Winter Sport Skin Health
Our skin expert Bruce Green gives his top tips on how to avoid exercise-induced skin flare-ups when the temperatures drop!
It’s the time of year when exercise is firmly back on the agenda, with a recent report revealing that over half of Brits named exercise, improving health and losing weight as their top New Year’s resolutions for 2024.
However, for the 1 in 10 adults in the UK that suffer with eczema, and are managing other inflammatory skin conditions, some sports can be problematic, leaving individuals susceptible to flare-ups and irritation. Especially during the cold winter weather conditions when dry, cold air can exacerbate symptoms.
Bruce explains how some sports can present challenges to our skin health, and what individuals can do to manage the symptoms so that they can stick to their favourite sports and exercise whatever the weather.
Bruce says, “Exercise can be tricky to manage for those with existing skin conditions, and in some people can worsen symptoms or lead to flare-ups. Just as you would warm up your muscles before exercise, it’s important to prepare your skin and adapt it depending on the sport and the weather conditions.”
Swimming
“One of the most popular past times in the UK, swimming is one of the most effective forms of exercise that you can undertake. However, being in the water for long periods of time can have a detrimental effect on skin health and occasionally cause conditions such as eczema and dermatitis to flare.
Chlorine does a great job in sanitising pool water, but too much exposure, especially over a prolonged period of time can dry out the skin, leading to irritation, itchiness and rashes. If the skin is already sensitive, then it can cause conditions like eczema and psoriasis to flare.
Taking a warm (but not too hot) bath or shower before and after swimming can help to keep chlorine-induced rashes at bay. If visible skin irritation appears after exposure to chlorinated water, moisturise with a cream or serum such as the SOS SERUM. The cooling & hydrating oil-free serum provides rapid relief from the itch of eczema & other dry skin conditions and calms problematic skin.”
Skiing and Snowboarding
“Europe’s ski season is in full swing, with latest figures suggesting that an estimated 1.5 million Brits will head to the slopes for a ski holiday this year.
A combination of high altitude, snow, dry air, bitterly cold temperatures, harsh winds and toasty ski wear can all contribute to sore and cracked lips as well as sunburn, wind burn, chafing, skin dryness and irritation, especially on the face as this is the area that is most exposed when participating in snow-based activities.
It’s important to remember to take care of the skin pre and après ski. One of the most important things you can do to protect your skin and avoid irritation is to wear a good quality, broad spectrum sun protection product. Many people (wrongly) assume that you can’t possibly get sunburn when you are somewhere so cold, but great ski conditions are enough to give you visible sun damage. Altitude and weather conditions increase the possibility of you getting sun burn in the winter - snow alone can increase the winter sun’s intensity by up to 80% so it’s important not to ditch the sunscreen. SOS SPF 50 Sun Cream is a fail safe, fragrance-free, sun cream that contains mineral-based filters and uses an ultra-sheer form of Zinc Oxide for protection from UVA/UVB and blue light.
Lips are a commonly forgotten area of the skin to look after, but the same cold, sunny, snowy conditions can cause lips to become dry, sore and chapped. Cover your lips with an SPF lip protector such as SOS Lip, which has minimal and natural ingredients, and is free of irritants. Drink plenty of water, refrain from licking your lips as this will dry your lips out quicker and never pick the skin off your lips as this not only interrupts regeneration but you can end up making the lips sore and looking worse.”
Running
“Whether you’re a Couch 2 5K beginner or already have marathon season in sight, outdoor winter running garners the usual wellbeing benefits such including cardio and additional vitamin D exposure from the winter sun.
However, in a similar vein to skiing and snowboarding, exposing your skin to cold, dry conditions can cause existing skin conditions to flare so it’s important to be prepared. Keep skin well moisturised before and after your run, wear a good quality broad-spectrum SPF product and keep lips protected with SOS Lip.”