Does exercise cause acne?

No, there’s no way that exercise can cause acne. This is just another piece of information that has been passed around as a ‘fact’, but when you sweat after an intense workout, your body actually cleans up the pores present within your skin and lets the toxins out. There is some base for why people believe this, anyway, because the salts present in sweat can trigger of existing acne in people who have acne prone skin. Make sure you wear loose clothing whenever you workout, and also wipe your skin clean after the session with a clean towel. This is for people who are prone to acne, though.

Exercising leads to sweat. Reports suggest that sweat doesn't cause acne directly, but could still play a role in breakouts. The primary reason is that the salts in sweat can aggravate existing acne or acne-prone skin. Another possible way that sweating could contribute to acne is through bacteria. Bacteria thrive in sweaty conditions, and if sweat is left on the face or body after exercise, those bacteria could work their way into pores, irritating the skin and leading to acne. So take good care of your skin and wash out your face frequently to avoid acne from sweat.