Table of Content
To not compromise on your fitness goals, you just need to take the proper steps to keep your skin dirt and bacteria-free. Thus, by maintaining the best skincare, you could work out at the gym utterly without worries! Hence, before leaving the gym, it’s essential to hit the locker room for post-workout skin care.
Organic skincare is the new rage of today, and it means using skincare products made of plant-based ingredients along with a few other naturally occurring elements like the African Black Soap. They are incredibly safe on the skin as they do not contain any pesticides and synthetic fertilisers. Also, they often come with an Organic certification.
Here are 7 post-gym skincare tips to prevent breakouts:
1. Shower Right After Working Out
Wash your face and, in fact, your entire body right after your gym workout. A deep-cleansing body wash removes the post-workout sweat and dirt immediately which is one of the biggest reasons acne appears after exercise. Most gym-goers don’t shower right after a workout. This can cause bacteria to thrive in their sweaty clothes. Also, it is essential to avoid hot water as it removes the vital oils from your skin, leaving you dry, itchy and patchy. Careful attention must be given to the facial skin also. Washing your face immediately after your workout is a vital skin-care rule that you should never break. Wash away sweat with a gentle cleanser and resist the urge to over-scrub as doing so can dehydrate your skin. If there is no running water available, then make it a point to carry cleansing facial wipes with you.2. Apply Moisturizer Generously
Don’t be under the impression that the sweat session you just finished at the gym is satisfying your skin’s moisture needs. In fact, your skin loses a considerable amount of water during your workout. Hence make it a point to slather on moisturiser after washing your face and body. A clog, one of the initial steps in acne formation does not form quickly on the skin with higher water content. If you're already breakout-prone, then go for an oil-free moisturiser, because it replenishes water (which was lost during the workout) without clogging your pores.3. Apply for Acne Medicine Immediately
If your skin is highly acne-prone and you suffer from frequent post-gym breakouts, then you must apply acne medicine to the affected areas as soon as you finish your workout. Make it a point to carry such medication with you to the gym. This little extra care goes a long way in treating the acne on the face and body. However, such over-the-counter medicines that work on milder acne do not have much effect on cystic acne. Oral antibiotics in combination with retinoid-based (a form of Vitamin A) creams, lotions, or gels recommended by a dermatologist is one way of treating cystic acne. You can also consult a dermatologist in your area to get the best advice on your skin.By taking proper care to manage them effectively, you can continue to work out regularly.4. Stay Hydrated
It is vital that you drink water during as well as after your workout. Don’t put your water bottle aside as soon as you are done with your workout. Since your body loses plenty of moisture during exercises, it is vital to keep hydrating post-workout to help your body replenish its water content. Besides being beneficial to the skin, water also significantly affects how much you perspire. Dehydration creates more real sweat that makes the skin susceptible to more clogged pores. So, stay hydrated with the right amount of water post-gym workouts.5. Protect Your Skin
Before you leave the gym and head outside, protect your skin by applying a layer of sun protection, even in winter. Apply sunscreen generously, especially on exposed areas of your body. Keep in mind that the most commonly neglected areas are the feet, underarms, back of the neck beneath the hairline, ears, eyelids and inner upper arms. It is recommended that you go for a sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 30. Furthermore, if it’s winter, don’t forget to use a good quality lip balm too.6. Wash/Clean Your Personal Gear Between Uses
Make it a point to wash your workout personal gear, i.e. clothes and towel regularly after each use. Your gym shoes, though used only indoors, must not be ignored either. You need to be careful, particularly about treating smelly shoes. Long and sweaty workouts can produce a nasty odour in your shoes, and nobody wants a whiff of that. Such unclean shoes could efficiently induce breakouts. Hence, maintaining clean personal gear for your gym is an essential aspect of personal hygiene which goes a long way in destroying harmful bacteria and fungi.
7. Avoid Sugary and Fatty Food
Post gym, fuel up your body with the right foods. Fruits containing Vitamin C are naturally rich in antioxidants which fight acne. You could easily carry one or a combination of such fruits in your gym bag and munch on them after a tiring workout. Poor food choices such as those high in bad fats and excess sugar significantly increase your chances of developing acne because such unhealthy foods cause excess oil production and inflammation which ultimately contribute to acne.So, now you have a post-gym skin care kit ready - water bottle, body wash, face wash, moisturizer, acne medicine, sunscreen lotion, and lip balm. All it takes to use this kit is a few extra minutes in the locker room. Also, you now know the significance of maintaining clean gym apparel and of consuming the right post-gym foods.
By implementing all these post-gym skin care tips, you are sure to give your fitness regime a new meaning!
