Four Tips To Avoid A Body Meltdown
Most people love the summer, and what's not to love? Blue skies, warm sunshine, tweeting birds, sultry nights ..... idyllic, right? Not necessarily! When temperatures soar our bodies can go into meltdown and it becomes harder to cope with the sweltering heat and humidity. Staying fresh when the weather is blisteringly hot can seem a real challenge but here are some simple ways to keep fresh and sweet smelling and to avoid becoming wilted and, god forbid, whiffy!!
- Get clean! Sweat is the body's most convenient way of keeping cool but when temperatures soar there are around 2.5 million sweat glands acting as tiny air-conditioners in maintaining the body's homeostatic balance. Sweat is actually odourless but when left for extended periods of time on the skin it's broken down by the bacteria that normally live there which feed on it. Chemicals are released which then cause a nasty smell! Some areas of the skin, such as the genital area and armpits, can get smellier because these glands produce oily substances and proteins that the bacteria love to feast on. On other areas of the body sweat is mainly salty water which the bacteria don't find anywhere near as appealing. By having a shower or bath at least once a day you can avoid sweat building up and getting stale.
- Use tepid or warm water rather than water that's hot. Hot water dries the skin so a cooler shower or bath is much kinder to the skin and also helps to cool your body down. Washing with a PH balanced shower gel, or a gentle, moisturizing soap, will also help keep your skin soft and healthy. Try the Conditioning Body Wash from the Dermalogica Spa Body range
- Feet produce their own very characteristic smell! We tend to wrap them in socks and shoes, making them hot and humid and allowing fungi, as well as bacteria, to thrive. Feet should be washed regularly, dried thoroughly, particularly between the toes, and treated with an anti-fungal powder if necessary. Whenever possible, avoid wearing closed, sweaty shoes such as trainers, and instead wear fresh cotton socks or keep feet bare in open sandals as often as possible.
- Use a good antiperspirant / deodorant. When buying products to handle perspiration knowing their difference is a must. Antiperspirants stop the sweat from leaving the skin by blocking the pores while deodorants destroy the bacteria when sweat leaves the body. However, conventional antiperspirant contains aluminium, a metal that has been linked to Alzheimer’s and cancer when found in high doses. It can also irritate the skin. Some antiperspirants contain high concentrations of aluminium salts, perhaps using the “more-is-better” approach. These salts are quite acidic and can exacerbate razor burn and even contribute to the development of underarm acne. For this reason, antiperspirants which are free from aluminium, or a deodorant, are a safer, but just as effective, option. The Dermalogica Environmental Control Deoderant is free from such irritants and is a worthwhile consideration if you have sensitive skin.
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