How Exercise Can Revitalize Skin and Bolster Beauty

Revitalizing Exercise

You may have set a resolution this New Year to start exercising more or living a healthier life. If so, you’re not alone – according to the Marist Poll, 12 percent of people want to lose weight in 2018, 9 percent want to exercise more and 7 percent want to work on their general health.¹

Your resolve to hit the gym may have had something to do with achieving a weight loss goal or improving your overall health. While those goals are certainly important, there is a hidden benefit to exercise that many don’t realize: improved skin and beauty.

Read on to discover exactly how exercise can make you look and feel fabulous.

1. Increased Blood Flow

When you work out, your heart beats faster, bringing oxygenated blood to all parts of your body. You may also feel your face burning hot or see it turning red as your blood vessels dilate. This is because working out pushes blood through your body more efficiently. With the blood come nutrients that help repair the skin.

Increased blood flow can foster regrowth and maintenance of your skin and stimulate your hair follicles to grow stronger, fuller hair. That alone makes exercise worth it! Using the elliptical a few times a week can also give you a long-lasting rosy glow, eliminating the need to liven up your face with the perfect blush.

2. Cortisol Reduction

Cortisol is a hormone that builds up in your system when you are under chronic stress. It works to our bodies’ advantage when released in moderation. However, it has all sorts of negative side effects in the long term, from weight gain in the stomach and insomnia to an increased risk for some serious illnesses, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Working out is a quick and natural way to reduce your stress levels. While you may notice a spike in your cortisol levels right after working out, you will feel especially relaxed later that night. Plus, a steady workout regimen actually decreases the amount of cortisol your body produces over time. This stress reduction can lead to longer, sounder beauty sleep.

In addition to generally improving your beauty, cortisol is directly tied to skin conditions like acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis. A reduction in cortisol can ease these symptoms and prevent flare-ups from occurring as often.

High cortisol levels are also typical in people who have anxiety. Anxious people sometimes develop trichotillomania (hair pulling) or excoriation disorder (skin picking), a set of compulsive behaviors that can lead to unwanted bald patches and skin scarring over time. Thus, a reduction in cortisol may lead to a lessening of these behaviors and improved skin and hair beauty.

3. Age Reversal

Believe it or not, scientists have some evidence that working out can make you look years younger, no matter how old you may currently be. According to the New York Times, researchers at McMaster University in Ontario discovered that exercise in adults over the age of 40 could reverse signs of skin aging, both in the epidermis (surface layer) and dermis (inner layer).² These findings even applied to adults over 65 who had only begun regular aerobic exercise in the past three months!

It is not clear why exercise improves skin health to this extent, but the scientists believe a substance known as IL-15 – a myokine produced by frequently used muscles – may be responsible for the effects.

Learn More Beauty Tips at Houston Training Schools

While exercise certainly improves our skin and overall health, there is only so much it can do to enhance our beauty. When the gym just isn’t bringing the results we want, makeup can enhance our look and make our best features pop. Of course, people also enjoy makeup as a means of creative expression, regardless of their skin health.

If you’re interested in helping people feel their best, consider joining one of our classes at Houston Training Schools. The instructors at all four of our locations provide training in the fields of esthetics, manicuring and cosmetology. You’ll get the hands-on training you need to start or advance your career in beauty and cosmetology as well as a certificate or diploma upon program completion.

Get started today by applying online or calling us toll-free at 877-640-4747!

Sources:
1. http://maristpoll.marist.edu/1220-being-a-better-person-weight-loss-top-2018-new-years-resolutions/
2. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/16/younger-skin-through-exercise/

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