acne on face from working out

[lttleangel]

okay Last summer I started working out alot doing total body weight training and I loved what it did for my body, but it caused me to get theses discusting pimples on the cheeks of my face. I am someone who has never really had acne, so I was really upset and embarassed by this. I went to the dermatologist and he said that it wasn't from diet, wasn't from not cleaning my face enough but that it was due to an increase in my testosterone level...and he put me on these pills that kinda of cleared it up, but not completely. so eventually I just stopped with the weights and my face completely cleared up adn went back to normal. So I started doing weights again recently and the same thing happened again!!! So i called hima dn told him that I thought since he said it was due to my increase in testosterone level that it must be from working out and he said he had never heard of that before? but I think that kinda makes sense? But so I really can't take having these pinples so I jsut stopped again ...I don't know what to do has this happened to anyone else? I really really love doing weights but if its going to ruin my face....wel I don't know.

[atherjen]

hmmm this is interesting. I have never heard tell of that occuring with anyone before. I have never found that weight training gave me bad acne.
perhaps you could try that medication again?
do you wash your face with a good cleaner regularly?
I use Tea tree oil based face wash and moisturizer. and whenever I have a pimple coming on I dab on PURE Tea Tree Oil Extract. its unbelievably amazing!

[lttleangel]

lol I swear to god it only happens when I workout with weights...I still do my cardio and pilates and then it goes away??? I don't get it but its really frustrating......I"m 22 shoudln't pimples be gone by now???!!!!

[SurfinAmy]

hi little angel -
the doc says its NOT from diet? I just don't see how lifting weights could do it. Maybe it is something else that coincided w/ your weight lifting?? (Even the doc never heard of weight lifting causing acne). Are you going to give it another go and see what happens?
-Amy

Originally Posted by lttleangel

that it was due to an increase in my testosterone level...and he put me on these pills that kinda of cleared it up, but not completely. so eventually I just stopped with the weights and my face completely cleared up adn went back to normal.

Guys who take supplemental testosterone are prone to acne breakouts. And it has been said that weightlifting increases test levels. So I suppose it is possible....everyone reacts differently to stimuli, and you might be an unlucky one in this situation.

What kind of pills did your dermatologist put you on, lttleangel?

What type of workout are you doing with weights? Exercises, sets, reps, etc.

I don't have an answer off the top of my head for you. Just asking some random questions in regards to this problem you have.

[lttleangel]

Thanks for your responses....well he put me on minnocycline, which I believe is just for acne. My diet never is very clean I never go over 20% fat. I don't take any supplements of any sort? Recently I tried clenbuterol but this was after the fact. My workout routine is 6 days of40 minutes ellipitcal and 30 minutes pilates video (this is the routine where I don't get acne on my face)...now when I add in weights I keep that and add in 3 days of total body which is about 1hr 45 minutes mon wed fri and sundays I take off completely.
If you could critique my routine as well I would appreciate it....

I do
back:
lat pulldown 40 lbs 3/15
10 pushups
seated row 40 lbs 3/15
I forget the name of this machine it works the back of the delts 20 lbs 3/15
12 lbs free weights one arm row
lower back machine 60 lbs 3/15
Chest:
chest press
Arms:
all are 12 lbs free weights
front shoulder raise 3/15
bicep curl 3/15
tri's I switched to the cable rope thing 3/15
3 sets of 10 dips using chair
stomach:
ab machine 40 lbs 3/15
leg lifts from free standing 3/10
butt and legs:
leg press 3/15 80 lbs
leg curl 3/15 25 lbs
leg extension 3/15 25 lbs
squats using smith machine 10 lbs 3/12
butt machine 25 lbs 3/15
3/15 on that machine where you kinda stand there slanted and just lower yoru body forward towards and groudn and back up for your butt and lower back
hips:
adducter
inducter
I really want to get back into weights so I was thinking since it seems to affect my hormone levels maybe if I go on the pill or something (since some girls go on for acne) it will help? because I really enjoy ding weights I get such a high and noticed and major positive difference in my body....its wierd though I don't even get the pimples anywhere else other than my face...

Minocycline is usually perscribed because of some type of infectious organism, so I'm not sure why he would perscibe it for elevated test levels. Maybe he was taking a shot in the dark?

Your routine looks good. I don't think the higher reps would cause the release of that much test to cause the pimples. Reps along those lines are generally credited with more of a growth hormone release. GH is usually credited with better looking skin, not causing acne.

I would go back to the wieghts one more time. If a breakout occurs yet again, then I would say there is a pretty strong case to blame the weights for the acne. You could then talk with the dermaologist about getting something like accutane for the pimples if you still wish to pursue the weights.

[excalibur]

That happened to me too, and I became really frustrated with myself. I tried everything to figure out what was going on. I know it sounds stupid, but do you touch your face a lot when you're working out? After I made a conscious effort to keep my hands off my face during my workouts (and the rest of the time, for that matter), the breakouts lessened. If you wipe off with a towel, make sure it's clean. It sounds anal, but wipe all of the surfaces you're using (i.e. benches). That helps too. Hope this helps you banish the bumps. :-)

[lttleangel]

hm...I am not sure of it touch my face alot...but that very well could have somethign to do with it. I will try and just not touch my face since I tend to do that. Thanks so much if this was all it was that would be great....