Skincare tips for athletes

It doesn't matter whether your sporting prowess is up to the Olympic standard or not, if you fail to look after your body then your exercise routine could be damaging your skin.

With all that sweating and a higher possibility of chafing and irritation, it's essential that you consider your skin when undertaking exercise.

Here are some ways you can ensure your skin looks as healthy as you feel after exercise.

Protect against chlorine

Swimming can be very damaging to skin as chlorine can dehydrate it, causing skin to be dry and feel tight.

It's essential to wash thoroughly before and after swimming to reduce chlorine damage. If you're a frequent swimmer then it could be beneficial to exfoliate gently at least twice a week to remove any build up.

Ensure your towel and costumes are cleaned after each use, as chlorine can irritate the skin and cause rashes to form.

An emollient or highly hydrating body moisturiser such as the Balance Me Natural Protection Daily Moisturiser is hugely beneficial to regular swimmers. With its light and gentle formula, it doesn't clog up your pores and also protects against UV damage with its SPF 18 rating.

This is particularly useful if you spend a lot of time on holiday in the pool and want a base for your sunscreen.

Consider your underarms
Frequent sport and exercising means you're likely to be reapplying deodorant more often.

Deodorant can contain strong chemicals and perfumes designed to prevent sweating and add fragrance. However, these can dry out the skin, exacerbating eczema and causing irritation.

Using a product designed for sensitive skin such as the Acorelle Skin Care Roll On Deodorant can help control perspiration, while moisturising the skin using hydrating aloe vera and rose water.

If you have particularly sensitive skin aim to avoid products with alcohol in and consider moisturising under your arms before bed each night to help the skin recover.
Give your skin time to breathe

Swimming costumes, sports bras, leggings, etc are all tight-fitting and restrictive to the skin. This is important for performance and protection, but can cause the skin to become hot and sweaty, blocking pores and leading to a build up in bacteria.

To prevent skin from suffering, always wash straight after exercising and reduce the amount of time skin is kept covered when possible.

Wearing cotton socks and specially designed sports trainers will help air to circulate, while wearing sports sandals and removing shoes and socks during breaks will eliminate the risk of athlete's foot and bacteria build up.

Stay hydrated

One of the most important rules for athletes is to remain hydrated.

Not only does this help replace the water lost from sweat but it improves bodily function and performance, while also regulating temperature.

Water is essential for healthy, radiant looking skin as it flushes the toxins out of your body, helping it to stay clean and smooth.

Source:http://www.mypure.co.uk/acorelle-news/skincare-tips-for-athletes-id801418717