Exercise Brings Unusual Cystic Pimples on Face

Hi all,

Apologies for a post similar to others before. I looked up my issue before posting and didn't find anything that might be quite what I'm experiencing. So here goes, and hopefully someone who reads this has the answer.

I'm a female in my early 30s, not pregnant, low Body Mass Index. I'm very sedentary, but three months ago I incorporated regular exercise into my lifestyle. I started going to the gym 2-3 times a week, 20 minutes each, and gradually increased frequency. I now go 4-7 times a week, at about 1 hour or more per visit. Mostly cardio, complemented with a little weight training. My diet, for the most part, has always consisted of homecooked, organic, modestly proportioned meals and snacks.

Not too long after I started going to the gym, I started getting acne like other exercisers who have posted in the MedHelp forums. But my acne occurs almost exclusively around my mouth/chin area. The pimples show up as early as a few hours after to a day or two later. Washing my face and showering after a workout hasn't prevented breakouts. The pimples seem to be the cystic kind - hard, painful, coming from somewhere deep below the skin layers, fairly big, and at their full development they are full of white fluid. They don't heal or disappear on their own, and if they burst, a new one forms right on the same spot eventually, or within centimeters of it. They almost always leave a scar.

Exercising less seems to make these pimples less severe, but I cannot fall back into sedentariness. Not exercising might help my skin but it's not good for my overall health or enjoyment. My doctor put me on doxycyclene pills (antibiotics) for two weeks, but that hasn't shown any effect.

I've read articles about lactic acid buildup causing breakouts after exercise. I've also heard about exercise raising androgen levels which may cause acne. Could one of these be the culprit to my acne, or could it be something else? And what can I do to stop getting this acne without sacrificing exercise?

Thanks for your help.

[BeeFree]

Well you are right-- exercise can contribute to cystic acne, but is usually not culprit on its own. Cystic acne is due to hormonal imbalances and has little to do with hygiene, which is why you don't notice improvement after washing post-exercise. These hormones trigger sebum production in your glands and when the oils don't reach the upper layers of your skin, the pimples form underneath. Leftover bacteria from former breakouts is what causes them to form again in the same spot.
You mentioned a little about your diet, but what consists of these well-proportioned meals and snacks ? As you probably know, simple carbs and oils don't help, organic or not. Stress doesn't do it on its own either, but with a combination of all these, it can contribute to overactive oil glands. I know this issue is stress in itself, and I think it's great that you've adopted such a healthy lifestyle. But you CAN get to the bottom of this. There are natural supplements that can regulate hormones like Zinc and B5, and if you're really serious, doing a week or two's worth of water-fasting will really help you figure out if something you are consuming is contributing to the breakouts.. This has helped many with their different varieties of acne, including myself. Once clear, you re-introduce foods while carefully monitoring your complexion. Like I said, I don't think exercise can cause it on its own. It is usually a combination of things.

Keep us in the loops with your plan of action okay?
All the best,

Brittany

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Since you have switched birth control pills, so you are getting these folliculitis or cysts. Please follow the above mentioned steps and if the symptoms persist then perioral dermatitis and acne need to be ruled out.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[housemdpt]

Back from Thanksgiving. Hope everyone in the US had a great turkey day!

I traveled for the week and was busy with relatives for the holiday, so I was unable to reply until now. Thanks for the advice, Brittany and Bhupinder! As to your questions:

My meals consisted of 1-2 servings, (a serving being about fist size) and only unprocessed ingredients and meals made from scratch. Largely protein from meat and seafood, always with vegetables. Little to no carbs, and even then it was complex carbs from grains and sugars from fruits. (No bread, and no "white foods" like white rice. I opt for brown or multigrain rice.) Meals would be homemade from scratch rather than ready-made or fast food. Also, I baked or steamed my food, no frying except the occasional vegetable stir-fry. Oil used is olive, safflower, and sesame oil. I do eat dairy - yogurt, milk, cheese - and I was told lactose might cause skin problems. Maybe that's a culprit?

I'm not on birth control pills, only antibiotics, which I've finished just before I left for my trip. I considered birth control pills though, and the doctor put me on a genetic form of Yaz. I experienced worrying side effects in two days (chest pains, headaches) and had to stop. Now I'm not on any pills or medications.

While I was away, there was no gym, and just non-stop eating with relatives. Almost all the food was rich or processed, the opposite of health conscious, with little to no vegetables - and I found myself eating large portions and more frequently than I normally would. Add to this the increase in sedentariness.The twist, however, is that despite the slump in my healthy habits, my skin cleared up, and with little visible detriment to my overal physique or mood. In fact, I might say that during the brief time I lived on bad food and no exercise, my concentration and focus was a little better. Now isn't that strange? It's like my body is healthier when it's not behaving healthily.

The Zinc and B5 tip might be worth a try. I take multivitamins on a daily basis though, and though the vitamins include both at 100% USRDA I still haven't noticed any change. Or should I be taking Zinc and B5 exclusively?

The water fasting technique, I haven't tried yet. Brittany, can you explain exactly how it's done? I'm happy to try it out.