After quitting lifting weights last year because of acne, I decided that I wanted to get back all of the muscle that I had lost. So a month ago, I started going to the gym 4 days a week and lifting for 45 minutes each time. The progress has been amazing and I am up to 165 which is a 10 pound increase in 30 days. I had bulked up to 185 in the past so I am guessing most of this weight is muscle memory. My bodyfat is still extremely low so it looks like I have gained minimal fat as well. The problem? I am breaking out in deep nodules again around my neck and upper neck/jawline towards my ear. Nothing works and I am pissed that I am going to have to quit lifting once again.
I don't understand it. I am not using steroids but I have increased the amount of calories that i am eating. I haven't added any foods that I previously wasn't eating eating so I doubt its an intolerance. I have been drinking a ton of olive oil with every meal as well as protein (no protein shakes or supplements) to try and keep the glycemic load down as well and only eating foods with one ingredients (eggs, chicken, sweet potatoes, etc).
Is there any possible way weight lifting and staying clear can go hand in hand for someone with acne prone skin? Acne literally takes away everything that I enjoy.
After quitting lifting weights last year because of acne, I decided that I wanted to get back all of the muscle that I had lost. So a month ago, I started going to the gym 4 days a week and lifting for 45 minutes each time. The progress has been amazing and I am up to 165 which is a 10 pound increase in 30 days. I had bulked up to 185 in the past so I am guessing most of this weight is muscle memory. My bodyfat is still extremely low so it looks like I have gained minimal fat as well. The problem? I am breaking out in deep nodules again around my neck and upper neck/jawline towards my ear. Nothing works and I am pissed that I am going to have to quit lifting once again.
I don't understand it. I am not using steroids but I have increased the amount of calories that i am eating. I haven't added any foods that I previously wasn't eating eating so I doubt its an intolerance. I have been drinking a ton of olive oil with every meal as well as protein (no protein shakes or supplements) to try and keep the glycemic load down as well and only eating foods with one ingredients (eggs, chicken, sweet potatoes, etc).
Is there any possible way weight lifting and staying clear can go hand in hand for someone with acne prone skin? Acne literally takes away everything that I enjoy.
The olive oil you are consuming could actually be a vegetable oil. Google uc davis olive oil study for more info
I noticed that I break out when I lift weight as well, I guess I am going to have to stick to being skinny
How heavy are you lifting and how many sets/ reps? Also, are your workouts splits or full body workouts?
I go pretty heavy and do 3 sets of 8 for every exercise. Bench pressing, squatting, deadlifting, etc. I do upper body on monday and thursday and lower on tuesday and friday. This routine is extremely effective for me and I gain a ton of muscle and strength but I guess my skin can't handle it. I am going on Accutane in August so I may just quit lifting until my course is over so my testosterone isn't through the roof when I start 
After quitting lifting weights last year because of acne, I decided that I wanted to get back all of the muscle that I had lost. So a month ago, I started going to the gym 4 days a week and lifting for 45 minutes each time. The progress has been amazing and I am up to 165 which is a 10 pound increase in 30 days. I had bulked up to 185 in the past so I am guessing most of this weight is muscle memory. My bodyfat is still extremely low so it looks like I have gained minimal fat as well. The problem? I am breaking out in deep nodules again around my neck and upper neck/jawline towards my ear. Nothing works and I am pissed that I am going to have to quit lifting once again.
I don't understand it. I am not using steroids but I have increased the amount of calories that i am eating. I haven't added any foods that I previously wasn't eating eating so I doubt its an intolerance. I have been drinking a ton of olive oil with every meal as well as protein (no protein shakes or supplements) to try and keep the glycemic load down as well and only eating foods with one ingredients (eggs, chicken, sweet potatoes, etc).
Is there any possible way weight lifting and staying clear can go hand in hand for someone with acne prone skin? Acne literally takes away everything that I enjoy.
The olive oil you are consuming could actually be a vegetable oil. Google uc davis olive oil study for more info
I noticed that I break out when I lift weight as well, I guess I am going to have to stick to being skinny
I have heard that regarding the olive oil. Seems like I can't win when it comes to food.
Sucks that we HAVE to be skinny out of fear of breaking out more
It's interesting to me that you get nodules, especially in those areas. Because I have a theory based on my own experience and many stories I've heard here, that nodules are some kind of reaction and not true acne.
Exercise can worsen a reaction, I believe, by increasing/inducing a histamine response. Were you clear before you started working out again? Do you eat before working out?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1371041
http://www.livestrong.com/article/296335-histamine-release-exercise/
http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/exercise-histamines-15163.html
Although those studies, as usual, are about immediate type responses or asthma, not the delayed type responses involved in acne.
I'd try:
Coconut oil (and not tons) instead of olive oil. People with skin problems of all kinds have been found to be deficient in linoleic acid, which is a major component of sebum that works the way it supposed to to protect skin and produce the enzymes involved in normal desquammation, inhibit DHT, etc. When you are deficient, oleic acid is used. Olive oil is mostly Oleic acid. You might try some safflower oil, but make sure it is a good brand that's properly bottled and stored. It goes rancid easily. I use Napa Valley Organics from Whole Foods, but topically. I give it to my dog who also has skin problems orally, though.
Shorter workouts - Can you do just 2-3 exercises each day and alternate muscle groups? increased testosterone levels coincide with increased lactate levels, so maybe you could be careful with workouts that cause high levels of lactate:
http://www.marksdail...rone-naturally/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/gain-weight-build-muscle/#axzz2XSbqgtF9
Natural antihistamines - Vitamin C, nettle tea, salt, quercetin, chamomile...
How heavy are you lifting and how many sets/ reps? Also, are your workouts splits or full body workouts?
I go pretty heavy and do 3 sets of 8 for every exercise. Bench pressing, squatting, deadlifting, etc. I do upper body on monday and thursday and lower on tuesday and friday. This routine is extremely effective for me and I gain a ton of muscle and strength but I guess my skin can't handle it. I am going on Accutane in August so I may just quit lifting until my course is over so my testosterone isn't through the roof when I start
I was having the same problem when I was doing heavy full body workouts 3 times a week. Now I am using much lighter weights with more reps, and it hasn't bothered my skin at all. I'm not getting the same results as I would with a heavy routine, but I have noticed some small gains. I guess I don't mind as much because I'm female, but I can definitely see where you guys are coming from.
What I would try to do if I was you is split up your routine into maybe a 3 day split (push, pull, legs?) and make your workouts shorter, like a max of 30 minutes. I'd also do many more reps at a lighter weight. So if you were doing 10 reps I'd do 20 instead.
As for accutane...I took accutane, and I still breakout from heavy lifting, so I wouldn't really expect that to be the solution to this problem.
I started going to a new Esthetician and she told me not to sweat when I worked out and not to let my body temp go up. ???? I don't know why.
That seems like extremely hard advice to follow..I would think that you would be okay with most workouts and sweating. The workouts that I do and was doing were very heavy weight lifting on a bulking diet (4,000) calories a day so I am guessing this just threw my body out of wack.
I know that feeling exactly, i thought weight lifting would wreck my face but i was wrong.
If some components of weight lifting would affect your skin then it would be either the diet related aspects or the DHT ( The hormone that increases acne.
Lets look at the DHT. This is the only really acne significant hormone that would increase when you lift. Now it does cause acne for sure, but it doesn't cause acne when it increases in weight lifting. Why you ask? Because the DHT levels are only raised when you're actually lifting or up to half an hour afterwards. It's not really enough time for it to cause problems.
DHT also causes hair loss, this article like many others says it doesn't increase that much when lifting. Look around there are loads of posts on it : http://weighttraining.about.com/b/2008/04/28/lifting-weights-wont-make-you-bald.htm
Now i've had deep nodules on my neck, and i could never figure out why i got them. This was about 1 year and a half back, the acne seemed to move from my face to my neck. Now my hypothesis as to why i've got neck acne was because i was so incredibly stressed about getting acne. Deep nodules on the neck are often said to be a very stress related. Now i don't know how you're gonna interpret this but i'd strongly suggest trying to keep your mind of your skin. Theres an ocean of ways to do it, stress reduction methods are abundant on the forums.
Personally though for me i found avoiding the routine 10 minute mirror glance, and instead decided only to look when it was necessary.
And of course, read about the paleo diet, it might help a lot!
I go weight lifting 4-5 times a week and it doesn't affect me, and i'm usually really sensitive. But i guess everyones different.
After quitting lifting weights last year because of acne, I decided that I wanted to get back all of the muscle that I had lost. So a month ago, I started going to the gym 4 days a week and lifting for 45 minutes each time. The progress has been amazing and I am up to 165 which is a 10 pound increase in 30 days. I had bulked up to 185 in the past so I am guessing most of this weight is muscle memory. My bodyfat is still extremely low so it looks like I have gained minimal fat as well. The problem? I am breaking out in deep nodules again around my neck and upper neck/jawline towards my ear. Nothing works and I am pissed that I am going to have to quit lifting once again.
I don't understand it. I am not using steroids but I have increased the amount of calories that i am eating. I haven't added any foods that I previously wasn't eating eating so I doubt its an intolerance. I have been drinking a ton of olive oil with every meal as well as protein (no protein shakes or supplements) to try and keep the glycemic load down as well and only eating foods with one ingredients (eggs, chicken, sweet potatoes, etc).
Is there any possible way weight lifting and staying clear can go hand in hand for someone with acne prone skin? Acne literally takes away everything that I enjoy.
I know that feeling exactly, i thought weight lifting would wreck my face but i was wrong.
If some components of weight lifting would affect your skin then it would be either the diet related aspects or the DHT ( The hormone that increases acne.
Lets look at the DHT. This is the only really acne significant hormone that would increase when you lift. Now it does cause acne for sure, but it doesn't cause acne when it increases in weight lifting. Why you ask? Because the DHT levels are only raised when you're actually lifting or up to half an hour afterwards. It's not really enough time for it to cause problems.
DHT also causes hair loss, this article like many others says it doesn't increase that much when lifting. Look around there are loads of posts on it : http://weighttraining.about.com/b/2008/04/28/lifting-weights-wont-make-you-bald.htm
Now i've had deep nodules on my neck, and i could never figure out why i got them. This was about 1 year and a half back, the acne seemed to move from my face to my neck. Now my hypothesis as to why i've got neck acne was because i was so incredibly stressed about getting acne. Deep nodules on the neck are often said to be a very stress related. Now i don't know how you're gonna interpret this but i'd strongly suggest trying to keep your mind of your skin. Theres an ocean of ways to do it, stress reduction methods are abundant on the forums.
Personally though for me i found avoiding the routine 10 minute mirror glance, and instead decided only to look when it was necessary.
And of course, read about the paleo diet, it might help a lot!
I go weight lifting 4-5 times a week and it doesn't affect me, and i'm usually really sensitive. But i guess everyones different.
Everyone is different. For me, and other people here it seems that lifting does cause acne. I'm not completely sure of the mechanism behind it, but I can definitely tell you the break outs were related to lifting, and not related to stress about my skin.