When you make fitness a regular part of your routine, you will soon notice plenty of benefits to the body and spirit. More strength? Check. Quieter mind? Check. Better sleep? Check.
But one of the downsides that some people report when they transform themselves from couch potato into fitness fanatic, is the toll it can take on the skin. Hello post-spin spots and welcome, barre-induced blemishes.
So, what is the deal? The National speaks to skin experts to find out what is really happening to our complexion when we hit the gym, what we should be wary of and the new skincare habits we should be adopting.
So, is the post-workout glow just sweat?
Yes, we are in it for the healthy heart and the super-woman-like strength, but we would be lying if we said the promise of glowing, celeb-worthy skin did not play a part in signing that 12-month gym contract.
“The so-called post-workout glow is really the result of two things,” Dr Lana Kashlan, a dermatologist, explains. “Yes, the sweat on the surface of the skin does give a nice glistening sheen, but more importantly, there is increased blood flow during exercise and this increased circulation causes a flush of redness.”
But like the skin’s many layers, the benefits run deeper, too. Studies show that regular exercise leads to a better quality of sleep, and you don’t need science (a mirror will suffice) to tell you that this results in a brighter, plumper and more invigorated complexion.
Meanwhile, Dr Hossein Yavari, a specialist dermatologist at CosmeSurge, says that when exercise becomes part of your everyday lifestyle, the benefit of each workout “will have an accumulative effect, improving the quality of skin in general”.
So why the breakouts? A method of releasing toxins while keeping the body cool during a heart-raising gym session, sweat is not intrinsically a bad thing. But as Dr Majd Alzoughbi, a specialist dermatologist at Aesthetic Clinic, explains: "Overheating and sweating can make some skin conditions worse. Sweat carries with it the grime of what is built up in your pores and what is on your face, and if it settles back into your skin, it is not good," she says.
The result? Breakouts, rashes, irritation and milia – small white bumps that appear on the skin when flakes get trapped under the surface.
Those with oilier skin types are more likely to notice a negative knock-on effect. Already producing more sebum, which can clog pores and lead to bacterial overgrowth, adding a layer of perspiration into the mix will only perpetuate that problem.
What pre and post-workout steps should we be taking?
So, should we be washing our face before the gym, giving it a scrub afterwards, or waiting until we get home and into the shower?
“To help prevent acne, it’s important to clean your face before working out,” says Alzoughbi. She recommends using a gentle cleanser and rinsing with water to prevent that build-up starting before you have even completed your first circuit.
And once those Fitbit stats have been shared as Instagram Stories? “Cleanse your face again right after your workout,” says Yavari. At the very least, that means a splash of warm water in the changing rooms, and at best, conducting your full cleansing routine before you leave.
To help prevent acne, it's important to clean your face before working out
It may seem extensive, but removing everything lingering on the skin beforehand and not allowing sweat to sit on its surface for too long afterwards (which increases the chances of not only spots but fungal infections) is essential if you want a healthy sheen over an unwelcome irritation.
Those with dry skin will be recoiling at the idea of stripping away precious oils in such a short space of time. But while drier skin types are less likely to experience a breakout after a gym session, protecting it against other bacteria and germs is still important. “If your skin is too dry, cleanse your face before exercise and then apply a very light, oil-free moisturiser,” recommends Yavari.
What about the other skin-compromising gym hazards?
Our workout poses a whole host of dermatological hazards if we do not follow good hygiene practices. “The presence of moisture, especially in areas such as the underarms and groin, promotes the growth of bacteria and fungus on the skin's surface, and this can cause inflammation and rashes,” says Kashlan.
But that is only the beginning. “Infectious organisms can live on surfaces we touch, so be aware that gym equipment is a major source for potential viral, bacterial and fungal infections.”
While the rigid sterilisation programmes being carried out in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic should thwart many of these, it still pays to be extra-cautious.
As obvious as it sounds, be mindful not to touch your face mid-spin and remember to wipe down all weights with disinfectant. Even though members of staff should be cleaning all gym equipment regularly, taking chances over a quick wipe-down is not worth the risk. “I also recommend bringing your own towels and mats,” Kashlan says.
So, should we be switching up our overall skincare routine?
Committing to a life of fitness does not have to mean overhauling your beauty cabinet. But adding a few steps and stages to your skincare regimen could help protect against pimples, rashes and worse.
We all have a basic daily cleanser, toner, moisturiser and sunscreen routine, so just relying on that cleanser a little more pre and post-workout is key. Alternatively, add micellar water – gentle yet effective – into the mix for some on-the-go goodness.
What do the pros use?
We know what the skin specialists have to say, but what about those in the fitness industry? Personal trainer and former Women's Health cover star, Kirsteen Thain says she keeps her skin in as good a shape as her abs.
“I was an avid horse rider when I was a teenager, so have always been active and I’m used to being sweaty. But I started exercising in the gym about seven years ago. I noticed my skin change when I started working out – your skin is a reflection of your internal health, after all – but I’ve also been really pedantic about taking care of it.
I'd rather use heavy moisturisers and have the odd spot every now and then, than let my skin dry out
"Post-workout, I always rinse my face off with just water or wipe a micellar water-soaked cotton pad over it. I gently dry, avoiding scrubbing and just patting my face down – and then I apply an oil, moisturiser and sunscreen to avoid my skin drying out.
“Some of the products I swear by include Obagi Professional Vitamin C Serum 10 per cent, The Ordinary Retinol 0.2 per cent in Squalane, Uriage Xemose Soothing Cleansing Oil, Uriage Xemose Lipid-Replenishing Anti-Irritation Cream, Dr Hauschka Eye Balm and La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Anti-aging Serum.
"My priority is always to avoid wrinkles; I’d rather use heavy moisturisers and have the odd spot every now and then, than let my skin dry out.”
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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MATCH INFO
Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')
Sheffield United 0
Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)
FIXTURES
Saturday
5.30pm: Shabab Al Ahli v Al Wahda
5.30pm: Khorfakkan v Baniyas
8.15pm: Hatta v Ajman
8.15pm: Sharjah v Al Ain
Sunday
5.30pm: Kalba v Al Jazira
5.30pm: Fujairah v Al Dhafra
8.15pm: Al Nasr v Al Wasl
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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Chatham House Rule
A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”.
The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.
The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events.
Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.
That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.
This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.
These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.
Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.
Results:
5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Juthoor, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
Mountain Classification Tour de France after Stage 8 on Saturday:
- 1. Lilian Calmejane (France / Direct Energie) 11
- 2. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) 10
- 3. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step) 8
- 4. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / LottoNL) 8
- 5. Warren Barguil (France / Sunweb) 7
- 6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 6
- 7. Guillaume Martin (France / Wanty) 6
- 8. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / AG2R) 5
- 9. Serge Pauwels (Belgium / Dimension Data) 5
- 10. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) 4
'Midnights'
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
T20 SQUADS
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf.
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Results
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Spirit Of Light, Clement Lecoeuvre (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer)
6.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner Bright Start, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
6.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner Twelfthofneverland, Nathan Crosse, Satish Seemar
7.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Imperial Empire, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
7.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m
Winner Record Man, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Celtic Prince, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
