zits

Dear Fit,
I just got on an exercise kick and joined a gym. I've been doing 30 minutes of cardio three times a week and finishing with 30 minutes of strength training and stretching. I feel amazing and am starting to lose weight, but now I have a new problem — acne. And it's not just on my face. I have it on my neck and back too. How can I prevent this?
— Blemished Back

Acne and bacne can be unfortunate side effects of exercise, especially in hot weather. There are definitely ways to prevent breakouts caused by sweating.

• Wash your face before working out to remove excess oil and makeup that can clog your pores. Then apply a facial moisturizer that's made for acne-prone skin such as Neutrogena's Oil-Free Anti-Acne Moisturizer.
• Always wear clean workout clothes, and choose sports bras and tank tops with shoulder straps rather than racerback style. You want the skin on your back to breathe as much as possible, and if there's material covering it, heat, sweat, and bacteria get trapped, which can lead to bacne. Also, the more your skin is covered, the hotter you'll feel, and the more you'll sweat, which also leads to breakouts.
• Wear clothes made of wicking material that pulls sweat off the skin.

To find out what else read more

Let's face it, everybody gets a pimple here and there and they always come at the most inopportune times. Who saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding? When you get a blemish that's red, swollen and sore, you look and feel pretty terrible. Here are a few of my favorite zit zappers that can help blast those gnarly blemishes! Be sure and stay tuned for part two of superior spot treatments later this week!

Origins Spot Remover, $10, is a clear acne blemish treatment gel that tingles upon contact. Just a teensy bit goes a long way. It is made with salicylic acid that helps dry up your trouble areas, prevent new pimples from forming and also helps calm redness.

Stop using as often if your skin becomes dry or irritated but because it is created for sensitive skin, it shouldn't provoke any tenderness. Use as needed, one to three times a day and apply a thin layer to the area and let it dry. Suitable for all skin types.

For two more ways to blast blemishes, read more

I've been talking a lot about bacne and ways to prevent it so I was really interested when I heard of the latest medication to hit pharmacy shelves.

The biggest problem with getting zits on your back is that they are so hard to reach and treat without having the helping hand of someone else. ClindaReach, from DUSA Pharmaceuticals, is a new, easy to use treatment that packages a topical antibiotic with an ergonomically designed applicator for treating hard-to-reach acne. Now that I am thinking about it, I don't know why they didn't come up with this fab idea sooner. So, if you are taking all the precautions before and after working out (such as wearing wicking clothing and showering post workout) but still getting unsightly bumps on your back, you may want to ask your dermatologist about getting a prescription for ClindaReach.

Dermatologists found a link between acne and high levels of iodine, which is found in foods such as shellfish. High levels of iodine are also found in dairy products, because the cows are fed iodine-enriched feed to prevent infection.

When iodine enters the body and mixes into your bloodstream, the excess is secreted through the oil glands, irritating your pores. So drinking milk could be aggravating your skin.

But you don't have to give up your love of milk, butter, or cheese. Just switch to an Organic version that contains less iodine.

Fit's Tip: If you love sushi, be aware that the nori wrap contains huge amounts of iodine - 1,020 parts per million as compared to 26 in butter.

Getting active can wreak havoc on your clear complexion (on your face and elsewhere), but why? Well as you heat up your glands produce more oil and the oil can (and for most of us, usually does) clog your pores. How do you still work out but keep clear skin?

After cardio be sure to wash your face and body as soon as possible. If you like to stretch and/or lift weights post cardio then just rinse your face really quick and, if you're prone to "backne," then change into a fresh top and sports bra before continuing your work out. After you have finally washed your face and body, follow up with an astringent to close up pores. Try Murad's Clarifying Body Spray ($32) for a quick and easy way to close all your post work out pores. Buy it here.