Exercise is great for your bod (duh), but making certain mistakes can cause you to break out, develop a rash, or worse.\u00a0Here are the most common ways your skin and workouts can clash \u2013 and how to nix those problems for good. <\/p>\n
With so many people using the same\u00a0exercise machines\u00a0every day, germs and bacteria spread easily. And that can lead to some nasty skin infections.<\/p>\n
The fix:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cWhenever possible, wipe down any gym equipment before you use it \u2013 even if you think someone already did so. And never, ever touch your face until your hands have been washed,\u201d says dermatologist Dr Joel Schlessinger. \u201cTouching the machine and then touching your face can transfer these bacteria, causing acne and even infection.\u201d<\/p>\n Heat and humidity can cause sweat ducts to become blocked and swell, leading to a\u00a0heat rash. \u201cThis condition often appears in the form of tiny pink or red dots that look similar to pimples. It\u2019s most common around skin folds and areas where clothing causes friction,\u201d says Schlessinger.<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019re heading outdoors for a walk, run or\u00a0bike ride, stop and seek a shady place to rest every now and then \u2013 preferably somewhere that\u2019s air-conditioned. Wear breathable fabrics and rehydrate constantly with lots of water. \u201cApply a cool compress to any areas you think are infected with heat rash to help reduce some of the swelling and discomfort,\u201d suggests Schlessinger.<\/p>\n Ah, skin and workouts. Specifically, outdoor workouts. UV exposure can seriously damage your skin, leading to collagen breakdown (read: fine lines and\u00a0hyperpigmentation. Not to mention, an increased risk of skin cancer). And this applies in winter too, peeps!<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cIf you exercise outside, it\u2019s very important to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen\u00a0to all exposed areas of the skin at least 30 minutes before heading out and reapply often,\u201d says Schlessinger.<\/p>\n Getting hot and heavy in an outfit that\u2019s too tight can cause sweat and bacteria to become trapped inside your clothes. This irritates your skin and causes your body to break out. \u201cYour sweat creates a warm, damp environment where acne bacteria can thrive,\u201d says Schlessinger.<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe best way to prevent\u00a0body acne\u00a0is to shower immediately after you work out if you think your clothing is hugging too tightly,\u201d says Schlessinger.<\/p>\n No shower at your facility? Change into fresh clothes and shower as soon as you get home. You can also try wearing looser, more breathable fabrics to minimise the amount of trapped sweat.<\/p>\n When your skin repeatedly rubs against clothing or other areas of skin, you\u2019re sometimes left with red, raw patches that sting and burn.<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cWorking out in smooth, low-friction fabrics and avoiding loose-fitting clothes on sensitive areas that are usually in motion can make a world of a difference,\u201d says Schlessinger.<\/p>\n If you do experience\u00a0chafing, wash the area with lukewarm or cool water and some gentle soap and apply an antibiotic ointment. Keep it covered as it heals. Once you\u2019re ready to get back at it, try using an anti-fungal powder to absorb excess moisture while you exercise.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fungi that lead to\u00a0athlete\u2019s foot (a scaly rash that causes itching, stinging and burning between the toes) can be found on the floor of many public shower stalls,\u201d says Schlessinger. \u201cYou\u2019re also at risk for contracting onychomycosis, a fungal infection that causes toenails to become thickened, brittle and hardened with a yellow discolouration.\u201d And quite possibly the worst foot-contaminating fact you\u2019ve never thought of: even the smallest of cuts on the bottom of your feet could allow the human papillomavirus (HPV) to sneak through and cause a painful plantar wart.<\/p>\n The fix:<\/strong>\u00a0The best way to protect your feet if you shower at the gym is to always wear shower shoes. You should do this even while you\u2019re changing in the change room. \u201cIt\u2019s also a good idea to clean your shower shoes with a disinfectant like bleach and replace them regularly,\u201d says Schlessinger. And if you do find yourself with some kind of funk, head to your local pharmacy for OTC creams like cortisone, which can clear up most harmless infections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Exercise is great for your bod (duh), but making certain mistakes can cause you to break out, develop a rash, or worse.\u00a0Here are the most common ways your skin and workouts can clash \u2013 and how to nix those problems for good. 1. Skin Infections Caused By Dirty Gym Equipment With so many people using […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4632,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[976,984,969],"class_list":{"0":"post-4630","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-style-beauty","8":"tag-beauty","9":"tag-skin","10":"tag-skin-issues"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4630"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4630\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5229,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4630\/revisions\/5229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eufad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2. Heat Rash Caused By Working Out In Hot Environments<\/h2>\n
3. Hyperpigmentation Caused By Exercising Outdoors Sans SPF\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
4. Body Acne Caused By Wearing Tight Fitness Gear<\/strong><\/h2>\n
5. Chafing Caused By Constant\u00a0Rubbing Of The Skin<\/strong><\/h2>\n
6. Athlete\u2019s\u00a0Foot Caused By Taking A Shower Barefoot<\/strong><\/h2>\n