6 Exercise Tips If You Have Eczema
Exercising can lead to several benefits: lower blood pressure, better focus, more toned muscles etc. But for someone with eczema it can often be an annoyance all because excessive sweat and the body’s rising temperature during exercise can lead to flare-ups.
Anyone who has eczema knows that when their condition is aggravated it could be such an irritating and frustrating experience. So how do you keep fit without triggering your eczema? Here are six tips that can help you manage your eczema while you try to stay fit:
Drink lots of water
When you exercise you lose a lot of fluids and for a person with eczema staying hydrated is important. Eczema can dry your skin, which is why it is important to stay hydrated while exercising. Drink enough water before you start exercising and be sure to have a water bottle nearby while you’re running on the treadmill or trading punches with your boxing coach.
Stay away from spandex
When working out the go-to attire is spandex because it hugs the body, wicks away moisture and is stretchable enough that no matter how often you perform lunges the fabric will always go back to its original form. But if you have eczema spandex is the worst fabric for you because synthetic materials can do more damage to your skin than other fabrics.
It’s better if you stick to cotton clothes more specifically organic cotton clothes because traditionally farmed cotton are infamous for having so many chemicals in them. And if you're suffering from eczema your skin is quite sensitive and shouldn’t come in contact with any chemicals as much as possible. But the problem with cotton is that it doesn’t wick away moisture as well as spandex and it’s not as breathable, which can be a hindrance if you’re running on a treadmill.
Cotton clothes can also lead to a lot of chafing since it doesn’t hug the body that tightly unlike spandex. So in order to compensate wear loose cotton clothes so that you won’t feel too humid while you’re working out. And make sure they’re loose enough so that it won’t chafe your skin. Also, pause for a few seconds to wipe away your sweat so that your clothes won’t feel too heavy when you’re exercising.
Monitor your eczema while exercising
You should know that when you do start to exercise your workout will be doubly hard as compared to other people since you’ll have to constantly monitor your eczema while pumping iron. This means that aside from making sure your posture is correct while lifting weights you have to check constantly if your eczema is flaring up. But there are ways to make sure that your eczema won’t flare up to the point that you’ll have to stop working out for the day. Just give yourself a lot of rest periods while you’re working out and tend to the itchy spots of your skin by relieving them with a cold compression wrap. This way you’ll be able to keep your eczema from flaring up.
Keep cool
If you’re working out in a gym make sure that it’s well-ventilated or better yet the whole facility should have air-conditioning to make sure that your body is cool all the time. Warm temperature can aggravate your eczema so make sure that the area where you’re exercising in should be cool. One way to get fit and stay cool at the same time is to choose swimming as your workout. Swimming can keep your body cool while you’re exercising but make sure to rinse off the water right after you get out of the pool because the chlorine in the water can also aggravate your eczema.
Moisturize your skin before and after exercise
Eczema gives you dry skin and when you exercise you’ll lose more moisture while you’re working out. So you should take countermeasures to ensure that your skin won’t dry up and worsen your eczema. But avoid heavy moisturizers because those creams could trap in heat, which will only make you more uncomfortable. Instead, use lighter creams or NSAID creams to keep the moisture in but not trap heat.
Avoid hot showers and baths
Most of us would like to get into a warm bathtub right after working out. It soothes aching muscles and could really let you relax. But for someone with eczema this is one thing to avoid because it will definitely aggravate your condition. Instead, you can start rinsing off your sweat with a warm shower but gradually turn the nozzle so that the water will get colder. Managing your eczema while working out can be harder than just trying to stay fit. But the benefits of exercising outweighs the hassles and if you’re patient enough and eager enough you can work out every day without having to worry too much about your eczema flaring up.