Gone are the days when beauty was considered to be the top priority of only models featuring in newspapers and television commercials, or actors dazzling on the big screen or celluloid. With athletes and sportspersons earning huge brand endorsement deals in recent times than ever before, there has been a growing emphasis to look presentable for the people working in this field too.

There are second thoughts about the fact that playing sports can take a toll on an athlete’s skin. It is primarily because of over exposure to the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays emitted by the burning sun and sweat. Though the athletes involved in indoor sports like badminton, table tennis, squash, etc. are not at risk of the skin problems caused to UV rays, they are vulnerable to woes caused due to sweat, which is an inevitable part of arguably all sports.

Common sports-related skin issues include chafing, blisters, and rashes. If you would like to know how these issues hamper the progress of a sports athlete then read our article on Avoiding Common Skin Problems For Athletes.

While the athletes cannot refrain from playing the game they love the most to stay relevant in this competitive world, taking care of their skin is also necessary. Given the rising awareness about sports-related skin issues and the availability in the market of a plethora of skin-care products to prevent or control these ailments, the athletes resort to the requisite products that ensures a healthy and nourishing skin.

Innovations in Sports Skincare Products

Like any industry, the sports skin-care products industry has undergone a paradigm shift in recent years. Innovation has been the standout feature that this industry has experienced to stay alive in the competitive world. In business, often we hear “Perform or Perish”.

Similarly, in the sports skin-care products industry, the players that have performed by way of introducing innovation in their product-range have continued to live and those who have failed to score in this area have unfortunately perished.

Some of the innovative sports skin-care products are:

High performance sunscreen: Nowadays, athletes prefer nothing but high-performance sunscreens. High performance sunscreens are water-resistant that boast of 80-minute water resistance, UVA/UVB protection, and a smooth application.

These sunscreens have different SPFs (Sun Protection Factor). For example, sunscreen with SPF 15, SPF 30, SPF 50, and SPF 100 protects against 93%, 97%, 98%, and 99% of UV rays, respectively. Selecting the sunscreen that suits your needs is pivotal. Besides, high performance sunscreens are sometimes referred to as sports sunscreens.

Such sunscreens have many advantages, including better protection and a wide range of coverage against both UVA and UVB rays, as well as the ability to remain effective even after exposure to water.

On the other hand, regular sunscreen is ineffective and will degrade over time if exposed to water. Another element of high-performance sunscreens is the presence of minerals.

In this segment, zinc sunscreens are quite popular. As the name suggests, zinc sunscreen is made from natural ingredients like zinc oxide (ZnO), a combination of zinc and oxygen. Zinc oxide's ability to block UV-A and UV-B rays makes it one of the most effective sun protection products for preventing sun damage. Some zinc sunscreens contain aloe vera, which enriches the sunscreen's natural qualities and adds an enticing aroma to the otherwise ordinary zinc sunscreen.

Skin recovery serum or recovery cream: Sweat can cause an array of skin problems, for instance, skin damage, redness and dehydration. To fight against these skin problems, use of skin recovery serum or recovery cream is suggested. These products are nothing less than elixirs as they contain antioxidants which combat free radical damage, eventually keeping skin issues like aging at bay.

Hydrogel: The importance of using hydrogel by athletes has gained a lot of prominence in recent times. Injuries are a part of the game and therefore quick healing and wound contraction is of paramount importance. These twin objectives can be achieved with the help of hydrogel. Due to its flexible and tunable properties, hydrogel dressings can obtain additional functional properties by loading cells, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents, growth factors, and biomolecules.

Hand grip or GripStrong spray: Sweaty palm is a common phenomenon observed among athletes involved in playing sports that require handling of a sporting equipment. For instance, badminton players, squash players, etc. usually suffer from the problem of sweaty palms, which subsequently affect their performance.

Therefore, hand grip or GripStrong spray forms an important component of the kit bag of such players. It is a grip enhancement product with an aggressive non-slip grip formulation. This cream is applied to the hands, enabling players to have a firm grip and maximum control over their sporting equipment. This cream forms a dry barrier over the skin and prevents sweaty and oily perspiration.

Hand gel: Washing your hands at regular intervals can go a long way in keeping your hands nice and dry especially if you are involved in sports that demand the usage of sporting equipment as mentioned already. If washing hands at regular intervals is not easily possible, then ensure that you carry a pocket-sized hand gel. The gel will keep your hands clean and dry.

Reviewing and analysing the latest advancements in skincare products

As we have already seen in this article, there have been tremendous developments in the sports-related skincare products. From high-performance sunscreens to recovery creams, the sports-related skincare industry offers it all. Earlier most of these products were available in the market but the awareness about sports-related skin issues and the ability of skincare products to prevent and control them was less.

With rising awareness and growing inclination towards offering innovative skincare products it will not be an exaggeration to say that the industry has created a revolution. Comparing the earlier days with today, sunscreens were available. But with the introduction of high-performance sunscreens, the athletes are more assured about their skin protection against the dangerous UV rays. Unlike sunscreen, recovery cream is something that is new.

Earlier for recovery home-based remedies were used but today we have scientifically tested and proven products to ensure speedy healing.

The latest advancements in the sports-related skincare products have been refreshing not only for the athletes but also for the industry at large.