The benefits of sport for your skin

Sport oxygenates the skin.

You can quickly spot skin that lacks oxygen: blood and lymphatic microcirculation is impaired. The epidermis no longer retains water so well. Elastin and collagen fibres are degraded. What does it mean? Dull complexion, tissues that lose their firmness and wrinkles that multiply.

To fix this problem, there is no need to invest in expensive treatments or surgery: just put on your sneakers!

When you play sport, oxygen requirements increase. The heart will beat faster and harder so that the red blood cells can transport as much of it as possible from the lungs to the rest of the body. The whole blood circulation is stimulated, right down to the finest capillaries on the surface of the epidermis. The skin, thus irrigated, gains in hydration, suppleness and elasticity. It also becomes less sensitive to inflammatory reactions such as acne.

Goodbye toxins?

On top of oxygenating the epidermis, the capillaries and lymphatic network, stimulated by physical activity, are better able to capture toxins and other acid waste. These are evacuated via the liver or kidneys.

But beware: unlike what we often hear, the skin does not eliminate these toxic substances. It does not have the ability to do so.

On the other hand, when you play sport, sweat gland activity increases. Pores open up, so that sweat can remove impurities, excess hormones, and other dead cells. Sweat also creates a protective film that shields the epidermis from a wide range of aggressors, including air pollution. So, the skin is better balanced and healthier.

Less stress for more beautiful skin

Prolonged or chronic stress has many consequences for the skin. It boosts the production of cortisol, which disrupts the hormonal balance of the epidermis. More specifically, it encourages excessive sebum secretion. Under normal circumstances, this substance is essential for maintaining good hydration and protecting the skin from external aggression. When there is too much, the pores end up clogged. This is how pimples, blackheads and other micro-cysts develop on the face, chest and back.

But unfortunately, that's not all. At too high a dose, cortisol is also the enemy of the skin barrier. It renews itself less well and collagen production decreases. It is more fragile and sensitive; it dries out, loses its suppleness and ages more quickly. And for people with atopic skin, excess cortisol also encourages eczema and psoriasis. However, when practicing sport, the body produces endorphins, the feel-good hormones. Dopamine is the hormone of immediate pleasure and reward. It is what makes your sessions so euphoric. As a direct result, anxiety and stress levels are reduced. By engaging in regular physical activity, the body learns to respond more effectively to stress and limits its impact on skin tissue. And when you feel soothed, you sleep better, which is good for your skin too!

Making the most of sport for healthy skin

Outdoor physical activities allow you to stock up on vitamin D. Produced by the epidermis in contact with the sun, it strengthens bones, synthesises calcium, promotes the production of melanin and stimulates the secretion of feel-good hormones. But be careful: exposure to UV rays is extremely dangerous, causing irreversible damage. As well as accelerating skin ageing, it is also responsible for almost 100,000 cases of skin cancer in France every year.

According to the ‘runner's face’ myth, sport can cause tissues to sag. Repeated shocks and a lack of fat, particularly in the cheekbones, would give sportsmen and women emaciated, prematurely wrinkled faces. In reality, this is not the case. It is indeed a myth since the “runner’s face” is not based on any tangible fact. If the skin of some athletes seems to age prematurely, it is probably due to too much UV exposure and a lack of skin hydration. Nothing to do with sport! 

So, to ensure that sport remains your best beauty tip, you should continue to do it outdoors, but never without good SPF 50 sun protection, reapplied at regular intervals, whether you have dark or black skin! During and after the session, drink plenty of water, especially to compensate for losses due to sweating. Choose suitable clothing and breathable materials. Take a shower quickly after your session, so that the sweat and sebum you have secreted don't have time to clog your pores.

And to reap the long-term benefits of sport for your skin, include skincare for your face and body in your recovery routine, treatments based on hyaluronic acid to moisturise, and patented active ingredients to encourage regeneration and cell renewal.