Despite not being outright painful, jock itch can be highly uncomfortable and embarrassing to deal with. While developing this condition once is bad enough, coming down with it repeatedly can prove incredibly frustrating. Fortunately, despite being fairly easy to develop, jock itch is also easy to treat and prevent. In the interest of preventing recurrences, you’ll need to read up on some of this condition’s most common causes. You may come to find that certain behaviors you engage in every day are major contributors to the problem.
You’re Wearing Sweaty Clothes for Long Periods
Given how conducive sweat buildup is to jock itch – and other fungal infections – it’s in your best interest to avoid wearing sweaty clothing for long periods. So, if you have a habit of leaving your workout clothes on long after you’ve finished exercising, it’s time to correct this behavior. Furthermore, activewear isn’t the only sweaty clothing you should be mindful of, as it may be necessary to change out of non-exercise attire that’s accumulated a fair amount of sweat. For example, if you live in an area that regularly receives blisteringly hot temperatures, keeping a change of clothes on hand whenever you leave the house is liable to prove tremendously helpful.
So, whether you’ve just completed a strenuous workout or have been exposed to excessively hot temps, make sure to change out of sweaty clothing at your earliest possible convenience. Ideally, you should shower before changing clothes, but if you’re not in a position to do so in a timely manner, just put on fresh clothes and shower whenever you have the chance. For added protection, look into purchasing activewear made from antimicrobial textiles.
You’re Wearing Dirty Clothes
Not only should you promptly change out of sweaty clothes, you should avoid re-wearing clothing that hasn’t been properly washed. You may think that giving clothing time to dry off and air out makes it safe to wear again, but if it hasn’t been laundered, it shouldn’t be worn until such time as it has. So, even if you aren’t keen on doing laundry, make a point of washing your clothes before proceeding to wear them again. Failure to do so is liable to result in jock itch, staph infection and other unenviable problems.
You’re Not Showering on a Regular Basis
Failing to shower on a regular basis can prove inconvenient on a number of fronts. For one thing, you’re likely to experience extra-pungent body odor, which neither you nor the people around you will enjoy being surrounded by. Secondly, sweat and bacteria are likely to build up on your skin, potentially resulting in jock itch and other fungal infections. So, if your shower schedule has become irregular, you’d do well to rein things in.
To help minimize your chances of developing jock itch, make a point of showering at least once a day. Furthermore, even if you’ve already taken your daily shower, you should take an additional one after working out or doing a fair amount of sweating. When taking a shower, be sure to pay close focus towards the upper thighs, bottom, and genitalia, which are the regions where sneaker rash is still most prone to develop. In addition to vigorously scrubbing these areas, make sure to thoroughly dry them upon the completion of each shower. When it comes to avoiding jock itch and other fungal infections, the less residual moisture, the better.
You’re Not Properly Treating Existing Infections
It generally isn’t a good idea to assume jock itch will clear up on its own. In other words, if you want to be rid of an infection, you’ll need to actively treat it. Fortunately, most pharmacies stock a plethora of nonprescription antifungals that are designed to stamp out jock itch in a timely and pain-free manner. Should over-the-counter treatments fail to produce favorable results, speak to a pharmacist and/or get in touch with your physician.
No one relishes being hit with a case of jock itch. In addition to being itchy and uncomfortable, said condition is also contagious and likely to cause you a fair amount of inconvenience. Luckily, neither the treatment nor prevention of jock itch need to be a drain on your time, energy or resources. As you’ll find, changing a few everyday behaviors can go a long way toward keeping yourself jock itch-free.
