Sweat itself does not directly clog pores. It is mostly water with salts and helpful substances that protect the skin. The real issue happens when sweat mixes with other things on your skin.
Pores are tiny openings on your skin that hold hair follicles and oil glands. These glands make sebum, a natural oil that keeps skin soft and protected. Sweat comes out through these pores to cool your body down. On its own, fresh sweat keeps skin clean and fights germs.
Problems start during workouts or in hot weather. Sweat blends with sunscreen, makeup, body oils, dirt from the air, and hair products. This mix sits on your skin under tight clothes or in humid places. Heat from exercise makes fabrics trap moisture and warmth right against your skin. The warmth softens skin cells and oils, making them stick together more easily.
As your body cools after activity, the sweat dries out. Salts in it harden, and the mix of sweat, oils, and debris settles into pores. Dead skin cells join in, forming a plug called a microcomedone. This blocks the pore opening. Over time, it leads to swelling and pimples, often hours later.
Tight workout clothes worsen this. They wick away sweat but hold in heat, narrowing pores a bit and letting oils mix with leftover products. High humidity traps more sweat, blocking airflow and keeping everything moist inside the pore.
Excess oil from glands adds to the trouble. When skin gets oily from hormones or stress, it combines with the sweaty mix for bigger clogs. Bacteria then grow in the trapped mess, causing redness and breakouts.
To avoid this, shower soon after sweating. Use gentle cleansers that reach into pores, like those with salicylic acid. It dissolves oil and debris inside. Change out of damp clothes fast. Skip heavy makeup or sunscreen during workouts if possible, or choose light versions.
Sources
https://selflondon.com/is-your-workout-causing-you-acne/
https://www.kins-clinic.com/blogs/how-to-close-pores-permanently-the-truth-about-what-really-works
https://enfieldroyalclinic.com/florida/brevard-county-acne-breakout-guide/
https://consciouschemist.com/blogs/good-skin-blog/why-you-keep-getting-pimples-in-the-same-spot-and-how-to-stop-it
