Exercising Skin Care
Love to exercise but having trouble maintaining that radiant skin?Exercising skin care is the key to helping you look your best!
Regular exercise is an all-around good-for-you-habit – it is great for your body and your mind. It increases circulation, boosts immunity and keeps you healthy and fit. But exercising, especially during the extreme hot or cold months, can wreak havoc on your skin. This is the reason exercising skin care is of the utmost importance.
Since you skin is the largest organ in your body, exercising skin care is essential. Your skin is also the first line of defense against infections. Exercising can create more moisture, which allows things like bacteria to thrive. It can also create friction which leads to chafing and cracks in the skin. This allows infections a way in! And without proper exercising skin care, not only will you look older than your years you may be setting yourself up for problems down the line.
Exercising skin care is of special consideration when working out outdoors. It is true that oxygen can boost skin’s radiance, but exposure to the cold, pollutants and wrinkling-inducing UV rays can make skin dull, dry and troublesome!
Common Skin Care Problems when Exercising:
Sweating
Sweating is the most common exercise skin care problem. Wet skin can cause normal skin bacteria to thrive. Perspiration mixes with sebum, a fatty matter secreted by the sweat glands, to form a substance that attracts pore-clogging dirt.And since sweating is a normal part of a vigorous, healthy workout, dealing with sweat is essential! First, sweat clean! Wash your face before workouts. This prevents the salty post-workout residue from becoming as damaging. Avoid wearing makeup – not only will it run, but with an increase in body temperature, the makeup will seep further into your pores.
Take a shower after workouts. Using antibacterial soaps can keep bacteria counts lower, thus decreasing the risks of acne.
Dry Skin
Though the best way to maintain skin health is to keep it dry, exposure to cold, dry air can lead to dry, cracked skin. When you exercise, you lose water through sweat. And blood flow to your skin decreases. After a while, not only can this create a grayish pallor, it can hamper the number of nutrients getting to your skin and affect the daily renewal process.
Exercising skin care demands cleanliness. Excessive washing can be especially drying to your skin, but a necessary evil to assure skin is clean. Avoid hot showers, which zap moisture from the skin. Pat skin dry – rubbing will increase friction and can damage skin integrity.
Use cleaners that are gentle to skin. Avoid harsh soaps, fragrances and dyes. Opt for liquid or foam soaps as they are gentler on your skin. Body washes with things like soy are moisture rich and can alleviate dryness. Exfoliate with a gentle scrub two to three times per week to remove dead, flaky skin.
Exercising skin care also requires following up cleansing and exfoliation with a moisturizer. Effective moisturizers should include things like humectants, which attract water into the skin from the environment and from deep within the skin itself. A common humectant is glycerin. Occlusives, such as petrolatum are also helpful in treating and preventing dry skin. They assist in the formation of a barrier to prevent moisture loss. Emollients like mineral oil and lanolin help smooth and soften skin.
Infections
An important part of exercising skin care is managing the risks of infections, such as folliculitis or inflammation of a follicle (a small secreting cavity like oil glands or hair) and acne which can occur when there is a break of the skin or clogging of the pores.
Oily skin and skin prone to breakouts may require a harsher soap. Antibacterial soaps keep bacteria count down. The use of antibacterial body washes with 2% salicylic acid can help unblock pores – but watch for over drying of the skin!
Weather
Mother Nature can make exercising skin care difficult! Exposure to the elements – harsh winter winds, excessive or prolonged cold and ultraviolet sun rays can damage skin.
First and foremost, winter weather demands protection from frostbite, which can permanently damage skin. Protect areas commonly exposed – ears, nose, cheeks, fingers and toes. Watch for signs of tingling and redness followed by paleness and numbness. If you suspect frostbite, do not rub the area, as this can cause more damage. Re-warm slowly and seek medical attention.
Always wear sunscreen at least 15 SPF. Avoid wax-based sunscreens as they can clog pores. And protect lips with lip balm and reapply frequently. Washing skin after outdoor workouts can eliminate the effects of pollutants.
Nutrition
We all know that watching what you eat is essential for weight management and good health. But did you know good nutrition is also vital for healthy skin, especially exercising skin care?
Dry skin is due to lack of water, so the best line of defense against dryness is hydration! Drinking at least eight glasses of water per day can enhance moisture. Extra water consumption during workouts especially in overheated gyms can also alleviate dry skin.
Maximizing fruit and vegetable intake to 50% of your diet can maximize hydration and give your body a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Plus, it can provide energy-sustaining carbohydrates without the risk of exacerbating skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis, common with wheat sensitivities.
Multivitamins can provide essential ingredients necessary for skin healthy. For example, vitamin B helps maintain healthy skin; vitamin E boosts circulation; and vitamin C prevents tissue damage, assists in the healing process and keeps skin tight.
Essential fatty acids are necessary for good healthy and healthy tissue. Beef up fatty acid consumption with nuts, seeds and fish.
Caffeine can make it difficult for the skin to ever pick up enough water. Try to cut back or eliminate all together. Need a caffeine boost? Try green tea! It provides gentle caffeine pick-me-up plus adding antioxidants which reduce premature aging. It can even calm sensitive skin!
Stop smoking! Smoking destroys collagen, a protein which gives skin its elasticity and impedes blood flow to the skin. The nicotine constricts tiny capillaries in the skin, thus decreasing nourishment and slowing healing. Smoking can enhance wrinkles and make skin look twenty years older!
The first line of defense to keep skin healthy is to keep it clean, dry and protected. It is important to your health to keep all your skin (not just your face) in good condition! Exercising skin care by paying a little attention to your skin you can prevent breakouts, chafing, itching, flaking, premature aging and the spread of infection!
