If you've taken up running during the coronavirus lockdown, you might have noticed the skin on your back, or even your bottom is spottier than normal. But what causes this, and what can you do about it?
To find out more, we sat down with Consultant Dermatologist and author of The Skincare Bible, Dr Anjali Mahto. From spots to SPF, Dr Mahto answered all your common running skincare questions.
Is it really bad to sit in sweaty kit after a run?
'100%. As soon as you've finished exercising you need to get out of that sweaty gym kit. Not only will it aggravate skin conditions, in a lot of people the heat, sweat and lycra clothing can cause acne. It's not unusual to see people developing spots, particularly if they are wearing a sports bra, on their back or chest. The other area that we don't often talk about is the bottom and groin area, where runners suddenly might start developing spots. One of the key things to try and reduce this is to clean the skin immediately. If, despite that, you are still noticing that your skin is breaking out, using cleansers that have salicylic acid in them can help reduce acne and spots.'
Why does the skin on the legs itch and burn after some harder sessions?
'Runner's itch or itchy legs are very common. One of the main reasons is when you're exercising, you are increasing the blood flow, causing your arteries and capillaries to get bigger. The way that the brain interprets those sensations is an itch on the skin. Some things you can do to ease the itch is to use an itch numbing spray, or if it's happening regularly, it could be worth taking an antihistamine.
'That said, it's not as simple as just saying your brain is getting the sensations wrong, sometimes you might be sensitive to detergents or fabric softeners that you're using. This might not be an issue when the skin is dry, but as you start to run and you start to sweat, that sweats starts to leach out materials in the fabric and irritate the skin.
'Finally, there is another rarer reason that people can get itchy and that is a form of hives that people can get when they run. If you suddenly start developing hives when you're running, that's probably a sign you need to talk to your doctor.'
What about chafing? What can runners do to soothe chafed skin?
'When you get back from a run, the first thing you want to do is clean the chafed skin. Rather than jump in the shower, which is going to break down the skin further, get in a bath of tepid or lukewarm water. Whilst you're in the bath, think about using non-fragranced cleansers, so emollient-based body washes, to avoid irritating the skin further.
'Once you get out of the bath, pat the skin dry rather than rubbing it vigorously and apply something like petroleum jelly or aloe vera that can help form a protective seal over the area, helping it to repair naturally.'
What about skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, can sweat make these skin conditions worse?
'It does! I would be loathed to say if you've got a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis don't exercise because exercise is so important for your skin health and your general health. With conditions like eczema and psoriasis, your skin barrier is disrupted - it's not working the way it should do to keep good things in and bad things out. When it comes to sweat, once that sweat evaporates you're left with that salty residue on the skin and it's that residue that can irritate the skin if that barrier is disrupted. It's not uncommon for people with those conditions to find they get a flair up, or that their skin gets very hot and itchy after exercise.
'Things to do to help this would be making sure the skin is hydrated before you do the exercise. I think it's really important that after you exercise you get your sweaty clothes off and to cleanse and moisturise the skin immediately. Finally, if you do have any active patches of skin disease where eczema or psoriasis has flared up, make sure you are using prescription treatments to help.'
Is running wearing makeup a big no-no?
'Yes! Let's look at the common morning routine for a lot of women; when we get up in the morning we'll cleanse, we'll moisturise, we'll put our sunscreen and then our makeup on. If halfway through the day, we then decide to go for a run, there's already a lot of layers of product on the skin before you add sweat and pollution to the mix. All of those things will conspire to block your pores, particularly if you're acne-prone to begin with.'
Is running bad for your skin?
'No, quite the opposite. A lot of skin conditions are caused by stress, so if you've got a bit of acne or eczema or psoriasis and you're stressed out, using exercise to reduce your stress levels is going to have a positive impact on chronic inflammatory conditions. Also, if you're exercising a lot, you're more likely to be sleeping better and if you're sleeping better, your skin cells are repairing and regenerating faster.'
What should runners be doing to protect their skin before heading out the door?
'If you do spend a lot of time outside running, ultra-violet light or sunlight is probably enemy number one. We know UV light or sunlight is the single biggest risk factor we've got for cancer. Skin cancer is definitely more common in people that get sun exposure repeatedly, which adds up over the years - all those miles you clock over time, you're also clocking UV on your skin indirectly. It's not good for you from an ageing point of view. About 80% of skin ageing occurs directly because of sun exposure to UVA and UVB light.
'Studies show we all massively under apply sunscreen, so that factor 50 that you're putting on is probably more like a factor 25 by the time you've smeared it because you've not used enough of it, so opt for a higher factor. Also, think about when you're doing your running - it's not sensible to be out in peak daylight hours, if you can go early in the morning or late at night when there's no direct UV that's far better for you.
'About 10% of skin cancers occur on the skin around the eyes, so runners should make sure they're also wearing UV protective sunglasses. Also, it's not just about the face - you should make sure you're applying sunscreen to your legs, chest and arms, or anywhere exposed to sunlight to protect from melanoma - one of the most commonplace we find melanoma in women is on the legs.'
Can intense exercise make your face or skin look older - is 'runner's face' a thing?
'It kind of is. As we all get older, part of the natural ageing process of the skin is that we start to lose fat in our face - it's just something that happens. If you're somebody that has run a lot over the years, you're probably going to have lower levels of facial fat, to begin with. Also, if you're doing a lot of high-intensity exercise, the face and all of the layers under the face will be experiencing a higher level of impact. So I think that if one loses weight very quickly, or if one has spent a lot of time running, you can experience a thinning out of the face as a result of it.'
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