how it should have
been all along. But I mean, maybe that was my test.
Like I feel, sometimes we have to do things in
life for a test, and yoga is supposed to be
this method of testing you and testing your mind and
your strength, and maybe that was my test of like
my skin. I have no idea, but I was glad
that I was able to continue my practice without my
(18:41):
skin having to suffer from it.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I find that so inspiring brand because you're really seeking
out solutions while continuing to.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Do what you love.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Skin Graze is hosted by myself Nicole Berry, an executive
produced by Yvonne Sheehand. Our senior producer is Tory Weldon.
Our junior producer is reem Al mcgraby, with help from
Austin Johnson. The show is mixed and features original music
by Sam Sagan. If you enjoy the show, share it
with your friends. You can also listen and follow on
(19:13):
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
And we'd love to know what you think, so make
sure to leave a review. Until next time
Host
Nicole Berrie
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