Whether you’re a serious athlete or a casual sports person, physical activity can have an effect on your overall skin health.

Your skin acts as your body’s two-way barrier, protecting the internal body from external elements and preventing the excessive outward passage of water and electrolytes. As a permeable barrier, skin needs to have the right level of moisture and the right pH level to stay balanced and healthy. Losing moisture through sweating can deplete fluid reserves in the skin, and can have a drying effect.

Chafing, blisters and saddle sores are the result of friction between your skin and your clothing, shoes or equipment. Even a casual runner can get chafing beneath an elastic band or sports bra, or blisters from a new pair of sneakers. Bikers and horse riders are prone to uncomfortable saddle sores that can ruin the ride of even the most seasoned pro. And most skiers are well familiar with the feeling of cracked, dry, itchy skin that is often the result of windburned face, lips and hands.

CARE & TREATMENT

When exercising, a good daily skincare regimen will help maintain your skin’s ideal moisture and pH balance for the overall health of your skin. To keep your skin’s pH in balance, look for gentle, soap-free and fragrance-free cleansers that have lipid-replenishing ingredients, like vegetable and fruit oils. Keep your bath water lukewarm, since hot water can dry out skin. After your bath or shower, while skin is still damp, apply an effective daily moisturizer to keep moisture in and irritants out.

In cold weather conditions, you may want to use rich creams and lip balm to give your skin additional moisture and to soothe dry or cracked skin. And applying protective ointments to key areas before engaging in sports can help to protect your skin from chafing, blisters and saddle sores.

If your sport keeps you outdoors for long periods, protect any sun-exposed skin with sunscreen. Over time, UVA and UVB rays have a weathering affect on skin, lead to an aged appearance, and may cause skin cancer.  Apply sunscreen thirty minutes before you head outdoors, and if you plan to be outside for prolonged periods, reapply sunscreen every two hours, and add protective clothing and sunglasses.