Is having nice skin and practicing BJJ at the same time possible?

Straightcross

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Yeah I know if I want to look pretty I shouldn't do martial arts in the first place but ever since I started doing BJJ my skin has looked a lot worse, gotten ringworm,staph,mat burn and a lot of friction acne from the gi rubbing against my skin, none of them major but I didn't have any of that when I only did boxing. (I'd rather have a bruise than a disgusting looking monster that is staph)

I wash with antibacterial soap every training and my gym is really hygenic. Maybe I'm just rolling with the wrong people
 
Don’t blame others. Your skin is soft and your immunity is weak.
 
Consider the kind of people who play jujitsu. If you do not protect your health, no one else will.
 
Long post ahead.

I would actually recommend only using antibacterial soap after training. You didn't say if you were using it before, but don't do that if you are. It will kill the good bacteria on your skin which will actually help keep your skin protected. Defense Soap is awesome! Give that a shot: http://www.defensesoap.com/

I did start getting a little worse skin from grappling, but it's balanced out. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking? It was worse in my mid 20's, but now that I'm 30, it's not too bad. I always try to get home and shower/wash my face right after class. if you live far away, you could even try to bring face wash to the gym and at least wash your face after class, and I think defense soap also makes some wipes that you can use on your body after class.

I try not to shave my face or neck on days where I do gi. So if I need to shave, I try to wait until there's a nogi day or a day where I won't train. I find the friction of the gi on days where I have shaven already tends to make worse the razor burn and irritated skin. Just doing that alone has helped keep breakouts away.

Another thing I started doing is actually shaving less. I shave maybe once a week, and I just use a beard trimmer to take it really low, and then use a Mach 3 razor on my neck and higher up on my cheeks, so I always have a little but of shadow. I found that wet shaving with a blade regularly made breakouts much much worse. I don't know if you wet shave, or how often if you do, but if you do it often, your hairs grow just a little bit. Then when you shave them back down, they're more likely to start growing sideways and back into the skin. That equals more ingrown hairs/acne/etc. If you have a job that allows it, or if you don't mind how you look with some 5 o'clock shadow I'd advise not shaving as often. I stopped wet shaving my whole face in late 2012 and I've never felt better. If someone clearly has ringworm, impetigo, staph, or something nasty---obviously don't roll with them.

If acne itself is a problem, some local shops can help. www.downtoearthoils.com has some good products for body and face. Consider seeing a dermatologist and Duac helped me a lot when I was in high school. I went back after doing Jiu-Jitsu and I'd say one tube of it lasts me a year or so. I just use it every now and then if I break out. It doesn't have much Benzoyl Peroxide in it, so you won't accidentally bleach as much of your clothes or pillows, and the other ingredient is Clindamycin. It's not that harsh on the skin and it helped me.

Another great tip is to try to avoid situations where your face isn't getting stuffed into the mat. It happens to everyone, but as you get better you'll be able to avoid that more often.

TL;DR - Don't shave on days where you do gi, consider stop wet shaving frequently, don't use antibacterial soap before class, try Defense Soap, wash face after class at gym, don't roll with people that clearly have ringworm or nasty skin issues, and consider seeing a dermatologist for Duac or something similar.
 
Good advice from Drew.

I stopped shaving a long time ago too and have just used a beard trimmer. My face has always been super sensitive to break outs and staph infections (absolutely the worst).
 
Good advice from Drew.

I stopped shaving a long time ago too and have just used a beard trimmer. My face has always been super sensitive to break outs and staph infections (absolutely the worst).

Dude I feel so dumb. Ever since I learned how to shave, I've been shaving from the early 00's until late 2012. My face is much clearer and I also look better without a baby face. I don't know why the hell I subjected my face to wet shaving every 48-72 hours.

facepalm.jpg
 
what antibacterial soap do you use? there arent very many good ones on the market

yes, almost certainly you will have worse skin from training a grappling art than not training.
 
Oh my face isn't the problem luckily, it's mostly my shoulders and back

And yeah I stopped shaving long ago and also use a beard trimmer, really keeps your face clear
 
How is your gym hygeinic when you've gotten ringworm AND staph that quickly?
 
I don't know why the hell I subjected my face to wet shaving every 48-72 hours.

facepalm.jpg

I'm jealous. I've been in the military for the past 9 years... shaving every 24 hours or less...:icon_cry2
 
I'm jealous. I've been in the military for the past 9 years... shaving every 24 hours or less...:icon_cry2

Man. I was about to say "like in the military) after I said I used to shave every 48-72 hours, but then I realized it might have to be more often than that. Every 24? What does one have to do in the military to have "relaxed grooming standards" ? is that basically if you're overseas or in some type of Special Operations unit?
 
Man. I was about to say "like in the military) after I said I used to shave every 48-72 hours, but then I realized it might have to be more often than that. Every 24? What does one have to do in the military to have "relaxed grooming standards" ? is that basically if you're overseas or in some type of Special Operations unit?

Special Operations Units and sensitive skin guys get relaxed grooming standards. A lot of the black guys get really bad bumps, so they are pretty much the only ones that get it. Spec Ops dudes are full beard and super long hair. That's how you know when they are getting ready to deploy.
 
Here is the link to our hygiene guide. I think you will find this information useful.

http://www.defensesoap.com/Jiu-Jitsu-Hygiene-Guide.pdf

We have tons of free samples for anyone who would like to give us a try.

Just shoot me an email at [email protected] with your name and address. Our samples are of a full bar that has a little bit of a crunched box. Soap is good..box below are standards of sale. We will also toss in a sample of our shower gel.

Visit the hygiene guide in the link. I wrote it and Jits Magazine produced it.

Guy
Defense Soap
 
I don't know why the hell I subjected my face to wet shaving every 48-72 hours.
I shave once a week when I go training kids judo. Just to set an example for children.

Antibacterial soap may cause allergic skin reaction and atopical dermatitis (eczema). Not because of the allergy to the soap components, but because it kills "good" bacteria. Washing too much is bad, too.
 
i have a skin type that just gets impetigo(staph) very easily and have had it countless times. i started using defense soap this year and it has been a game changer for me. absolute great product.
 
Yogurt facemask bro, get den probiotics on yo skin.
 
Ha this is funny.
I used to use Howard gis cause they toughened up my skin.
My gf always complains about my wrinkles and if I would use face lotion more often. Men are meant to be rough looking. Not pretty.
 
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