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Skin Care For The Active Man
Achieving your personal best in sports need not take its toll on your skin. Following basic hygiene principles and ensuring that sporting gear and shoes fit properly, will assist you in performing at your peak.
Whether you're a professional athlete competing for gold or a recreational athlete seeking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a number of skin care problems can result from engaging in sporting activities – which if left untreated, can adversely impact on performance and enjoyment.
Knowing how to prevent and treat these common sports-related skin problems will give you the ability and confidence to perform at your best.
Skin Infections
Excessive moisture from sweating can promote the growth of skin bacteria and other organisms. Form-fitting sporting gear can trap sweat against the skin and lead to rashes or skin breakouts. Foot odour, jock itch and athletes foot thrive in moist conditions. Needless to say, the key to preventing skin infections is by eliminating excessive moisture to inhibit bacterial growth.
Handy tips to bear in mind when engaging in sporting activities are:
Handy tips to bear in mind when engaging in sporting activities are:
- Wear socks made of acrylic or other synthetic material and change socks frequently
- Wear flip-flops in the shower, spa or locker room – don’t go barefoot. These moist and damp areas are where fungal infections are usually spread.
- Shower soon after a sporting activity and use a body wash with salicylic acid such as Zirh Clean or California North Gelskin Wash. Salicylic acid is antibacterial and helps to exfoliate dead skin cells.
- Keep skin in the groin area as dry as possible and work out in loose underwear and sporting gear.
Blisters
One of the most common skin care problem amongst active men are blisters.
Movement from sporting activities causes skin to develop heat and friction against athletic equipment such as shoes, tennis rackets and weights. Repeated rubbing, compounded by moisture from sweating, causes the skin to separate into two layers and fluid to build up between the layers. While not a serious problem, blisters (which often form on the feet) can be uncomfortable and inhibit your sporting agility.
Follow these steps to prevent blisters:
Follow these steps to prevent blisters:
- Keep skin well lubricated and protected by applying a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the feet or to the inside of the shoe.
- Keep skin dry, as moist skin is most likely to blister. Sprinkle on foot powder or spray on antiperspirant to reduce moisture. Pack an extra pair of clean socks to change into.
- Wear acrylic socks instead of cotton socks to decrease friction and keep moisture away from the skin.
- Wear properly fitted shoes that are specifically designed for your sporting activity. Shoes should fit without riding up and down the heel or squeeze the toes. When purchasing new shoes, try them on in the afternoon as feet tend to swell during the day. Wear new shoes for a few hours each day to break them in and identify any trouble spots which may require the use of a heel grip, padded insole or an adhesive pad.
If you do get a blister, there is no need to see a doctor unless it has become infected or is severe. Pus and red skin around the blister are signs of infection.
Small intact blisters generally do not need treatment and are best left alone. The blisters own skin (or roof) will shield it against infection until new skin grows in. Covering the blister with a padded bandage can protect the roof and facilitate the healing process.
Larger or painful blisters can be drained of fluid to lessen the discomfort. Clean the blister with antibacterial soap and use a sterilised pin to make a small hole in the side of the blister. Be careful not to tear the skin forming the roof of the blister. Apply an antibiotic ointment after draining the fluid and cover the blister with a padded bandage. Monitor the blister for any infection, in which case you should consult a doctor.
Small intact blisters generally do not need treatment and are best left alone. The blisters own skin (or roof) will shield it against infection until new skin grows in. Covering the blister with a padded bandage can protect the roof and facilitate the healing process.
Larger or painful blisters can be drained of fluid to lessen the discomfort. Clean the blister with antibacterial soap and use a sterilised pin to make a small hole in the side of the blister. Be careful not to tear the skin forming the roof of the blister. Apply an antibiotic ointment after draining the fluid and cover the blister with a padded bandage. Monitor the blister for any infection, in which case you should consult a doctor.
Dry & Chapped Lips
Lips are devoid of oil-producing glands and can easily chap and crack during the cold winter months. As you huff and puff during a game or an intense workout, moisture evaporates from your lips. Without adequate fluid intake to replenish this moisture, your lips can become even drier. Applying a lip balm will soothe dry, chapped lips and help lock in moisture. Try Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm or Maxwell’s Apothecary Lip Treatment.
Dry & Green Hair
Swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool will usually leave hair looking dry and feeling as a rough as a cave man. Salt and chemicals in the water absorb moisture away from the hair and exposure to the sun will further dry out your once silky smooth strands.
A greenish tinge may develop from long term exposure to swimming pool water especially for those with natural or coloured blond, gray or white hair. Though chlorine is usually thought to be responsible, copper ions in the water are in fact the culprit behind this green invasion. Fortunately green hair can easily be treated with copper chelating shampoo or hydrogen peroxide solution.
To prevent both dry and green hair, rinse your hair with fresh water before diving in the pool as less chemicals will be absorbed when the strands are saturated. Wash your hair immediately after swimming to get rid of any salt or chemical residue. Use a moisturising shampoo like Baxter of California Daily Protein Shampoo or VitaMan Shampoo. Top it off with a leave-in product such as men-u Smooth Leave-In Conditioner.
A greenish tinge may develop from long term exposure to swimming pool water especially for those with natural or coloured blond, gray or white hair. Though chlorine is usually thought to be responsible, copper ions in the water are in fact the culprit behind this green invasion. Fortunately green hair can easily be treated with copper chelating shampoo or hydrogen peroxide solution.
To prevent both dry and green hair, rinse your hair with fresh water before diving in the pool as less chemicals will be absorbed when the strands are saturated. Wash your hair immediately after swimming to get rid of any salt or chemical residue. Use a moisturising shampoo like Baxter of California Daily Protein Shampoo or VitaMan Shampoo. Top it off with a leave-in product such as men-u Smooth Leave-In Conditioner.
Sunburn
Over exposure to the sun is another common problem facing athletes who train or participate in outdoor sports. Often football, golf and tennis enthusiasts play during the intense midday sun when the sun’s damaging ultra-violet (UV) rays are at its strongest, increasing the risk of skin cancer and premature ageing. Skiers and hikers need to be extra cautious as sunburn is faster to develop, the higher the altitude.
Ward off skin cancer and premature ageing by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen even on cloudy days, such as California North Sun Cream SPF15. For athletes who endure long periods of training and competition, such as marathon runners or cyclists, re-apply sun protection every 2 hours.
Ward off skin cancer and premature ageing by applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen even on cloudy days, such as California North Sun Cream SPF15. For athletes who endure long periods of training and competition, such as marathon runners or cyclists, re-apply sun protection every 2 hours.
Other recommended products for the active man:
- Jack Black Pit Boss Anti Perspirant & Deodorant – reduces underarm wetness and controls sweat
- California North Action Moisturiser - light, non-greasy moisturiser with healing properties
- VitaMan Desert Muscle Rub - relieves muscular aches, pains, and sore joints
- Ole Henriksen Muscle Comfort Body Soak – performs wonders on tired and sore muscles
- Maxwell’s Apothecary Super Sport Heat Muscle Rub - soothes sore muscles, aching bones and joints
- VitaMan Foot Recovery Gel - soothes tired hot feet while eliminating bacterial odour
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