Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

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.
11 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I am a 33yr old male with the same exact problems as everyone on here. I didn't really pin point it until I did a 25mile bike ride last year (2.5hrs) and then the next day my face broke out in horrible cystic acne (50 pimples) for the next 2 weeks. During that time I also started working out hard again about 2 weeks prior and consuming more food. I stopped working out and after the acne cleared up my face went back to normal 1-2 a week.

I took a break and started back up again this January 2017 and low and behold my face broke out again ~20 zits in less than a week. They are deep, hard, raised and extremely painful embarrassing red bumps around my neck, jaw line, lower cheeks... the only way they'll heal is to pop them and drain the puss. I was eating more like before ~3,300/day. I can't believe that exercising can be so painful in the least expected place. I don't understand how I see so many fit people who have perfect skin and I'm affected in this horrific way that is preventing me from working out and being in the best shape I can be.

I read in some articles that increased caloric intake and heavy exercise can cause cystic acne in certain people. It basically comes down to genetics. I'll post an article at the end of this. It seems the only way to prevent this is by destroying the oil glands (accutane). For ladies out there you might want to try cyclosporine. It's not for men sadly because it drops your testosterone.

I've done everything who has this problem has done. Wash right after working out, changed diet, cut out dairy, wash face, change pillow sheets, routine acne system (Clinique), blah blah. I've come to realize none of that matters. For some reason this didn't happen 10yrs ago, only in the past year.

I'm considering a visit to the endocrinologist and just cutting workouts to 20min 2-3times a week with light intensity. It really ***** but it seems no one has found a solution. To deal with the huge cysts try spot treatment with Desitin, Vic's vapor rub, Eradikate 10% sulfur solution and 3 step acne treatment. I'm waiting for Differin to hit the OTC because that worked really well in high school. It should be in 2017 sometime.

Hopefully this helps. I've done extensive research and have not found solutions but don't lose hope and keep searching, I know I will, there has to be a way...

http://www.acneeinstein.com/bodybuilding-acne/

Matt
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Correction: it's Spironolactone. And Differin is available at Target, Amazon and other retailers.
Avatar universal
Hi. I'm going through the same thing! Never had skin problems not even in puberty and now I started braking out on the chin after I started exercising. So i went from being that "fat" person that everyone said I had a "lovely face" to having a great body and having to hide my face!!
Don't know what to do i defenetly don't want to stop working out but my face is getting worse by the day.... I was looking for aswers on line when I found you guys and realised I'm not the only one.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you, everyone, for sharing your stories.  I am 42 yr old female and experiencing the same.  I never had perfect skin; there was always a minor breakout somewhere on my face.  However, I found the perfect hygiene routine with great products and experienced the best skin of my life from age 35-40.   Then I trained intensively and finished my first marathon at age 40.  About a month after the marathon, my skin went on revolt.  Huge, angry zits and painful cystic acne all over chin, jawline, cheeks and neck.  Never have I had such bad acne before.  I have spent mega $$ on face products and medispa services (chemical peels and microneedling) and also using prescription Retin-A.  It has been 2 years, and I am still fighting the battle.  My face improved some, but then more skin revolt with my 2nd marathon.  Now, I am convinced that the physical stress of training has messed with my endocrine functioning: adrenal stress, hormone imbalances.  I hate having to decrease my physical training.  This totally wrecks my plans for future marathons.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am a male in my 20s and I have been experiencing the same issue. Whenever I consistently preform vigorous exercise I develop cystic acne mainly on my cheeks. There are however other symptoms indicative of an issue which I experience along with cystic acne. I also experience a spike in anxiety and potential panic attacks for the next few days if I train too much. In addition, I also develop a coating on my tongue. I’m curious to know if anyone else develops these symptoms, or if anyone develops any other symptoms along with cystic acne following intensive exercise. The difficulty with this ordeal is that if I start training intensively multiple times a week I develop acne and anxiety, and if I go to long without exercise, my energy levels and mood decreases. There is one thing which I am almost certain of; that exercise is not the main cause for breakouts (especially cystic) and that there must be some other cause which is only aggravated when exercise becomes too intense.

I have however found a few things/lifestyle changes which have been effectively mitigating my acne to the point where my skin is almost completely clear:

1) Continue to exercise but do not over-train. Find the right amount of exercise which you can tolerate. Start low and measure your results on a weekly or bi-weekly basis (example: 1-2 times per week). and gradually increase your frequency until you start to feel worn down or you start to notice breakouts, or you notice the onset of any other symptoms you may experience. I would also recommend to begin by not exercising for a few days until your acne decreases/goes away, that way you can get a better idea of how much exercise you can tolerate without breaking out.

2) Make sure you are eating enough calories per day with an emphasis on protein and fat. A major lesson that I’ve learned in terms of reducing my breakouts while exercising is that it’s a lot better to eat too much than too little. There is no food which directly causes my breakouts, however it’s also important to avoid eating too much sugar and junk food as these can worsen breakouts when/if they occur. If at any point in time I find that I am developing acne, I find that I can remedy this by eating a nice filling meal with a combination of fat, protein, and carbs. The single best macro however for reducing my acne is fat which I make sure not to skip out on. Although I eat a lot, I am regularly active and I am also a slender build with decent muscle definition.

3) Do not underestimate your sleep schedule as getting good sleep has a profound impact on acne. A lot of times people worry and say that they sleep too much, however, I have read articles (and though my own experience) which explain that continuously getting to much sleep can be just as bad as not getting enough sleep at all. I know for many, acne can be a mood-killer and can make it difficult for some to fall asleep, while it can make others not want to get out of bed to face the day. I find that if I sleep in about 8-9 hours, I feel more tired upon waking and my acne worsens over time. For me, I seem to function pretty well with about 7 hours a night. This may however, vary from person to person, so make sure to test this out on yourself. It's also important to give yourself a few days to adjust. You can't necessarily expect to feel well rested if you’re over-sleeping 9+hours a night for weeks and then one day you decide to only sleep 7. Meanwhile you won't necessarily feel well rested if you go from only getting 5 hours a night for weeks and then you get 8 one night. Based on experience you can't immediately feel well rested after 1 good night of sleep if you’re chronically over-sleeping or under-sleeping. Also important: avoid napping during the day (especially for more than 10-15 minutes). If you feel like you are dozing off, stand-up and go for a walk or try and resist falling asleep by doing something more stimulating.
4) Get outdoors as much as possible and go out of your way to go for walks. I know this one may sound like pseudo-science, but this has helped a lot. Going for walks and being outdoors is a great way to relieve stress which I find is directly correlated with acne. If you can, go every day at-least once. A great time to go for a walk is right after a meal as this can stimulate your digestion. For me, I routinely take my dog for a walk right after dinner and I usually have my dad or sibling accompany me. I usually go for a walk in the mornings as well right after breakfast to catch the train to school or to just enjoy the outdoors. It may seem strange to make sure too walk/stand more at the start, but I have found that sitting for long periods of time seems to spike anxiety and worsen acne if you’re dealing with breakouts.

I am not a physician, nor have I studied medicine, so just be aware that my advice will not necessarily provide you with an immediate cure. These however, are things which have always(!) worked for me through years of experimenting with myself. I seem to get the same kind of acne when I exercise just as other individuals who have posted on this forum so there may be some validity to my remedies if you experiment on yourselves if you’re still struggling.

I'd like to hear back from anyone else so that I can better understand what is going on and find a root cause.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello evrybody.  I am 47 yrs old male and having same problem. I started training after almost 25 year since last 2 years. Training includes weight training for 4 days a week, 1 day either running 5k or spin cycling for 1-2 hrs. I have noticed that when I do weight training without running for 3-4 weeks my cystic pimples go down. Spin cycling does not affect much of breakouts , may be one or two. But when I run 4-6 times a month then there is sudden rise in breakouts from deep within the skin. When I run 10K then acne activity is in overdrive within a day or two. My diet is good (I suppose) and I do take vitamin suppliment 1 cap cod liver oil and 1 tab A-Z multivitamin. Could there be toxin builtup due to shaking of internal organs while running and the fact that they are starved of blood due to max supply to leg muscles? I follow all the hygeine tips mentioned in some of the answers. I have tried almost everything mentioned in some of the above answers. For 25 years smoking and living unhealthy lifestyle did not affect my face!! Visit to dermatologist have not helped either. Have not tried Blue light therapy though! Any expert who can help plz!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Im exactly the same gone from no training to 5 days a week for 1-2 hrs at a time...ive also come off the pill..my chin and neck are the worst an no amount of anything helps...might try b5 an zinc supplement as well but open to ideas as I love training now an dont want to stop.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hi I dont want to mess with your mind but I am experiencing exactly the same problem and I found out that my testosterone levels are high which is not normal for a female.you may consider seeing an endocrine specialist. Good luck (And yes I am working and lifting like crazy)
Avatar universal
iv the exact same problem and i am on the pill iv tried zinc tablets did not work, and it is all around my chin and i get spot in a spot or near it. Its getting me really down , like when iv a wedding coming up i know iv to stop working out its UNFAIR dono what to do :( my diet has never changed and i am usin sovlon just lost for how horrible i feel:(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello, I was wondering if you find a way to exercise without the acne issue. I am 22 and my story is the same as yours, healthy lifestyle and regular exercise gives me breakouts mostly on my chin and chicks but when I go on holiday and have "unhealthy" food and do not exercise at all my skin clears up. I think it is due to an increase of my hormones but I want to be able to exercise. Face wash products don't do a thing and it is not due to my sweat neither. Please answer because it cannot keep on going like that, it's taking all my confidence out.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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.
Helpful - 0
563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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.


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Dermatology Community

Top Dermatology Answerers
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Learn to identify and prevent bites from summer’s most common pests.
Doctors argue for legislation to curb this dangerous teen trend in the latest Missouri Medicine report.
10 ways to keep your skin healthy all winter long
How to get rid of lumpy fat on your arms, hips, thighs and bottom
Diet “do’s” and “don’ts” for healthy, radiant skin.
Images of rashes caused by common skin conditions