Athletes and Sebum

For athletes, acne is a serious problem. It can be a byproduct of sports equipment, skin irritation, tight sports clothing and nutritional deficiencies. The biggest problem occurs when excess sweat combines with sebum and bacteria to create a pimple or zit. At the very least, blackheads become a frequent problem, and at the worst, painful whiteheads and cystic acne can develop on the face, neck, shoulders, back, chest, buttocks and even lower extremities such as the legs.

Acne is caused by three biological components: Dead skin cells, bacteria and sebum from the sebaceous gland. Most people are familiar with the skin’s natural regeneration process, as well as bacteria that lives on the body, yet few people possess much knowledge about the production of sebum—the naturally occurring skin oil from the sebaceous gland.

Why Athletes Produce More Sebum

There are plenty of myths surrounding male athletes—that all male athletes produce more sweat than female athletes, that men are more susceptible to skin issues such as acne and that men naturally have drier skin than women—the reason why sports equipment can cause additional acne problems. While there are elements of truth to some of the claims, they are quite inaccurate.

One thing that is true about men, they do tend to produce more sebum, based on the increased levels of testosterone in the body. This is especially true during adolescence or early adulthood. Sebum is the skin oil that offers flexibility to the skin, comfort to the skin and makes the skin waterproof. Without it, or when a body is deficient in production, it would be painful to be physically active through athletics.

Sebum isn’t the enemy to an athlete. Even when the skin seems to be producing excess oil on the face, back, shoulders, arms or any other area where sports acne can develop, it can be controlled with a simple skin care regimen.

For most athletes, sebum becomes a problem when it is trapped under tight clothing or rubbed consistently under sports equipment, which can aid in the process of developing acne. This is the reason why it is so important to care for the skin after training sessions or long team practices.

A shower combined with a skin care regimen that offers attention to all acne-prone areas will help to cleanse the skin surface of excess sebum, as well as helping to shed the dead skin cells that could combine with that sebum to clog a pore and follicle.

Tips For Controlling Sebum

Sebum is something that everyone deals with, yet it can become an acne related problem for the athlete who doesn’t work to control it. Consider a few tips that will help keep the skin balanced.

Drinking plenty of water is a necessity for optimal skin health. It will help the skin to stay hydrated, and help remove toxins and excess oils from the body. Along those lines, diet plays a role in the skin’s oil production. Cooking foods in oil, and eating heavily starched or sugary foods will increase the production of the sebaceous gland. If using oil to cook or eat, consider the use of cold-pressed olive oil.

Do not over-wash your face. Washing too much will cause increased production of sebum, to balance the dryness caused by face washing. Try to limit washing to 2-3 times per day.

For a skin care regimen to help alleviate problems caused by excess sebum, consider using an oil free moisturizer. If acne is a problem, the moisturizer can be applied after an application of benzoyl peroxide or at the completion of an acne skin care regimen. If acne is rare, the moisturizer will help to keep the skin supple, while dissolving some of the excess sebum.