Itchy skin after BJJ can be totally harmless, or it can be a sign of a dangerous skin infection. In this article I will tell you what causes itchy skin in BJJ and what to do about it.
What causes itchy skin in BJJ?
Itchy skin is caused by many different things, including your diet, stress, or even the environment you train in. It could be caused by an infection, or by bacteria, yeast, or fungus.
It may be caused by an allergic reaction to training equipment (like your rashguard or your gi), or to supplements or foods that you take.
The most common reasons for itchy skin in BJJ are infected skin lesions, dehydration, and allergies. These are what I’ll focus on in this article.
Dry skin in Jiu Jitsu
Dry skin is caused when your skin’s natural oils are depleted. Training Jiu Jitsu in a dry environment can cause this, as can exposure to detergents, artificial fragrances, or even the hot showers that you take after training.
In BJJ it’s important to keep your skin in good condition. Your skin protects your body from infection and helps regulate your temperature. If you have dry skin, your body will respond by over-producing oil. This will make you feel incredibly greasy and will make it harder for your skin to stay cool.
Eczema
Another common cause of itchy skin in BJJ is eczema. Eczema is a common skin condition that causes skin to be red, itchy, flaky, and irritated. It usually affects the skin on the outside of the elbows, behind the knees, on the backs of the hands, and the face. It is also common in the scalp.
Eczema tends to flare up when the skin is dry, irritated, or injured. This often happens when you are training BJJ. It is very common for the skin on the elbows to get irritated after you have been rolling. The skin on the elbows comes into contact with the mat or your gi a lot and can become irritated as a result.
Skin infections in BJJ
Skin infections are another very common cause of itchy skin in BJJ. They are caused by bacteria, yeast, or fungus, which live on your skin or in your sweat.
Skin infections are common in BJJ because of all the rolling around you do on the mats, and the way that BJJ training can expose your skin to sweat, moisture, friction, and friction.
Skin infections are very serious, because they are very contagious in BJJ and potentially dangerous. If you suspect you have a skin infection, stop rolling and get yourself checked by a medical professional.
The most common skin infections in BJJ that can cause itchy skin are: staph infection, ringworm and impetigo.
How to avoid itchy skin from Brazilian jiu jitsu?
To avoid itchy skin after BJJ, every BJJ practitioner should take the following steps.
Wear a long sleeve rash guard under your gi
A long sleeve rash guard will protect your arms from friction caused by the inside of the gi. This will prevent rash formation on your upper body, and also protects your skin from bacteria. You can check out my article on the best BJJ rash guard for more information about rash guards.
Shower cold
Hot water washes off the natural oils of the skin and it takes a while for the skin to produce the oil again. Cold water will wash the sweat and dead skin cells off the body and will not dry out your skin.
Use a moisturizing soap and a moisturizing body lotion
This will keep your skin soft and supple. I occasionally do this when I get really dry skin (usually during winter).
Use antibacterial soap
Using antibacterial and antifungal soap is great for preventing all kinds of skin infections. However, most antibacterial soaps are very aggressive and cause dry skin, which can increase itchy skin after BJJ.
A good compromise is to use Defense soap, a special BJJ soap for the jiu jitsu practitioner. It uses an essential oil mix to fend off bacteria, but no alcohol or anything else that dehydrates the skin. That’s why Defense soap is the most popular body wash in our martial art, especially for those with somewhat sensitive skin.
Drink lots of water
Drink lots of water before, during, and after your training sessions. This is very important when you are training hard in a hot environment. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of itchy skin in Jiu Jitsu.
Eat omega 3 fatty acids
Eat plenty of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely important for healthy skin. They help protect your skin from damage and also help to keep your skin soft and supple.
Wash your BJJ gi and belt often
You should wash your BJJ gi and belt after every training session. This really shouldn’t need more explanation – your training gear should be clean to prevent skin issues.
Also make sure that everyone else at your BJJ gym washes their BJJ belt after every training session, because some people think this is not necessary, but of course it is!
Take care of your itchy skin after BJJ!
Itchy skin after BJJ can have many causes. Most of the time itchy skin is benign, and a result of showering too much, the contact of your skin with the gi and the mat, or even just a change in the weather.
But, sometimes itchy skin is a symptom of a serious skin condition, in which case it’s important that you stop training BJJ and seek medical advice. In general, if your skin problem manifests itself as an itchy rash, you should pay very close attention to it.
In general, itchy skin can be easily treated and prevented with some basic skin care measures.
So make sure that you have your own BJJ skin care routine in order.
