Almost anyone who has run for more than 2 days has experienced some issues with their skin.  Whether it is an annoying blister or a chafing spot or a sunburn, it is just that – annoying, and in some cases, really painful!

Let’s start with the basics.  If it is sunny and you have direct sunlight on your skin, please wear suntan lotion.  This is magnified if you have fair skin and if you are running long distances.  Wear a hat if needed and don’t forget to put lotion on your face. And this is not just for the summer – any sun, especially over many years, is not good for the skin.

For extreme cold weather, you might want to also put a skin cream/lotion on exposed skin to ward off windy conditions and to keep your skin moist.  People can get a burn from cold wind in the winter.

Any spot that is rubbed over and over again can chafe and get inflamed.  For me, I use Aquaphor bu Eucerin for tender areas:  the groin, between my toes, under my foot, my lower back and my nipples.  For men, believe it or not, you can get bloody nipples after extended long runs.  For women, it is mostly the same areas except under the sports bra area, where it can rub rather than in front.

Say it does not become red, but actually becomes a blister.   With a sterilized needle, lance the blister at 1 extreme end and push the fluid out.  Do not remove the skin – the skin underneath is new and thin and won’t get better with more exercise anytime soon.  The dead old skin eventually falls off and you are good to go.  If you are lucky, it becomes thicker, like a callous, and it becomes harder to blister in the future.

If you repeatedly get blisters on your feet, consider new non-cotton socks first and then new sneakers.  When you get new sneakers, make sure you break them in first so that you don’t get blisters from tight shoes. Make sure you keep your nails clipped.  The tiniest jagged edge can cause a small cut or blister during an extended run or race.

Lastly, just take stock of the situation – if the skin is inflamed or seems infected, get it treated by a professional.  All these methods I discussed are just for your basic skin issues.

Happy Running!

#running #runningtips #weather #blisters #skinissues  http://eepurl.com/bQoaBz