Omega-6 for "Sweat Acne"

"Sweat acne" is a term used to describe how athletes' skin erupts into break outs and pimples after sweating through a workout. Treatment with cheap drugstore products or harsh prescriptions can be confusing, frustrating, and ineffective. At Mil Usos, we use cutting edge skincare science to improve skin health and help athletes struggling with symptoms of sweat acne.

Sweat acne, as well as any pimple, always starts with clogged pores.

Once a pore becomes clogged, an infection soon follows. In order to fight the infection, the body's immune system must mount an attack. This attack is what causes redness and swelling.

Most people assume that oil is the culprit of clogged pores. But having oily skin doesn't mean the pores will automatically become clogged. The quality of a person's sebum (sebum is the skin's natural oil) has a lot to do with it. Some people's sebum is naturally thicker and stickier, and more likely to get stuck in the pores. These people are more likely to experience break outs and symptoms of sweat acne.

Those who struggle with sweat acne might be tempted to avoid topical oils on the skin. Almost all topical moisturizing products contain some sort of oil component. This is what lubricates the skin and relieves dryness. In the early 2000's, oil-free products became trendy due to the use of silicones. Silicones are emollient ingredients that lubricate the skin like oil, but they are technically not oils. They sit on top of the skin and create a dry film that can feel very luxurious. Silicones do not contain any sort of nourishing or healing properties. They only add temporary lubrication.

Topical oils can be immensely healing to skin. Oils usually have a comedogenic rating. The comedogenic rating determines how likely an oil will clog your pores. While the science behind these ratings is a bit shaky, lightweight oils are generally considered less likely to clog your pores. At Mil Usos, we only use specialty lightweight oils that actively heal and support the skin. In fact, the right plant oils can actually help clean out and decongest your pores!

When drugstore products won't cut it.

Anyone who has suffered with "sweat acne" knows how incredibly frustrating it is to waste money on products that don't help. Athletes are in a rush and underserved in the skincare industry, so they usually go to drugstore products for help. But drugstore products are cheap for a reason. They use crude ingredients devoid of nutrients to keep their price points low. These products are made with white waxes that keep oil and water blended together, and the oil component is almost always a petrochemical. The terrible quality of these ingredients not only won't help your skin heal but are also likely to make things worse.

Petrochemicals are ingredients derived from petroleum (yes, the same petroleum that fuels your car). Ultra-refined petroleum is available commercially as petrolatum, petroleum jelly, and mineral oil. Petrochemicals are extremely cheap ingredients that are widely available, and they are terrible for your skin. In fact, some of the most iconic drugstore brands for lip balm, abrasions, and dry skin are based entirely on clear, sticky petroleum jelly. Look for "petrolatum" in the ingredient list to identify this ingredient. Petrochemicals contain no essential fatty acids, no vitamins, no antioxidants, and no nutrients for depleted skin. Additionally, the molecular size of these ingredients is too big to penetrate the skin, so they sit on top and suffocate the pores.

Mineral oil vs. plant oils

Mineral oil, which is a clear petrochemical found in baby oil, makeup remover, and other drug store lotions and creams, will absolutely wreak havoc on acne-prone skin. Its greasy texture does not absorb into the skin. Mineral oil acts like a paraffin wax. It sits on top of the skin and suffocates it until it is washed or rubbed off. Most people use cheap mineral oil before they ever try the more expensive plant oils. They then assume all oils are the same. They might even assume that all plants oils are bad for the skin the way mineral oil is. But mineral oil and plant oils have completely different origins and chemical structures. While both are marketed as oils, mineral oil is a paraffin hydrocarbon, and plant oils are made of organic triglycerides. The skin will receive and use these oils completely differently. Plant oils are capable of feeding the skin's microbiome (the microbiome is the skin's healthy bacteria). Plant oils are also full of essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, sterols, polyphenols, and other healing antioxidants. Mineral oil does not contain any of these beneficial compounds.

Essential fatty acids

Plant oils are rich in essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are also known as omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. Since plant oils often contain these essential fatty acids, they are undeniably superior to petrochemicals. At Mil Usos, we carefully crafted our products to contain a balanced spectrum of miracle plant oils. Our favorite is cranberry seed oil, which is the only plant oil to contain all three essential fatty acids in perfect ratios. Cranberry seed oil is roughly 1/3 omega-3, 1/3 omega-6, and 1/3 omega-9. This fatty acid composition makes cranberry seed oil richly nourishing and lightweight. It absorbs instantly into the skin, so even oily skin types can enjoy using it.

Omega-6 helps clear clogged pores.

When applied topically to the skin, omega-6 fatty acids help to thin out and dissolve the stickier human sebum that can clog pores. We said earlier that having oily skin does not automatically mean a person will struggle with pimples and break outs. If a person's natural sebum is above-averagely sticky, then it is more likely to clog the pores. The stickier sebum found on acne-prone skin is often deficient in the sebum-thinning omega-6. For athletes, sweat mixed with overly sticky sebum are more likely to clog pores.

Applying plant oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids, such as the oils found in our Total Cranarchy Multi-Use Balm, keeps pores clean by dissolving the sticky sebum that clogs pores. Because the oils can penetrate the pores, they can actually help to clean out clogged pores. Essential fatty acids also help feed the skin's good bacteria populations, which also helps to fight off pimples. These elegant plant-oil solutions can be a true godsend for those struggling with symptoms of sweat acne.

Ingesting omega fatty acids for skin health.

Another way to thin overly thick sebum is to ingest omega fatty acids through diet. When you eat omega fatty acids, the body digest them and then deposits them in the skin and eye tissues. They can moisturize skin from the inside out and influence the quality of your skin's natural sebum.

Omega-3 fatty acids are divided into three categories: EHA, DHA, and ALA. EHA and DHA are animal-based omega-3's. They are found in meat and dairy, but the highest concentrations are found in fish and fish oil. These are the most beneficial omega-3 fatty acids for skin and eye health. ALA's are plant-based omega-3's. They are found in flax and hemp, and they must be converted into EHA's by the body before they can be utilized. The conversion rates, unfortunately, are quite low. As such, ALA's are not recommended as the sole source of omega-3 fatty acids in an athlete's diet.

Omega-6 fatty acids are found in nuts and seeds (as well as animal fats). One reason plant oils are quite high in omega-6 fatty acids because plant oils are generally pressed from nuts and seeds. When you eat omega-6 fatty acids, it's important to also eat more omega-3 fatty acids. If you eat too many omega-6 fatty acids without enough omega-3 fatty acids, you can cause chronic inflammation in the body. Both are required for optimal skin health.

Supplementing your omega fatty acid consumption is a great way to support your skin from the inside out. For athletes, these omega fatty acids also enhance performance, lubricate joints and improve cardiovascular function. If you are an athlete who struggles with skin trouble, then improving your omega fatty acid intake is definitely something you should consider doing.

Advanced Skincare for athletes

At Mil Usos, our mission is to help athletes heal their skin. We not only avoid all petrochemicals and their derivatives, but we also choose skincare's most elegant options to support and balance skin. Cranberry seed oil is a specialty oil that helps athletes who struggle with symptoms of sweat acne.

But we don't stop there. We always think about skin trouble from multiple directions. In addition to cranberry seed oil, our Total Cranarchy Multi-Use Balm also contains targeted extracts that have been proven to heal and support acne-prone skin, such as short chain fatty acids, glyceryl laurate, green tea, licorice, and bakuchiol. We also include elegant inflammation busters, such as bisabolol and curcumin. Reducing inflammation helps combat the swelling and redness that creates pimples. By employing all of these defenses at once, Total Cranarchy Multi-Use Balm is a powerful ally for the athlete experiencing sweat acne!

Please note: This article is for information purposes only and reflects the opinions of its author. The above information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult with your dermatologist about the right acne treatments for you.