It's okay to admit: You shower less than you used to. And while in the past you may have chosen freshly laundered clothing to reunite with your workout group, these days, you could be grabbing laundry from the dirty pile for your solo workouts to cut down on launder days. No one will get close enough to smell you anyway.
Then you walk in (or get off the exercise bike and head straight for the couch) and get distracted with emails or another chore you need to attend to, and before you know it, you've been sitting in your sweaty clothes for hours.
But what kind of problem is really affecting your skin? Going out the door for a morning or mid-morning stroll and then sitting in sweaty clothes all day can be a problem for your skin. Depending on skin type, problems can range from a simple unpleasant odor to yeast infections .
Moisture is the cause of the problem
That's why changing sweat clothes as soon as possible is crucial. The problem is humidity. Sweat and bacteria can get trapped in fabrics and in turn irritate the skin. Additionally, they can disrupt the skin's natural microbiome, causing infection, acne, or dermatitis (skin irritation). Sweat can also be trapped in areas where the skin folds, called intertrigo.
And although warmer temperatures sometimes relieve the skin of cold, dry winters, heat and humidity can come with a whole new set of problems. Thorny heat , or heat rash, occurs when the sweat ducts become clogged and the sweat rises to the surface, but cannot evaporate off the skin as it normally does.
If you know you have sensitive skin, or just to keep yourself safe, it is best to bathe and put on clean clothes as soon as possible after a walk or workout. And wash with an antibacterial soap or shampoo , especially as temperatures rise and you sweat more frequently during exercise.
Shampoos with the active ingredient zinc pyrithione are very effective in controlling the growth of vectors and yeast on the skin, and can be used as a bath gel.
How to reuse sportswear without washing it every day?
If you want to reuse your clothes to stretch on laundry days, we suggest hanging the sweaty clothes to dry before reusing them, instead of letting them sit on a ball on the floor or in a basket, where they remain Moist and can harbor moisture and bacteria.
It is absolutely fine to wear sports clothes that you have not sweated when training at home, but the ideal is to look for clothes that absorb moisture . It really depends on your skin type and what could irritate it. Some people may search for soft cottons, while others are not bothered by harder fabrics.
Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to skin health: sun exposure . As the weather warms up, people go out longer and see more sun. And sun exposure can cause countless problems, from aging the skin faster to increasing the risk of skin cancer. Alto suggests avoiding going out between 10 am and 2 pm, when the sun's rays are strongest.
And be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat when you go out . Although it is difficult to do when driving in hot weather, it is also advisable to wear long pants and long sleeves to protect your skin from the sun whenever possible.
When applying sunscreen, make sure you are using enough. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), most people only apply 25 to 50 percent of the recommended amount of sunscreen. Most adults need about 30 grams of SPF 30 or higher, enough to fill a shot glass, to completely cover your body.
What this means is that if you are not applying it correctly and applying SPF 50 to 70, you are really getting protection closer to SPF 25 to 35.
After returning from a workout when you wear sunscreen, go to the shower immediately . Especially as more concerns arise that some chemicals may be absorbed into your skin, which shouldn't stop you from using it, it may be helpful to take a shower when you walk in.
Bottom line: it can vary from person to person depending on the sensitivity of your skin. But in general, removing sweaty, damp clothing as soon as possible can help prevent skin irritations. It's okay to reuse your dirty workout clothes, but make sure they dry between uses. And be sure to protect your skin from sun exposure every time you go out.
