Here's Why You Should Never Re-Wear Your Workout Clothes Before Washing - Glam

When you complete a workout, your outfit has probably absorbed a fair amount of sweat. But that sweat brings other impurities with it, such as skin oil and bacteria. So, if you leave on your exercise gear for hours or re-wear it for multiple days, you're exposing your skin to some less-than-fresh conditions.

When reintroduced to your skin from dirty clothes, trapped bacteria can proliferate, causing irritation, rashes, and sweaty acne breakouts. Bacteria can even cause infections in your follicles or any open cuts or scrapes. "Dirty, sweaty gym clothing is a breeding ground for pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, and their use can increase risks for superficial skin infections," dermatologist Deanne Mraz Robinson, M.D., tells The Healthy.

In some cases, this trinity of sweat, heat, and bacteria can also cause conditions like heat rash by clogging your sweat glands or intertrigo, a form of skin inflammation (via Runner's World). And for anyone with a vagina, there's another notorious consequence of bacterial imbalance: yeast infections. Re-wearing dirty exercise bottoms or underwear can be especially dangerous in the naturally damp and high-temperature conditions around the genitalia, triggering an unpleasant bout of bacterial vaginosis (via Health Shots).

All in all, the situation is pretty dire. So, the next time you're doing laundry, how can you make sure you're washing all the right workout clothes to keep your skin clean, dry, and protected?