Does Running Cause Your Face And Skin To Age? (2024)

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Does Running Cause Your Face And Skin To Age? (1)

When it comes to aging, there is obviously not a whole lot we can do about the passing of time. However, when we are talking about skin aging, there are preventative steps that we can take to help keep it young. Running puts a certain amount of stress on our bodies as we age—especially on joints—so could it actually be aging your face and skin, too?

The short answer is no…and yes.

RELATED:The Most Important Thing That Limits The Effects Of Aging

Running and exercise itself won’t age your skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it can actually help to exercise most days of the week. “Findings from a few studies suggest that moderate exercise can improve circulation and boost the immune system. This, in turn, may give the skin a more-youthful appearance.”

However, the environmental factors that come with running are what has an effect on our skin.

“There are two key reasons for skin aging: UV exposure and smoking,” explains Professor Deitrich Abeck. “The skin actuallyages faster the more UV-sensitive you are and the longer you are exposed to sun.”

Professor Abeck notes that Skin Types I and II on the Fitzpatrick scale—very pale—are at a higher risk for damage from sun exposure.

RELATED:One Thing That Gets Better With Age Among Older Runners

So how can you stop the process of aging from UV exposure?

“Consistent use of sunscreen when running outdoors, of course,” adds Professor Abeck. “It is important to note that sweatmay reduce the protection factor of the sun screen faster, so you should uswater-proof and sweat-proof sun protection.In addition, you can get UV protection from the inside as by regular intake of the vitamin nicotinamide.”

With a bit of forethought and prevention, we can’t completely stop the aging of our skin, but we can help to keep it looking young and vibrant as long as possible.

Does Running Cause Your Face And Skin To Age? (2024)

FAQs

Does Running Cause Your Face And Skin To Age? ›

Despite claims from a viral TikTok video, there's no evidence that running accelerates skin aging

skin aging
Photoaging or photoageing (also known as "dermatoheliosis") is a term used for the characteristic changes to skin induced by chronic UVA and UVB exposure. Tretinoin is the best studied retinoid in the treatment of photoaging.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Photoaging
. Other factors –– such as prolonged sun exposure while running –– may cause skin changes such as wrinkles and sagging. Follow skincare tips –– including wearing sunscreen and UV-protective clothing –– for running workouts.

Does running a lot age your face? ›

Runner's face is a term used to describe changes in the facial appearance that some runners may experience over time, including leathery, saggy, aging, lean, and tired-looking skin. This cosmetic condition may occur more in distance runners due to increased weight loss and the effects of sun exposure.

Does running cause facial sagging? ›

Running and skin sagging

There's no evidence that being a runner means you're more likely to have sagging jowls or extra wrinkles. Gravity does exert a downward force but our skin is a very clever organ (yes it's an organ, the biggest organ in the body).

What does running do for your face? ›

It's a well-known fact that exercise helps improve your blood circulation, and running is no exception. When you run, your blood pumps faster, which means your face gets a supply of fresh blood often. This helps heal damaged skin, giving it a glow from within.

What exercise ages your face faster? ›

Plastic surgeon warns this 1 type of exercise ages your face faster. The “repetitive beating that your face is taking” from this exercise can lead to a "gaunt, old" look the doctor says. A New York plastic surgeon has gone viral for cautioning that lots of running can prematurely age the face.

Does cardio age your face? ›

Dr Nazarian clarified that the “up-and-down movement from running is not going to cause you to age faster,” and that she wouldn't “attribute the idea of runner's face to the motion in the skin”. “What we're looking at is on a much smaller, microscopic level and what's happening with the cells,” she said.

Why do runners look older? ›

Despite claims from a viral TikTok video, there's no evidence that running accelerates skin aging. Other factors –– such as prolonged sun exposure while running –– may cause skin changes such as wrinkles and sagging. Follow skincare tips –– including wearing sunscreen and UV-protective clothing –– for running workouts.

Do runners age slower? ›

While we can't stay young forever, new studies suggest that running and other forms of aerobic exercise really can reverse some effects that come from sedentary aging. In fact, a regular aerobic routine can make our hearts look 30 years younger by the time we reach our 70s.

Does running get rid of jowls? ›

Exercise strengthens muscles but it does not strengthen skin and fat. In the same way, that exercise, which helps us in many other ways, will not tighten sagging, stretch-marked abdominal skin, exercise will not lift or improve the jowls.

Does running increase collagen? ›

There are a few ways that exercise can boost collagen levels: Exercise delivers nutrients, like vitamins and oxygen, to skin cells, helping them repair and multiply. Specifically, these nutrients feed the fibroblast cells in your skin that produce collagen.

Does running improve skin? ›

Running circulates blood throughout your body, including the surface of your skin. This supplies the skin with oxygen and other essential nutrients that produce new healthy skin cells and help repair damaged skin. After an hour long jog take a look in the mirror and you will see happy and glowing skin.

Can running make me look younger? ›

Does consistent exercise make you look younger and let you think better? Yes, consistent exercise makes you look and feel younger. Consistency is the key. It is much easier to maintain muscle tone than it is to build muscle tone.

How do you fix your face when it looks old and tired? ›

Exfoliant creams can improve the appearance of older skin by getting rid of dead skin cells that don't slough off as readily as they did when we were young. Several prescription creams (Avita, Avage, Renova, Retin-A) have been shown to reduce wrinkles and so-called liver spots caused by sun exposure.

Does running help you stay younger? ›

According to his research, if you run just 20 kilometres each week, you could begin to slow down the aging process in your bone marrow. And for every nine kilometres you run each week, your bone marrow gets a year younger. These effects are even more pronounced for long distance runners.

Does jogging everyday make you look younger? ›

Running increases the production of human growth hormone—your body's natural youth serum. "This helps you produce new cells, which can make your skin look a lot more youthful," says Webb. (Just pick the right shoes! Here are 7 essentials of a perfect running shoe.)

Does too much exercise make you look older? ›

Why Exercise Leaves You With 'Gym Face' Extreme workouts can result in fat loss throughout the body as well as the face. This subsequent decrease in facial fat and volume is one of the main reasons why exercise makes you look older, especially for anyone over the age of 35.

Is running good for anti aging? ›

Given the investigations mentioned above, the longer telomere length observed in joggers/runners compared to non-joggers/runners in this study suggests possible reduced risk of mortality and disease for the joggers and runners.

Does running everyday make you look younger? ›

While we can't stay young forever, new studies suggest that running and other forms of aerobic exercise really can reverse some effects that come from sedentary aging. In fact, a regular aerobic routine can make our hearts look 30 years younger by the time we reach our 70s.

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