If any one of you is suffering from eczema, you know it can make working out difficult. But, fortunately, with the right amount of care and precautions, you could be active and healthy while managing your skin condition.
What is eczema?
Eczema is a chronic disease that causes the skin to become inflamed and irritated. It is actually a group of diseases that include atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, stasis dermatitis, dyshidrotic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and other related conditions as well. They all cause redness, itching, and flaking or oozing of your skin. Eczema can also affect the joints of your fingers and toes, causing pain or swelling.
How to start the exercise with eczema?
If you have eczema, you might experience flare-ups when you exercise too much, especially during hot weather. The symptoms tend to get worse if you sweat or get overheated during workouts. So how do you know if it is totally safe for you to exercise?
To find out how much exercise is suitable for your eczema, talk to your dermatologist about which sort of exercises are best for you and how much time you must spend exercising every day in a week.
If your doctor approves of working out with eczema, here are a few tips on how to get started.
Wearing loose-fitted exercise clothes.
Tight clothing creates friction against the skin and catches out sweat which can irritate the areas where you have eczema. Wearing loose-fitted clothing allows the skin to breathe freely so it does not become overheated or irritated from the friction caused by tight clothing. So before indulging yourself in any exercise try wearing high-quality and loose-fitted gym workout clothes so that your workout should be free from distraction and more progressive.
Don’t exercise in hot temperatures.
Exercise causes your body temperature to rise, which can be problematic for those individuals who are suffering from eczema. If you work out in hot weather, your skin will become even hotter than normal, which can cause a flare-up.
It’s thought that the heat causes sweating and loss of moisture from your skin, resulting in irritation and itching. This may lead to a worsening of symptoms or even a new rash.
Exposure to air pollutants.
If you have eczema that could affect other areas of your body besides your face, exercise outdoors could also aggravate those areas. “Air pollution is everywhere,” says Bess. “You can’t escape it completely.”
So if you are suffering from eczema, an indoor workout could be more suitable for you so that your skin could not get exposed to the pollutants such as smoke or other harmful chemicals.
Keep yourself hydrated.
When you work out, the blood flow increases and your body temperature also rises. This can make your skin become dry and irritated, which can be uncomfortable and even painful.
Staying hydrated will help you to keep your skin moist, which reduces itchiness and irritation.
Tips to keep yourself hydrated
- Drink plenty of water before and after a workout. Avoid sugary drinks such as soda or sports drinks because they could dehydrate you.
- Apply moisturizer often during workouts (especially if you’re sweating heavily).
Avoid taking a bath in a hot shower.
If you are suffering from eczema and have to get a bath after exercise, then it is best to avoid taking a bath in a hot shower.
Why is that so? It is due to the fact that hot water can lead to dry skin and aggravate the condition of your eczema.
Which exercises are suitable for people suffering from eczema?
People suffering from eczema must avoid workouts that cause excessive sweating. They can also try out some gentle workouts.
Performing swimming.
Swimming is a good exercise for those individuals who have eczema because water overcomes the irritation and itching caused by the disease. Workouts such as swimming or running help in improving your blood circulation and reducing inflammation.
Performing aerobic dance.
It’s best to start out doing low-impact aerobic activities such as dancing such as ballroom dance or tango instead of high-impact aerobics such as hip-hop or step aerobics, which require more jumping around and may cause injury if done improperly by someone with an illness like eczema.
Besides that, as I explained before that, if you want to start some exercise you need to invest in comfortable and sweat-wicking gym attire that must provide you comfort during your exercise and training sessions.
