Sweat. Expended energy. Stress relief. Weight loss. Heart health. Friend time. Or alone time. An excuse to wear the ridiculously cute new workout duds from Nike Dance Line. I mean, really, what’s not to love about working out?
Well, there is one part of you that doesn’t appreciate your dedication to exercise – and I’m not talking about your butt after an hour of Spin class. I’ll give you a hint: it’s the largest organ in your body. (Bonus are-you-smarter-than-a-fifth-grader question: What is the closest star to earth*?)
Your Skin in the Gym
Not only is your skin great for showing off those new muscles you’re building but more importantly your epidermis is there to protect you from all the germies waiting to get you. So what do we do to it? We lay it on ancient bodily fluid filled mats. We recline in puddles of stranger sweat on the weight bench. We use public restrooms. We bite our nails while using the elliptical. We hold dumb bells that 3 generations of gym goers have sneezed on. We even scrape it on Gym Buddy Allison’s nails when she blocks us from making a basket whilst playing horse. (What, you too??) Frankly, you’d think we’d treat it better.
For all the abuse we subject it to, most of them time it still manages to serve and defend – and if we’re really lucky get a nice glow. Until it doesn’t.
I’ve Got Sweat in Strange Places
I got an interesting reader mail the other day. Reader L writes, “I have an exercise problem. I hate working out because every time I sweat it runs down my back and gives me seriously bad bacne. (That would be acne on the back for those of you not linguistically hip and/or not avid fans of ProActiv infomercials.) It turns into a vicious cycle because I don’t want people to see my bacne so I cover up more. Which makes me sweat more. Please tell me I’m not alone! What do I do?”
Before L brought the subject up, the extent of the Gym Buddies and my conversations about sweaty skin issues was limited to making up silly and slightly perverted names for the weird sweat marks we get working out. Gym Buddy Jen came up with “swack” for sweaty crack and Turbo Jennie coined “swoobs” for boob sweat. I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination as this is a family friendly site. I’ll just leave you with this: there’s a reason nobody should ever work out in tight gray pants or shorts. If that’s all you ever learn from me, my work here is done.
Now, while I don’t get bacne, I do have a cyst on my back that at its largest was the size of a golf ball. That is if the golf ball was red and painful and filled with a “cheese-like substance” and shoved tortuously under my skin. The doctor said that it could easily have been caused by a sweat duct that got clogged and infected. Thankfully the second doctor I saw (not the one who so vividly described the cyst’s innards by the way) gave me antibiotics and now it just looks – like I explained a few days ago – like an overly aggressive hickey. Or maybe a rabies shot. I’m sorry to say that I never did get a picture of it in its inflamed glory so you’ll just have to trust me that it was really really disgusting.
Anyhow, I wasn’t sure what to tell L. I gave her some lame response involving the brilliant “shower right after you work out?” and the obvious “make sure you wear wicking clothes” to the spendy “buy one of those sports bra with the mesh back.” Surely you all can do better than that!
Invasion of the Super Bugs
Bacne and cysts are tame compared to what else lurks in your gym. A girl I go to boot camp with got impetigo on her face from resting her cheek on a yoga mat. Lice has been found in improperly laundered gym towels. Athlete’s foot has been around as long as there have been athletes. The bacteria that cause yeast infections has popped up on spin cycle seats (for the love of little green apples people, wear underwear!). But the scariest bug of all is CA-MRSA.
Community acquired multiple resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is the long way of saying “an infection that has no known cure.” Once found only in hospitals, this antibiotic-impervius germ has started cropping up in public spots, most notably gyms, where it can be quite contagious. My family has had a couple of close brushes with this bad guy and both times the victims ended up in the hospital. Even once the victim has gotten over the infection, the process of sterilizing the home is quite the production. It involves a special anti-bacterial body wash that all members of the family must use for weeks in addition to top-to-bottom cleaning and even swabbing the nostrils with antibiotic ointment.
My brother got the infection in his face. It started out as what he thought was a zit and then quickly became infected and spread over his face. The excruciating pain sent him to the emergency room where they tried one antibiotic after another to no avail. At last, when he was looking at last resort surgery, something worked. An antibiotic or his body’s natural defenses finally started overcoming the infection and today, thankfully, he is all clear.
What To Do
Basic rules of good hygiene apply here, whether we’re talking acne, psoriasis or CA-MRSA:
– Try to shower as soon as you can after working out.
– Change out of your gym clothing as soon as you can.
– Launder all clothing and towels appropriately.
– Wash your hands frequently and/or use hand sanitizer at the gym (don’t worry about looking nutso – there are lots of ways to look crazy and looking OCD is the least of your worries, really.)
– See a doctor immediately if you get any weird rashes or bumps start to look infected.
– Sanitize all equipment that you use and/or lay down a towel to provide an extra barrier.
– Protect any open cuts with band-aids.
That covers most of the common sense stuff, so I’ll add the stuff that I know you’re secretly asking:
– Don’t exercise nude. I don’t care if everyone else is doing it.
– Don’t eat and workout at the same time. A swig of protein shake from your sports bottle is okay. Using a weight bench as your picnic table is not.
– Don’t pop your zits in the mirrors on the weight floor.
– Don’t suck your thumb.
– Don’t sniff your fingers after sticking them in your bellybutton. I know it smells funky. But, seriously, that’s gross.
There you have it! So, I know some of you have got some better advice for Reader L. Any of you suffer from bacne? Have some good tricks for avoiding or getting rid of it? Anyone else get a weird skin condition from the gym? Lastly, anyone else have a funny word to describe their sweat in inappropriate places??
*Bonus question answer: The sun!
This post look familiar? Every Friday (yeah, I changed it) is Greatest Hits Day here at GFE. This post originally ran January 2009.
That picture is absolutely — amazing? Gross? Unbelieveable? I just cracked up right when I came up on the screen. 🙂 I hope some expert Photoshopping was involved. I have always had bad skin, so as soon as I can I need to hop in the shower. It is worse, though, if I try to wear makeup and workout (I think I've done that a grand total of once in my life. What a joke.)
That picture is absolutely — amazing? Gross? Unbelieveable? I just cracked up right when I came up on the screen. 🙂 I hope some expert Photoshopping was involved. I have always had bad skin, so as soon as I can I need to hop in the shower. It is worse, though, if I try to wear makeup and workout (I think I've done that a grand total of once in my life. What a joke.)
That picture is absolutely — amazing? Gross? Unbelieveable? I just cracked up right when I came up on the screen. 🙂 I hope some expert Photoshopping was involved. I have always had bad skin, so as soon as I can I need to hop in the shower. It is worse, though, if I try to wear makeup and workout (I think I've done that a grand total of once in my life. What a joke.)
I get bacne sometimes and I work out at home. I find I get them mostly where my bra sits so I've been making sure that they're washed in sensitive style detergent. That has made a huge difference. I've found that detergent that I'm normally ok with is not to be mixed with that level of sweat.
See? See? This proves going to the gym is a bad idea! I knew it!
Of course, by that logic you should never go see your doctor, because of all the sick people there. And never go to school, germ factories that they are. And avoid the mall, the dentist, the — hmmmn.
Oh heck, I'll become a hygiene queen. It sounds a lot simpler than avoiding everyone and everything.
YIKES, what a post Charlotte! You never cease to amaze me with humor & info all at the same time!
I sweat like no tomorrow so I just am diligent with wiping off all equipment & benches & I carry my own hand sanitizer with me to the gym too. I also have one larger towel for the equipment/benches and ALWAYS KNOW WHICH SIDE HITS THE BENCH OR EQUIPMENT so I always have the cleaner side to me. I also bring a smaller towel that is just for wiping my face.
I shower as soon as I get home.
Thx for all that info!
I miss my gym in Toronto where there were handy wipes to wipe down the eqipment EVERYWHERE and people used them. There was hand sanitiser EVERYWHERE and it was used. Now I'm at a small female only gym where people think that towels are for other people and their sweat is gorgeous. UGH.
I wipe down machines before and after. I bring my own towel, water and hand stuff and I shower as soon as I get home (since the 20 minute walk would negate the benefits of a shower there).
Re: bacne
I've found that using a scrub in the shower (yes, it's hard to apply one to your back by yourself, but not impossible) to exfoliate my skin helps. It's best to find one that is all natural ingredients, just to rule out skin sensitivity to products. Also helps clear up any front of chest and face acne.
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I have nary a tip for this one as Im currently bacne free but one big FLAKE.
it's cold here in the ATX (for here. 30 :)) and the heat is BLASTING and Id totally forgotten how it dries me OUT.
please to poll your readers on the best most INTENSIVE full bod moisturizer before I flake away to nada 🙂
Sebaceous cyst :-)(Have it removed)
This is a great post, Charlotte! Everyone can apply these tips to do better with their skin! No diet needed 🙂
wow! this is going to make me think twice about using the gym equipment! although i have never had any problems but do wonder about those bike seats!
my children have both had impetigo…very common at school…just curious how your buddy could pinpoint it coming from the gym mat? either way those mats are kinda gross!
thanks for the info!
There's so much disgusting going on here I don't know where to begin. How about with that photo? It's so disturbing.
All of this kind of makes you want to skip the gym. But I do my best to wipe down equipment before then keep my hands away from my face until I can disinfect them with mass amounts of soap.
I also had the bacne problem, and I'd tell the reader that if wearing moisture-wicking clothing and showering right after working out doesn't work, try using a salicylic acid-based body cleanser on her back. I used to use one by MD Skincare that was expensive but effective. I'm sure Neutrogena makes one, too.
Also, don't discount the fact that it could be a result of something else. Strange, but Herbal Essences shampoo made my back break out (from the suds running down my back). Once I stopped using it my skin cleared up.
I received a staph infection from the gym. It started out looking like a zit on my leg (I just assumed it was a ingrown hair). The infection spread across my leg and it only cleared up after 3 different courses of antibiotics. And I couldn't shave my legs for months because the spreading of the infection.
What I found out after the fact was a helpful tip. I received the infection from shaving my legs and then going to the gym wearing shorts. Shaving opened up all sorts of microscopic cuts on my legs to let the staph infection in. Anyway so all of you ladies going to gyms, just be aware of when you shave!
i had really bad bacne when i was growing up but i think mine was a hormone problem because it's cleared up. i've noticed, though, that i get zits on my neck if i'm due for a hair washing. and that's craziness about the staph! makes me want to become even more anal about cleanliness!!
I second the request for dry flaky skin advice. Northern Canada = -22F and much dry indoor heat. Those Lubriderm repitile commercials are dead on. Reptilian like scales are on my legs, my face is tight and peeling, my skin is dry and thirsty. I swear, I plan vacations in the sun just to give my skin some relief!
My tinnea versicolor crops up every time I start swimming at the gym, but I think that has more to do with dunking myself in chlorine and throwing off my body's PH balance than other people's germs.
To be honest, I am psychotic about touching anything in the gym, and will wipe down all equipment before and after I use it. So I haven't caught anything yet.
Of course, it also helps that I haven't gone to the gym in a long time. 🙂 I'm trying a new thing called "freezing my butt off in the cold as I try independent workouts"
i wonder what type of bra L is wearing? Is it a razor back so there is more cloth/material covering her back? i know a few people who switched bra styles and their skin cleared up
i also think there should be an entire blog set up for those crazy gym stories…i have a few good ones
Oh how I wish I could have a "sweaty" comment today, but I haven't been to the gym in about 2 weeks because of croup, styder, croup again, double ear infections, sinus infection, and RSV with my 2 year old and 3 month old. However, great post and I will use those tips when I finally get back to the gym! 🙂
I get bacne from working out sometimes but only under racerback bras. I try to alternate between ones with non-racerback and I change out of my sportsbra into a cotton tank right after working out for the drive home. That seems to help.
I will also check back for any info on lotions. I lube up with Lubriderm and yet within hours I am scaly again.
Thank goodness the post is a year old. That cyst sounded unreal.
I knew I shouldn't have gone to the gym when I vacationed at that nudist colony.
Neutrogena makes a good all over acne body wash. Plus, I guarantee if her gym is anything like mine, nobody is going to be looking at her bacne if it's not covered up. (Please tell me that I'm not the only one staring at the 300 lbs musclehead singing Miley Cyrus.)
I have the same problem as véronique when I'm running the heater in winter (it's summer here now).
One thing that is cheap and works really well is to have a shower, and before drying off rub extra-virgin olive oil all over, then pat myself dry. I then put on PJ's. I find that my skin soaks in the oil and it really helps the dryness, and it's cheap !
Man, yeast on a Spin saddle is some serious infection. Just wear shorts! Sorry but wearing underwear when biking or spinning chaffs me.
Please, please, PLEASE!!!!! Buy a yoga mat if you work out on the floor!!!! The ones at the gym, you can pretty much bet, are NEVER cleaned! Even at the "posh" gyms! You can get a decent mat at Target or WalMart.
Sterilize gym equipment BEFORE you use it, as well as after. Just 'cause ya never know.
For seriously dry skin, talk to your doc. There are some moisturizers that are prescription only that work really well. (I know because my M-I-L is a nurse and brings samples home!)
Oh Charlotte – this post is right up my alley….working as a cleaner at the gym, I see so many people headed for the bacteria-train of trouble that no matter how OCDish I am about cleaning, they have already made their own bed.
DO you realize how many people EAT in the changeroom, laying their food down on the butt-sweat-laden benches? Or shave in the steam room and then stretch out their freshly-shaven legs on the moisture-rich-no-doubt-bacteria-laden-seats in there? UGH…shudder.
I notice that the percentage of people who actually shower after a workout is low. Lower than you might think. This may have to do with the fact that it is sub-zero temp outside or that they are not keen on parading their naked selves in front of their neighbours and friends.
Just so you all know, you can come to MY gym, I clean the seats, handles on stairways and doors, all horizontal and most vertical surfaces….of course I can't speak for my co-workers…..:)
Now here's a tip I learned from a kindly musclehead at my gym – to get rid of body acne, try Nizoral shampoo – that's right, the dandruff stuff. He found that when he used it in his hair, his bacne on his neck (technically neck-ne?) and upper shoulders cleared up – I guess from suds running down? And so now he uses it as a body soap of sorts on his trouble areas? Mind you, I am assuming it is way low on the moisturizing scale….
I know that my problems with skin eruptions really have nothing to do with cleanliness since I am as vigilent as they come, and more to do with hormones which I can't seem to get under control.
P.S. as a side note, in all the time I have worked there, we have never once cleaned the free weights….wear gloves….
When I was having bacne flair-ups, I found rubbing a cotton ball soaked in Witch Hazel on my back after showering helped keep things under control. I also splurged on a back facial, which was fun, though who knows if it actually helped.
I'll admit, I'm not the best about cleaning gym equipment after I use it. I'll wipe down handles with a clean towel, but I'm a bit phobic about antibacterial products, and there is nothing I hate more than breathing in a cloud of my neighbor's spray cleanser as I'm running on the treadmill.
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Hi Charlotte,
Just found your blog today & love it.
Don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but I read sometime ago that Tea Tree oil mixed with water works great for clearing up bacne. As I have never had this problem, I don't know if it works, so I hope this information helps.
However, Tea Tree oil undiluted worked great for me in clearing up toe fungus.
Regarding the lotion for dry skin I highly suggest CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. REALLY hard to find and expensive ($15.00 a jar-16 oz). But my daughter has eczema and the doctor highly recommended it. It isn't greasy and now the whole family uses it.
I have found it at CVS stores and online at drugstore.com.
Hope that helps!