Can a Sedentary Lifestyle Affect Your Skin?

Inactivity doesn’t just lead to unwanted weight, back pain, and cardiovascular diseases. It can also result in stress, as well as negatively affect your mental well-being and the state of your skin. Technology and gadgets have contributed to this problem, as they enable us to spend most of our time sitting while looking in front of a screen.

Continue reading and learn how a sedentary lifestyle can affect your skin. We also offer additional tips on saving/improving your skin and overall health.

Trigger and worsen skin issues

To understand how inactivity negatively affects the skin, we have to look deeper into the most common problems related to it: obesity or excess weight. Extra fat increases your body mass index, which contributes to a number of health issues. It also messes with your hormones, with effects that can show up on your skin. 

One main problem is that it can raise your risk of developing acne (hormonal acne) and worsen existing skin conditions. It also plays a role in increasing sebum production, resulting in oily and shiny skin. This can clog pores and trigger acne, blackheads, and other skin blemishes.

What to do: A healthy lifestyle, of course, is the key to getting your skin and overall health back on track. It is also recommended to work with a healthcare provider to balance your hormones and reach your ideal weight. You can also consult a specialist to banish your acne and solve other skin woes.

Appearance of cellulite

A sedentary lifestyle can the can play a part in cellulite formation. Although its exact cause is unknown, cellulite is believed to occur due to the fat and tissue buildup below the skin. This pushes and breaks down the skin’s connective tissue, contributing to the formation of cellulite.

You should also know that weight gain and lack of physical activity could make existing skin dimpling worse or more visible. This is because sitting most of the time negatively affects both your skin firmness and muscle tone. Keep in mind, however, that cellulite is very common and can affect people who are slim or normal weight.

What to do: A regular exercise regime cannot cure cellulite, but it can prevent and reduce its appearance. The use of contouring creams like Dr. Sylvia’s Cellu(e)rase with Caffeine can also help. It is formulated with niacinamide, which plumps the skin from within and reduce the look of skin dimpling.

If your cellulite bothers you and want to improve its appearance, non-invasive treatments like acoustic shockwave therapy can help. This US FDA-cleared procedure uses acoustic shockwave (vibrations and pressures in the connective tissues) to break down fat and minimize the appearance of cellulite.

Stress, anxiety, and skin

A sedentary lifestyle, for the most part, usually involves staying at home and spending too much time in front of a screen or a gadget. This means less time outdoors, which then translates to less exposure to fresh air and natural light. Studies also suggest that sedentary behaviors can increase your risk of anxiety.  

This can affect your skin health by aggravating existing skin conditions. This can contribute to increased inflammation or sebum production, triggering the appearance of acne. Stress and anxiety due to a sedentary lifestyle, furthermore, can cause you to relapse into bad habits like eating unhealthy foods and sitting more. 

What to do: There is no other way around it but to get up and move your body. You don’t necessarily have to go to a gym to be active. You can start by spending some of your free time walking or taking frequent breaks from a sedentary task or job.

Combat a Sedentary Lifestyle

Do your skin and overall health a favor by maintaining a regular physical activity. Here are a few other ways to fight a sedentary lifestyle. 

• Find opportunities to walk (going to the bus stop, walking your dog, or strolling in the park).
• Take the stairs whenever possible.
• If you have a sedentary job, stand up at least every 20 to 30 minutes.
• Consider a standing desk or modify your workstation so that it can be adjusted to different heights.
• Engage in household chores or simple yard work.

There are a lot of things you can do to be active. It is best to start now. You can also join a fitness class or hire a personal trainer if that works for you.

If you’re bothered with cellulite or visible skin dimpling, see an aesthetic doctor for help. For more information about the products and treatments mentioned above, contact Cutis Laser Clinics today.