Many of us have missed the gym, and are looking forward to them opening again so that we can work up a sweat. But did you know that you can maximise your workout by looking after your skin too?
Going to the gym is all about making you feel fitter and look better, but could all that sweating actually be bad for your skin? Is the risk of touching equipment that has been used by other sweaty people got the potential to damage it? Is going to the gym making your skin look bad?
Let’s not get alarmist about this; workouts are good for you and you should embrace getting back into the gym, but if you haven’t considered your skin before, it may be time to start a new regime where you include it. Lots of sweat, other people sweat, rough towels and physical exertion can add up long term damage of your precious outer covering. So, what can you do about it? Plenty, actually.
Drink lots of water. Okay, so this is obvious, but you would be surprised by the number of people who end up with a water deficit because they sweat more than they drink, and that can lead to all sorts of problems, and not just with your skin. Dehydration can set in quickly and can lead to long-term health issues, particularly with your kidneys. On a shorter scale, a lack of water can make your skin look saggy and wrinkled as it dehydrates. Always have a good supply of water with you and make sure that you keep draining it and topping up.
Choose your towel carefully. During a good workout, you are going to be wiping your face regularly with you towel, and if you have on that is fairly rough, you could impart a fair deal of damage on your facial skin. But the question of towels is actually even more complex than just abrasion; thicker towels carry a greater risk of carrying bacteria – but you’re and that of other people – so it might be worth keeping the pile down and being safe. Ideally you need to pick a towel that isn’t super thin, but sort of medium thickness and doesn’t have as much of a plushy feel to it. Small pile and soft is the way to go. And wash it after each gym session!
Use an ice pack post workout. You can reduce a huge amount of exertion redness post workout by applying ice face-packs to your skin and soaking up the heat. You can buy plenty of specially designed face packs for the freezer online. Freeze one up, pop it in your sports bag and relax in it post work-out. This will not only cool you down but will also reduce the amount of stress damage that your skin can experience during a great workout.
Have a skincare routine. Post workout doesn’t end with a quick shower. Once you have cooled down with an ice-pack, washed all the sweaty bacteria off you resplendent phisog, its time to clean your face deep and moisturise. Start with a good scrub and work it pore deep. Next move on to a medium moisturiser that doesn’t feel greasy and is easily adsorbed. Finally, apply some eye cream to revive your eyes.
Next time you go to the gym, make sure that you work out your face as well as your body.