I have a confession to make. I don’t always I wash my workout clothes immediately after training. If I’ve had a really sweaty session, they go straight into the wash – but otherwise I wear them again at least once. Think about it: A hot girl’s walk on a crisp day or a brisk 15-20 minute walk on a Peloton bike that doesn’t break a sweat doesn’t mean I need to do more laundry this week.
That’s my “girl math” logic, but I had to find out from an expert if it’s really safe for my skin. Is my ‘recycling’ habit doing more harm than I think? I spoke to a dermatologist about what we all need to keep in mind when deciding whether to top it off active clothing in the laundry room.
The real problem is sweat, bacteria and acne
Sweat itself is fairly harmless and odorless. But when it combines with naturally occurring bacteria on your skin and is absorbed by the tissue, things change starts to smell and irritate. Problems arise when you wear your sweaty clothes for hours after training.
“The longer bacteria are in contact with the skin, the more likely they are to become harmful.” Brianna Olamiju, MDFAAD, a New York-based dermatologist, tells SELF.
“Usually it can cause it acne. I see a lot of patients with acne on their chest or back, often people who work out a lot and maybe go out to brunch afterwards, or can’t get changed or washed right away.”
And unfortunately for me, Dr. Olamiju says that even if you take off the active wear and put it back on the next day, the bacteria won’t go away. “Some of the bacteria from the previous workout is still there,” he says. “It will probably smell, but it may still cause breakouts or irritation.”
It depends on your training and active wear
Okay, my logic was off completely juice. According to Dr. Olamiju, not all workouts are created equal when it comes to sweat and skin risk. As I guessed, sweatier workouts (e.g running, hot yogaor spin class) are those that guarantee a fresh supply of clothes tomorrow.
“High-intensity cardio tends to produce the most sweat,” says Dr. Olamiju. “They have a higher risk of acne. Lower-intensity workouts, such as Pilates, walkor yoga may lower your risk. Everyone sweats differently, so it’s on a spectrum.”
