It's okay to admit it: you shower less than you used to. And while in the past you may have chosen freshly laundered clothes to meet up with your training group, these days, you might be grabbing clothes from the dirty pile for your isolated workouts to cut down on laundry days. No one will get close enough to smell you anyway. So wearing sweaty clothes may be an option.
Then you walk in (or get off the exercise bike and go straight to the couch) and get distracted by emails or another task 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? Heading out the door for a morning or mid-morning walk 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 fungal infections.
Humidity is the cause of the problem
That's why changing out of your sweaty 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. In addition, they can disrupt the skin's natural microbiome, leading to infection, acne, or dermatitis (skin irritation). Sweat can also get trapped in areas where the skin folds, called intertrigo.
And while warmer temperatures sometimes relieve skin from cold, dry winters, heat and humidity can come with a whole new set of problems. The prickly heatHeat rash, or heat rash, occurs when sweat ducts become clogged and sweat rises to the surface, but is unable to evaporate off the skin as it normally does.
If you know you have sensitive skin, or just to stay safe, it's best to shower and change into clean clothes as soon as possible after a walk or workout. And wash with a 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 yeasts on the skin, and can be used as a body wash.
How to reuse sweaty sports clothes without washing them every day?
If you want to reuse your clothes to stretch out laundry days, we suggest hanging your sweaty clothes to dry before you wear them again, rather than letting them sit in a ball on the floor or in a hamper, where they remain. moist and can harbor moisture and bacteria.
It's absolutely fine to wear sportswear that you haven't sweated through when training at home, but the ideal is to look moisture wicking clothing. It really depends on your skin type and what might be irritating it. Some people may look for soft cottons, while others don't mind harder fabrics.
Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to skin health: sun exposure. As the weather warms, people are outside longer and see more sun. And sun exposure can cause myriad problems, from aging your skin more quickly to increasing your risk of skin cancer. Alto suggests avoiding going outside between 10 am and 2 pm, when the sun's rays are strongest.
And make sure wear sunscreen and a hat when you go out. Although difficult to do when riding in hot weather, it is also advised to wear long pants and long sleeves to protect your skin from the sun whenever possible.
When applying sunscreen, make sure you're 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're not applying it correctly and you're applying SPF 50 to 70, you're really getting protection closer to SPF 25 to 35.
After coming back from a workout when you wear sunscreen, go to the shower immediately. Especially as more concerns are raised that some chemicals could be absorbed into your skin, which shouldn't stop you from using it, it may help to take a shower when you go inside.
Bottom line: it can vary from person to person depending on the sensitivity of your skin. But in general, removing sweaty and damp clothing as soon as possible can help prevent skin irritation from occurring. It's okay to re-wear your dirty workout clothes, but make sure they're dry between uses. And be sure to protect your skin from sun exposure every time you go outside.