The myth that drinking water will somehow miraculously give you great skin caused some controversy last time I posted. (See ‘Stressed Skin‘) I would now like to move on to another urban myth. This time we are looking at the fallacy that going to the gym and using treatments like the steam room and sauna will leave you with radiant skin.   Once again I stress that exercise has many health benefits and I myself am a frequent visitor to the gym. For cardiovascular health and general sense of well-being exercise is certainly something that most people need to do more of. However, the benefits of exercise on your facial skin are few and far between. Yes, you may get an instant flush which can give you a temporary glow but intense bursts of exercise are more likely to leave you at risk of broken veins while intense exercise can leave the face looking hollow.   As we all know, our veins dilate when we are hot in order to cool the body down, this dilation can aggravate a condition called Rosacea which is thought to be hugely under diagnosed. There are different stages of Rosacea and it is though that many people do suffer in ignorance with milder forms of the condition. This includes symptoms such as ‘flushing’ and visible veins on the cheeks.   More severe Rosacea can cause spots and thickening of the skin. Alongside exercise, other exacerbating factors can be exposure to heat and cold (hence avoiding steam rooms and saunas is a good idea) alcohol and spicy foods. Mild cases of Rosacea, whilst distressing for the individual can often be underrated in a general practice setting (and I will come back to the reasons for this another time) and like most conditions if mild symptoms are not treated the condition may deteriorate.   

So what can be done? For some it may just be a case of using a simple medical skincare regime at home which will dampen down the inflammatory process, others may also require antibiotics in the shape of a cream or a tablet. Phototherapy LED in conjunction can help to alleviate signs of inflammation further. If you already have developed those annoying broken veins they can be significantly visibly reduced using an advanced electrolysis treatment.   So yes, exercise is good for your mind and your body, however facial rejuvenation is not one of its benefits!   If you would like to know more about any of the aforementioned issue please do not hesitate to get in touch. 193 Whitecross Street 0207 250 3340