Welcome Spring Sports!

It’s on!  It was in the seventies yesterday and will be snowing this weekend.  It’s a typical midwestern spring.  The weather may vary wildly but the issues athletes face during spring training are consistent.  Let’s address them:

Blisters:  Handheld equipment, when it rubs against the skin, can cause the upper layer of skin to separate from a lower layer.  As our bodies try to defend against the situation, fluid builds up in the gap.  While the fluid is a serum intended to heal the skin, when athletes continue to practice and play, the blisters break leaving the unprotected skin open to infection.   While athletes can’t let a little thing like a blister get in the way of a competition, complications from infection are no joke.  Keeping skin moisturized allows it to be more flexible but how do you moisturize skin without making it slick or greasy?  COMPEL Moisturizing Skin Cleanser, applied before practices and games, protects and moisturizes skin even through the toughest competitions.  If blisters develop, gently apply COMPEL to the injured skin to avoid infection and quickly return it to normal without popping it.  Popping blisters only raises the risk of infection. If a blister pops on its own, apply COMPEL to the skin flap and the skin around the injured area then cover with a bandage or gauze.

Pressure Burns:  Skin vs. ______  Fill in the blank.  Artificial turf, sand, asphalt, concrete, you name it, your skin comes out on the losing end.  Mat burn, rug burn, road rash, raspberries…unprotected skin can be scraped off or literally burnt off from the friction of contact with a harder surface.   Use a clean cloth or non-stick gauze pad dampened with COMPEL and gently wipe the pressure burn (cut, scratch, or scrape) to cleanse it.  If the skin is in no condition to wipe down, spray COMPEL onto the scrape or rash.  If it burns for a few seconds, it’s working to cleanse the area.  Trust me, the threat of infection is more painful.

Calluses: Another way our body attempts to protect skin from repeated friction and pressure is by forming multiple layers of skin that harden into calluses.  When calluses are “properly maintained,” they can actually protect the soft, sensitive areas on our hands and feet.  After practices and games, calluses should be soaked in warm, soapy water.  Apply COMPEL to soften and moisturize for hours.  Resist picking at the callus. Like blisters, the danger of infection is increased if a callus is peeled off and exposes the vulnerable skin beneath.

Athlete’s Foot:   Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a fungal infection.  Apply COMPEL either by spraying or rubbing it thoroughly onto the affected area.  Do this three times each day for three to five days.  Fungal spores spread quickly and easily and can live (happily) on shoes and clothing for days (or longer).  This infection is highly contagious, so it’s important to apply COMPEL as soon as your skin feels the least bit itchy.  Skin cleansed with COMPEL may appear slightly reddened before clearing up.  Apply COMPEL daily, especially after showering, to keep skin moisturized and protected from the threat of infection.

Poison Ivy (and other itchy rashes):  Whether you’re running your mileage in the woods or your golf ball (somehow) ends up beyond the rough, chances are you’re going to come into contact with a plant that will irritate your skin.  Even well-maintained paths can be lined with poison ivy, oak, and sumac.  They contain a chemical called urushiol that causes an allergic reaction when it comes into contact with skin.  Symptoms include itching, redness, bumps, and blisters.  COMPEL can remove the oil and relieve the itch.  Apply before and after possible exposure to urushiol.

Let’s go, spring sports!  Whether it’s a meet or a game, compete with the clean confidence of COMPEL!