It’s true that summer bodies are made in the winter, but most of us wait until it’s bikini season before we even bother to really step it up in the gym. Since it’s likely that you’re upping your gym time now, we caught up with Beverly Hills-based board certified dermatologist, Dr. David Stoll to get the skinny on how to care for your skin before and after a sweaty gym session.
While the idea of being drenched in sweat may be a generally unappealing stat, it’s proof that your body is functioning properly, so if you never break a sweat, you may need to consult a doctor
ESSENCE: Before heading to the gym, aside from removing makeup, is there anything else we should do to prep our skin?
DR. DAVID STOLL: Proper removal of make-up and cleaning of the skin before working out is very important. To energize your skin before your work out, there is a great new product out that can energize your skin called Creatop—a topical creatine body spray that you spray on before (and after) working out. Creatop was developed to give a cooling creatine spray that delivers energy without the side effects of the oral creatine and the alcohol-based spray won’t clog pored [which is] beneficial for people working out or in any athletic endeavor.
ESSENCE: Is it possible to sweat too much, if yes, how what are some preventative measures to deal with it?
DR. STOLL: Yes, people can sweat too much. A condition known as hyperhidrosis means that there are some people with excessive sweating. There are several remedies for this:
- Choose a good antiperspirant such as MegaDry, [which is] a hypoallergenic antiperspirant that is strong but not irritating.
- More aggressive measures include Botox injections in the underarms for excessive sweating. These injections can stop underarm sweating for up to a year. Even more aggressive measures involve surgical removal of the sweat glands from the underarm area. For people with excessive sweating of the palms, both Botox and surgery can be used as well.
ESSENCE: In terms of workout gear, what should we look for and be mindful of when purchasing?
DR. STOLL: [You want to] use non-occlusive clothing (loose fitting and breathable fabrics) after working out because you may continue to sweat a bit even after you shower. Also, you can use the Creatop Spray ($30, at creatopspray.com) to lock in the energy that you gained during the workout. [Also,] caps, headbands and other items can clog pores by trapping the sweat underneath. Make sure to remove them every so often to prevent this. [To prevent] acne, wipe of with a clean towel and not with your shirt or dirty hands. For acne prone skin, you can use Neutrogena acne wash for the face or Cetaphil ($7, at walmart.com) body wash for the body.
For more inforation on Dr. Stoll refer to his website stolldermatology.com