For most people, caring for their skin through showering and washing their face or other parts of their body is just part of a normal routine. But for people who are athletes or who spend a big portion of their day working hard and sweating, some extra thought needs to be put into how they care for their skin, as sweat and frequent or infrequent washing could all have a negative impact on skin quality and cleanliness.
To help you have healthy and clear skin, here are three tips for caring for your skin as an athlete.
Use Sunscreen When Working Out Outside
Even if your sport or activity takes place primarily indoors, there’s a good chance that at least some of your workouts or adventures will happen outdoors. When it does, you need to be sure that your skin is protected.
According to Alexis Bennett, a contributor to Self.com, you should never workout outside without having put on sunscreen first. Ideally, this should be a sunscreen that you can’t easily sweat off. But even with this feature, remember that you should be reapplying sunscreen regularly as well. And to give your skin the best possible protection, aim for using a sunscreen that has at least and SPF 55 or higher.
Keep Everything Clean
Depending on what sport or activity you’re participating in, you might have some gear that goes on or around your face. If this is the case, Angela Palmer, a contributor to Very Well Health, recommends that you keep this gear as clean as you can so that no excess sweat or bacteria is being put onto your face. Without doing this, you could make yourself vulnerable to acne or other skin problems.
Along with this, you’ll also want to ensure that you take a shower relatively soon after you finish working out so you can wash all the sweat, oils, and grime off of your face and body. This will help to keep your skin clean and not make any breakouts worse. If you’re a swimmer, it’s best to use swimmer’s soap and shampoo to remove chlorine from your hair and skin.
Regularly Exfoliate
In addition to washing your face, MuscleAndFitness.com shares that you also want to add exfoliation to your skin care regimen.
When you exfoliate, you can help your skin renew itself by removing the top layer of dead skin cells before they start clogging up your pores and having a negative effect on your complexion. And after you’ve exfoliated, make sure you use a moisturizer to help put moisture back into your skin and soothe any irritation that may have taken place.
If you’re an athlete, consider using the tips mentioned above to help keep your skin looking and feeling good despite your hard workouts and sweaty lifestyle.
