Many athletes spend a lot of time outdoors training to be the best. Being outdoors gives many athletes a leg up on the competition because it gives them a harder and more challenging area to train on. When you are outside, you are exposed to the elements and this can have both benefits and downsides to any athlete. When training outdoors, they can use the natural elevation and elements to help you improve. While there are many benefits, there are also many downsides, like sunburn, heat exposure, and more.
Testing Your Skin
If you notice that your skin does not look right or normal, you should immediately get medical attention or run some tests of your own. Here are some things that you should do.
1) See a Dermatologist
If you think that there is something wrong with your skin, you should immediately schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. Seeking help and advice from a dermatologist early can help ensure that you get the care and attention that you need. Dermatologists are medical specialists who can help you determine if your skin condition is something that you need to worry about. They can perform biopsies if they are worried about a piece of your skin.
2) Woods Lamp
One of the main things that you can do is go to your doctor so they can use a Woods lamp. A Woods lamp is an ultraviolet light that you can use, or a medical professional can use to help diagnose skin irregularities that you cannot see with the naked eye. If you have a suspicion that something is wrong but are unable to clearly tell, your doctor can use a Woods lamp to help. It can diagnose a variety of different skin conditions, including corneal abrasions, pigment disorders, bacterial infections, and more.
3) Schedule an Appointment With a Primary Care Provider
If you think that something just does not look right with your skin, you should schedule an appointment with a primary care provider. While they may not be able to tell you exactly what is wrong, they can help you determine if you need to see a dermatologist or other medical specialist. Oftentimes, your insurance company will make you see a primary care provider before attempting to schedule a specialist. Always check with your insurance company before making specialist appointments in order to save you money.
#4) Use Moisturizer
While moisturizer may not help your skin heal if it is damaged badly, it can help prevent further peeling and damage. If you have skin cancer, moisturizer will not do anything to improve your condition. However, if you have a bad sunburn, it can help improve the recovery process. Moisturizer can help add moisture to your skin and make the healing process smoother and more comfortable.
How To Protect Your Skin?
If you are an athlete who has to train outside a lot, it is imperative that you take care of your skin. Many athletes, like soccer and rugby players, train and compete outdoors. One of the essential things that everyone must do is to wear sunscreen. Even on milder, partly cloudy days, it is important that people apply sunscreen. Sunscreen can protect the sun from damaging your skin.
Having too much exposure to the sun can cause your skin cells to become damaged and even develop cancer. Everyone knows when they have a sunburn, the symptoms of it are unpleasant. When you have a sunburn, there are some things that you can do to improve your discomfort. Some things include drinking a lot more water to stay hydrated, using moisturizer or aloe frequently, taking a cold bath, using cold compresses, and protecting your skin from further sun exposure. These things can help speed up the recovery process.
If you develop sunburn multiple times, you are increasing your risk for more serious illnesses later in life. If you are outside a lot and notice that something does not look right with your skin, it is crucial that you get it checked right away.
These tests can all help improve your skin and help you determine if you need further help and attention. If you notice that there is something wrong with your skin that does not look right, you should immediately get medical attention. The earlier that you seek help the better your outcomes may be.
