Fitness for Your Skin – Six Skincare Tips Every Runner Should Know
By: Jose Quizon
We all know you work hard to keep your body fit and healthy. But what about your skin?
As the biggest organ of the body, our skin functions mainly as our first line of defense against disease causing micro-organisms and damages caused by environmental factors like heat, water, dirt and wind. It also regulates and maintains our body’s temperature—a critical job that people who regularly run or train, especially under the sun, should appreciate well.
Like any other organ in our body, our skin also needs much attention and care. Here are six things you can do to make sure yours keep up with your active lifestyle.
1. Wear Sunscreen. Everyone should wear sunscreen—everyday. It doesn’t matter if the skies are sunny or overcast or if you’re staying indoors or outdoors. All light sources cause damage to our skin (yes, from the mighty sun down to your phone or tablet’s tiny screen). Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 40 and offers broad spectrum protection like Infracyte’s Oil Free Sun Defense. Dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapplication after two hours.
2. Cover Your Weak Spots. It has been proven that the ears, lips, shoulders, and top of the head are the body’s most vulnerable parts to the sun’s rays. To keep them protected, apply sunscreen liberally to these areas. If you can, wear a cap or visor. In addition to the protecting your skin, the cap also keeps your head cool, which makes it a necessity if you’re going for a late morning run.
3. Stay Indoors During High Intensity Hours. The sun does the most damage to our skin between 10AM to 4PM, so better stay away from its rays during this period.
4. Go for Sun Protective Wear. A lot of companies nowadays — like Solumbra — offer clothes that are engineered to protect runners and athletes from the sun. If you can, invest in them as they will prove their worth in the long run. For the meantime, try wearing darker clothes when going out. Though they may seem less comfortable, darker fabrics provide more protection from UVB rays.
5. Drink Lots of Water. You need to keep your skin well-hydrated if you want it functioning properly. Medical professionals recommends drinking at least three liters of water every day to keep not just your skin healthy, but the rest of your body as well.
6. Nourish Your Skin. Apply nourishing moisturizers at night to provide your skin extra moisture and help boost its healing process. You can opt for either a cream or a serum depending on your skin type. Creams are more suited for people with oily and combination skin while serums tend to work better for those with dry skin as it has the ability to penetrate its deeper layers. Try Flawless’ Cell Booster Cream and ISkin New York’s Vitamin C 10% Serum.
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