When you have rosacea, you learn to avoid the triggers that can cause you to flare-up — like exercise. That said, physical activity is essential for one’s physical and mental health.
If you ask your dermatologist “does exercise cause rosacea flare ups ?” they will likely tell you yes – but don’t be discouraged. There are low impact workouts that can keep you active without triggering your symptoms.
When The National Rosacea Society surveyed 1,261 rosacea patients, they found that exercise impacted 83 percent of the group. Modified routines, however, reduced symptoms in 89 percent of the patients surveyed!
Despite what you may think, you don’t have to sacrifice your physical fitness for your skin, or vice versa. These are the low impact workouts that will allow you to get active without causing your rosacea to flare up:
Swimming & Aqua Aerobics:
Water activities are low impact but will also get you moving your muscles. Additionally, water will keep you cool, which helps to keep you from overheating — after all, heat is a common trigger of rosacea flare-ups.
While saltwater pools are recommended in the case that chlorine irritates your skin, according to Everyday Health, chlorine can actually kill microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that are known to trigger rosacea.
Tai-Chi, Yoga & Pilates
Not only are Tai-Chi, yoga and Pilates low impact workouts that allow you to move your body around, they also reduce stress. Stress is a major rosacea trigger, and these workouts help you to relax and stretch out your body.
It’s a win-win! These calming, meditative workouts will increase your flexibility, let you get active without worsening your symptoms, and help you to combat other triggers!
15 Minute Workouts
Exercising for long periods can also trigger rosacea symptoms, which is why it’s suggested to break up your workouts into 15 minute periods.
There are plenty of short workouts available online on YouTube that you can follow for condensed, low impact routines. If you are dealing with rosacea, avoid working out for over 45 minutes at a time.
Morning Speed-Walking
Cardio — like jogging — is a high impact workout that can trigger your rosacea symptoms. That said, cardio is even more of a trigger if you run outside in the heat — let’s not forget that overheating is a major cause for flare-ups.
Alternatively, try getting out of the house earlier before it gets too hot — and instead of jogging, try speed walking to get your heart rate up without exerting yourself too much.
Indoor Workouts
Keeping your workouts indoors will help you to stay cool and avoid heat and the sun. After all, sunscreen can be sweat off and UV rays can be detrimental even if you don’t have rosacea. Working out inside will also make it possible for you to control the conditions you are exercising in.
Your rosacea shouldn’t prevent you from getting active — if you have rosacea you can work out, it just means you need to be cautious of pushing your body too hard. Exercise doesn’t need to mean overexerting yourself — it can mean just moving around.
