Hello,
I am a 22 year-old female (generally have oily skin), and I've been experiencing severe acne. I've struggled with acne ever since I was 14, and it has mainly been caused by genetics. It use to be so severe, I've been through 2 dermatologist and numerous serums and creams. At 16, I finally found a dermatologist who has helped me immensely, and my acne went from terrible, to miraculously gone.
Currently, I have been exercising 6 days a week, and have been following a healthy diet. These are things I assumed would help my skin, but it seems to have made it drastically worse. I have a feeling it has been caused by the sweat from my working out because it started to worsen around that time I began exercising. I make sure to wash my face before AND after I work out, as well as applying my creams perscribed by my dermatologist (I currently use Aczone, Retin A, sulfate cleanser, and take medication and birth control for it). I absolutely do NOT want to stop working out. I've worked so hard and feel wonderful about my body, just not my skin.
Nothing I'm doing is helping, not even after a recent visit with my dermatologist. It's very discouraging especially since she helped me so well before. Why after 6 years has it suddenly gotten worse? Any advice for the athletes out there? I'm becoming desperate. It's hard for me to go out in public anymore.. Thank you so much!
Working out can make my acne and oily skin worse too. I was lifting very heavy weights multiple times a week and my skin was horrible! The oil was also out of control and very uncomfortable. Turns out, intense exercise can actually increase male hormones, and for me this is what was making my skin look so bad. Like you, I didn't want to stop exercising so I started doing pilates with light weights 3 times a week for no more than 30 minutes. This doesn't affect my skin at all, and my body looks great. I've also been eating very clean (which also helps my acne), and I'm starting to see my ab muscles poke through! 
I workout regularly too and lift heavy weights. You're probably over washing your face, as someone previously mentioned.
Don't wash your face before your workout.. If you need to, perhaps just rinse your face with water?
Then wash your face after you sweat and moisturize immediately and avoid putting on makeup right away..
That's what I do and I find that I don't break out worse after a workout.. Mind you, I'm also on accutane.
Good luck!
Like others said before, you might be washing your face too many times. I would wash your face twice a day, after waking up and after your work out. If you would like to start your work out with a clean face, wipe away any excess products, then you could use a light toner or cleansing water with a cotton pad before your workout. I sometimes do this. I'm sure you already know this but make sure your getting good sleep and drinking plenty of water! Also maybe you should lessen your workout days. Just do every other day? Maybe you're putting too much stress on your body.
Good luck!
okay so I've now just had the same problem. I've been taking spironolactone (have pcos) for a couple of months and it had stopped my previous cystic acne completely for a while (2 or 3 months). And since I got all the confidence in the world I decided to go to the gym. 2 or 3 days after my first workout some tiny whiteheads emerge on cheeks each and every day, and it's been 3 weeks like this and is driving me nuts. I know there are other factors playing around and here's what i can think of
-intense workout (I do resistance training for the most part, btw I'm female) raises testosterone temporarily
-pycogenol supplements disrupting my hormone (took it for 4 weeks, so maybe 2 weeks in its hormone-wise effect showed up? anyway I've stopped it for a week already)
-wearing makeup during workout (I put on some makeup doing other sports as well, which sweat me even more and that was never a problem. and honestly I don't consider my face sweat any during workout, or could it be I never noticed sweating?)
-my hormone just decided to be out of whack again with no good reason?
anybody shed some light please 
okay so I've now just had the same problem. I've been taking spironolactone (have pcos) for a couple of months and it had stopped my previous cystic acne completely for a while (2 or 3 months). And since I got all the confidence in the world I decided to go to the gym. 2 or 3 days after my first workout some tiny whiteheads emerge on cheeks each and every day, and it's been 3 weeks like this and is driving me nuts. I know there are other factors playing around and here's what i can think of
-intense workout (I do resistance training for the most part, btw I'm female) raises testosterone temporarily
-pycogenol supplements disrupting my hormone (took it for 4 weeks, so maybe 2 weeks in its hormone-wise effect showed up? anyway I've stopped it for a week already)
-wearing makeup during workout (I put on some makeup doing other sports as well, which sweat me even more and that was never a problem. and honestly I don't consider my face sweat any during workout, or could it be I never noticed sweating?)
-my hormone just decided to be out of whack again with no good reason?
anybody shed some light please
My guess would be that it's either the supplements or makeup during a workout.