Can You Exercise With Eczema?
A Guide to Staying Active With Eczema
If you have eczema and love fitness, you may have experienced the frustrating cycle of wanting to train but worrying about what exercise will do to your skin.
Will I get too hot?
Will sweating make me itch?
Will my gym clothes irritate my skin?
Should I exercise when I’m having a flare?
As someone who has eczema and also loves training, these are questions I’ve had to think about too. The good news is that having eczema doesn’t automatically mean you need to give up exercise. Instead, it can be about understanding your individual triggers and finding ways to make training more comfortable for your skin.
Why can exercise be difficult with eczema?
Exercise naturally increases your body temperature and causes you to sweat. For some people with eczema, heat and sweating can aggravate symptoms such as itching and irritation.
Then there are the other factors that come with training:
Tight fitting gymwear
Friction from clothing
Sweat sitting against the skin
Hot showers after training
Fragranced products
Gym environments that are warm
Repeated washing of workout clothes
Non of these things necessarily cause problems for everyone with eczema, but they can be worth paying attention to if you notice a pattern.
Does sweating make eczema worse?
It can for some people.
Sweat contains salts and other substances that can irritate already sensitive skin, while overheating can also increase itching. That doesn’t mean you need to avoid getting sweaty altogether. Instead, think about what happens before, during and after your workout.
Before Training think about what you’re wearing and whether your skin is already irritated. If particular garment regularly causes rubbing or itching, it may be worth experimenting with a different fit or fabric.
During training, pay attention to your body. If you’re becoming excessively hot or uncomfortable, take a break, cool down and drink some water. You don’t have to push through discomfort simply because you’ve planned a particular workout.
After training, one of the simplest things you can do is avoid sitting around in sweaty clothes for a long time. Changing into clean, dry clothing and gently rinsing or showering after exercise may help remove sweat from the skin.
What about gymwear?
This is something I want to talk about much more because activewear can be complicated when you have eczema.
Sportswear is designed around performance. We want it to be stretchy, supportive, sweat wicking and durable. But eczema prone skin may also care about:
How a fabric feels
Seams
Waistbands (and sports bras!!!)
Compression
Heat retention
Friction
Dyes and finishes
There isn’t one fabric that will work for everyone with eczema, so rather than looking for a garment labelled ‘eczema friendly’, learn what your own skin tends to tolerate.
Should you stop exercising during an eczema flare?
There’s no universal yes or no. It depends on how you’re feeling, how severe your symptoms are and whether exercise appears to be making things worse. Sometimes modifying your workout, reducing the intensity, choosing a cooler environment or taking a rest day may be more appropriate than forcing yourself through it.
And if your eczema is sever, painful, infected, rapidly worsening or difficult to manage, speak to a healthcare professional.
You don’t have to choose between fitness and your skin
For me, learning to live with eczema isn’t about finding a perfect routine where my skin never reacts. It’s about understanding my skin better.
It’s about recognising potential triggers, adapting when necessary and still allowing myself to enjoy movement, strength training and everything fitness gives me.
You can have eczema and still be strong, active and confident.
You may just need to find your own way of training with your skin, rather than against it.
Disclaimer
This article is based on personal experience and general educational information. It isn’t intended to diagnose, treat or cure eczema or replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional.