It is good day when you stay away from junk food and eat healthy, and it is a great-awesome-fantastic day when you manage to squeeze in a good workout, and you should be awarded some kind of a prize for that, right? We hear you! There are those who love workouts and are regular at it and then there are normal people. No matter what category you identify with, you may not know about what staying in sweaty clothes for even a minute more than necessary does to your skin.
- Increases body odour
- You can get rashes
- It may lead to acne
- It may cause bacterial vaginosis
- Clothes can cause chafing
Increases body odour
This is not rocket science, right? You sweat, you stay in same sweaty clothes, and undoubtedly you will slowly repel all those around you. After a good workout, you give bacteria the 2 things they love, moisture and warmth. So in places like your underarms and other skin folds, bacteria grow and this leads to bad odour if not cleaned immediately.
You can get rashes
We already told you that bacteria thrive in moist, warm places and this holds true for other icky things like fungus and germs too! When you remain in wet clothes after a good gym session, you are encouraging these to grow.
Tip: We recommend you wear appropriate clothes to suit your workout. For instance, wear stretchable clothes for yoga and Pilates and otherwise wear loose and comfortable clothing for other workouts. (Do not wear loose pants for cycling!)
It may lead to acne
Whether it is on your face, back or butt, acne is no easy thing to deal with. So take every precaution so you do not develop those pesky bumps. We don’t have to tell you to avoid sharing face towels at all costs, but what we do have to mention is to change towels frequently and dry them before use. Staying in your sweat soaked clothes may also clog your pores and cause acne.
It may cause bacterial vaginosis
Wearing tight clothes while working out or staying in sweat soaked clothes may up your chances of getting a yeast or bacterial infection where the sun don’t shine (if you get our drift). Yeast and bacteria love a good, sweaty spot and will make a home for themselves in places where the skin folds naturally. Especially if you love a good swim, make sure you change out of wet clothes and keep the area clean and dry.
Clothes can cause chafing
When you sweat in an area when skin rubs together, you get a burning itch in those areas called chafing. One good example is when your thighs rub together when you run, it is that awkward itchy sensation you get on your inner thighs. Chafing can also happen when sweaty workout clothes rub against skin and cause friction, like under your breasts and in your under arms. So wear comfortable, breathable fabrics while working out, and change soon afterwards.
Image courtesy: Pinterest
Written by Harshitha Prabhakar on May 24, 2019