If you’re an active, outdoorsy person who loves running, riding, cycling or any other kind of outdoor pursuit, then you’ll know how good it feels to exercise outside. Come rain or shine (or wind or hail or snow), you’re out there, pounding the trails, enjoying all that nature has to offer.
But you’ll also know that despite all that head clearing freedom, fresh air and escapism (not to mention the physical health benefits), there’s the inevitable downside. We’re talking athlete’s foot, runner’s rash and all manner of chafing.
As an athlete, you’ve probably already accepted that you’re going to be prone to skin conditions such as these. Some are caused by the mechanics of running – your skin will rub against other areas of skin and it will be affected by friction from your clothing and items of kit. Others are caused by microorganisms such as the fungi that causes athlete’s foot.
All are made worse by warm, moist, sweaty conditions (the perfect conditions for fungi and bacteria to thrive and for skin chafing to get worse) and the sometimes wet, dirty environments you find yourself running in.
Running, hiking and walking are all healthy pursuits that will keep you fit and active well into your older years. However, if you’re out and about being active for long periods of time on a regular basis, then sadly you are at risk of developing athlete’s skin conditions.
But how do you know if you have one? Runner’s rash and chafing is fairly easy to spot. It’ll look like red, inflamed skin that may itch and may also become blistered. You’ll normally find it in the areas where your skin might rub together, such as between the thighs. It can also occur where your clothing might rub, such as the nipples or where any kit might cause friction, such as under the shoulder straps of your backpack.
Athlete’s foot is a little tricker to spot. It usually forms between the toes, where it’ll look like white patches of dry skin. It’s extremely itchy and without treatment can lead to flaking of the affected skin, soreness and even cracked, bleeding skin. If left, it can go on to cause another fungal foot problem – a fungal nail infection. Which is notoriously difficult to treat.
All this however, doesn’t mean you have to just put up with uncomfortable athlete’s skin conditions. Prevention is key, so that you can enjoy your active lifestyle without having to stop for annoying skin complaints.
Here at Balmy Fox, we’re the same as you. We love the outdoors, but we don’t love the rashes, itching and chafing that comes with it. So we developed our On the Trail anti-chafing cream for runners.
With its highly concentrated natural oils, our runner’s rash cream helps to prevent chafing. It keeps the skin healthy and hydrated by helping it retain moisture whilst forming a barrier to protect it against friction and the elements.
It’s also naturally antifungal and antibacterial, thanks to tea tree oil, arnica and hemp oil, making it ideal for helping to prevent athlete’s foot. Leaving you to get on with enjoying the things you do best, without a rash, itch or chafe in sight.
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