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It’s hardly newsworthy to suggest that movement is medicine—decades of research has established its myriad health perks. But one form of exercise that boasts a particularly impressive list of benefits is resistance training—which, as you likely know, includes anything from lifting weights to mat Pilates to high-intensity interval training.
Some of the perks include improved heart health and a lowered risk of chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Resistance training can also improve bone health, make your muscles stronger, and boost your metabolism. The cherry on top: it’s known to help you live longer.
As if that wasn’t reason enough to pick up a kettlebell, here’s one more: Research suggests that the resistance training can have big skin benefits, too. And doctors are noticing this in their patients. People who incorporate resistance training into their weekly routine tend to have subjectively healthier, better-looking skin, says Whitney Bowe, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City and founder of Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty. “And that’s a lot less expensive than coming to see me in the office.”
Meet the experts: Whitney Bowe, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City and founder of Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty. Mona Gohara, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and a Women’s Health advisory board member. Nicholas Brownstone, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.
To be clear, pumping iron won’t give you the same cosmetic effects as Botox. But doing some push-ups and squats or picking up a pair of dumbbells can be the ultimate complement to a solid skincare routine. And for many, exercise may be a more accessible path to better skin compared to pricey serums and in-office procedures.
So without further ado, here’s what we know about the relationship between resistance training and skin health, according to dermatologists. Smooth skin and strong muscles? Yes, please.
How exercise benefits the skin
If going to the gym and trying to figure out how to use all those weight machines feels daunting, I’ve got good news for you: Pretty much any form of exercise is good for your skin—not just resistance training. So that means running, yoga, swimming—anything that suits your fancy, really—can give your skin a youthful boost. “Exercise is good for your general health,” says Mona Gohara, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine and a Women’s Health advisory board member. “So it wouldn’t make scientific sense for exercise not to be good for the skin if it’s good for every one of our other organs.”
So before we get into the benefits of resistance training in particular, here’s a breakdown of all the skin health perks general exercise has to offer:
A glowy complexion
Physical activity strengthens your heart muscle and improves its ability to pump blood throughout your body, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. That means exercise boosts blood flow to the skin, which facilitates the delivery of “oxygen and key nutrients like amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that skin cells need to repair, regenerate and produce collagen,” a protein that keeps skin looking bouncy and youthful but degrades over time, Dr. Bowe explains.
Increased blood flow “also helps carry away waste products” produced when the body uses energy for exercise, Dr. Bowe adds, which helps explain why physical activity gives you that vibrant, “post-workout glow.”
Reduced skin inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s natural immune response to things like injuries, toxins, and disease-causing pathogens, according to the National Library of Medicine. Inflammation is important for the healing process, but when it happens too often or carries on for too long in the skin, it can lead to conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, acne and dandruff.
Consistent exercise, however, indirectly helps lower inflammation in the body by helping regulate stress hormones like cortisol and increasing the release of endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” hormone, explains Nicholas Brownstone, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. Physical activity also lowers inflammation by reducing levels of certain proteins called pro-inflammatory cytokines, research suggests.
To be clear, exercise isn’t going to magically heal your complexion if you’re managing a chronic inflammatory skin condition—you’re better off visiting a board-certified dermatologist who can create a personalized treatment plan, experts say. But physical activity can indirectly help reduce the severity of symptoms caused by inflammatory skin conditions by lowering chronic inflammation, regulating our sleep and helping us manage stress, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Improved skin hydration
Nobody wants dry skin—it can cause your complexion to look and feel rough, itchy, flaky and scaly, according to the Mayo Clinic. And dryness can also make signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles appear more prominent. But working out may be able to improve your skin’s ability to retain moisture, which can leave you looking more plump and smooth.
For instance, a 2021 study in the journal Dermatology Reports involving 86 adults found that those who self-reported moderate or high levels of physical activity were associated with more moisture in the outermost layer of skin compared to those who were less active. Although that sounds pretty promising, take these results with a grain of salt. The design of the study means the results can only suggest a correlation between exercise and skin hydration, not direct causation. So while there’s no need to toss away your go-to moisturizer, incorporating exercise into your routine may help you naturally achieve more moist skin.
The additional perks of resistance training
The research investigating how resistance training in particular changes the appearance of the skin is very limited, Dr. Brownstone says (the lion’s share of studies are about skin health and exercise in general). But the body of evidence that does exist suggests that resistance training may offer all the perks mentioned above, while also slowing down signs of skin aging by potentially kicking collagen production into high gear. “You can hang your hat around that,” Dr. Gohara says. “And that’s a pretty big deal.”
We don’t fully understand how, exactly, workouts involving bodyweight exercises, free weights, and other forms of resistance cause the skin to produce more collagen. But a 2023 randomized controlled trial—the gold standard for testing whether treatments actually work—in the journal Scientific Reports compared the effects of both resistance training and aerobic exercise on skin aging among 56 middle-aged women over 16 weeks—and discovered something surprising.
The researchers analyzed the participants’ blood before and after the exercise programs, and the results suggest that both types of exercise improve skin quality. However, only resistance training increased the activity of biglycan, a special protein that helps prevent the weakening of collagen that comes with age. “What’s happening to the skin on a molecular level seems to be different if you’re just doing aerobic exercise versus if you’re cycling in resistance training,” Dr. Bowe says.
The study also suggests that resistance training may counteract skin aging by reducing “circulating inflammatory factors” in the blood that can contribute to collagen breakdown in the skin, Dr. Brownstone explains. As a result, resistance training may have the special ability to help thicken the dermis, or middle layer of skin, where collagen production happens, according to the study.
This is notable because the dermis tends to naturally become thinner as we age, Dr. Bowe explains, and “it shows up as that crepey texture around the eyes, around the lips, and on the neck, which drives everyone crazy,” she says. But this study suggests that incorporating “a strength training session with some weights into your weekly routine could also help make that dermal layer thicker,” she says. Say goodbye to fine lines and wrinkles!
When thinking about the appearance of the skin, many people only focus on the neck and up. But in theory, resistance training may be able to help firm the skin on the rest of the body, too, Dr. Gohara explains. Think of your skin and muscles as like a balloon. When you workout using various resistance training exercises, your muscles are likely to gradually increase in size and “fill out the skin,” Dr. Gohara says. “When somebody has a bicep, the skin over the bicep is very taut. It’s very firm,” she adds, just like “when a balloon is inflated, the balloon is firm. When it’s deflated, the balloon is more wrinkled. It’s the exact same concept around elasticity.”
TL;DR? Resistance training might be able to make your skin more resilient, springy, and supple. Sign me up!
Other proven ways to build collagen in the skin
Since studies about resistance training and skin health are relatively scarce, the form of exercise should be thought of as just one piece of the puzzle for maintaining a youthful complexion and building collagen in the skin. So if you’re itching for other steps you can take, you’ll be happy to know there are several simple, evidence-based changes you can make to your skincare routine to encourage bouncy, wrinkle-free skin.
Firstly, don’t skimp out on sunscreen, Dr. Brownstone says. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a surefire way to accelerate collagen breakdown. But using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher will help protect that collagen from degradation, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Next, consider using a retinoid, a group of topical ingredients derived from vitamin A, and one of the only types of skincare ingredients actually proven to work. Common topical retinoids, such retinol serums, are well-known for stimulating collagen production and are also used to treat acne, improve skin texture, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, according to research.
And it’s important to bear in mind that the natural aging process is partly to blame for the breakdown of collagen in the skin. But so are external factors such as pollution, which increase your exposure to unstable molecules in the environment that damage the skin through a process called oxidative stress. The solution is to smear on a serum with antioxidants, which are compounds that work to scavenge those unstable molecules, called free radicals. There are plenty of topical antioxidants to choose from, such as niacinamide, vitamin E, and even melatonin. But topical vitamin C is generally considered to be supported by the most scientific evidence.
There are literally boatloads of sunscreens, topical retinoids, and antioxidant serums on the market. If you don’t know where to start, we’ve got your back. Here are a few products that Women’s Health editors’ love to get you started:
Sun Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Mineral sunscreen is the way to go if you have a cranky outer layer, and this inexpensive option features zinc oxide as its main sun protective ingredient. But it’s what’s not in there that is just as important: The formula is free of common irritants, such as fragrance, oils, dyes, phthalates, PABA, and parabens.
Eucerin
1% Retinol Treatment
A potent time-released retinol is paired with brightening ingredients like vitamin C and licorice root and three peptides to enhance the products skin-firming benefits. This product is suitable for sensitive skin, but start slow by using the product just once or twice a week to ensure you don’t experience any major irritation.
Paula’s Choice
Universal C Skin Refiner
Vitamin C has proven skin-rejuvenating powers. The trouble? It’s notoriously difficult to formulate with. But this serum was designed and developed by a top cosmetic chemist to be stable and powerful (there’s 20% of the active ingredient in this bottle).
BeautyStat
So, if you’re looking to add an extra boost to both your beauty routine and fitness regimen, resistance training can be your new best friend. Combine your workouts with regular use of collagen-boosting skincare ingredients, and you’ll be well on your way to healthy, bouncy and smooth-looking skin. It’s the perfect one-two punch: building strength from the inside out and caring for your skin from the outside in.
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