Skincare - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

on matters of personal hygiene i have the following inquiry

my pack straps leave large acne type welts on both sholders and upper chest after several days of hiking and sweating. i know the function of the straps is for stability, not support, so i’m bearing practically no weight on these regions of my body. i believe it’s caused by a combination of heat rash and friction. a few days after coming off the trail, these welts are gone. i change to clean shirts on a regular basis but am wondering if there is a magic bullet (gold bond powder, etc) that could keep this area clean, dry and kissably zit free.

any ideas?

aceboy

aceboy

#2

I’ve never found anything to prevent sweaty pack chafe/ rash. If you wash the area where you straps ride at the end of the day seems to help a little.

Darth pacman

#3

I sweat like a pig, but no zits. I used one of the Dr. Scholls powders for athletes(sp) foot on all sweaty parts. Especially where it counts.

Bushwhack

#4

I found on my thru-hike that skin problem like zits went away after a few weeks. I guess I was sweating so much that it kept my pores clean and my body just got used to a different level of hygenie.

Darth Pacman

#5

I have to agree with Darth. My skin was generally in much better shape on the Trail than it is back home. Having no mirrors is probably a good thing. One thing that I did and continue to do on long hikes is use biodegradable baby wipes around my “nether region” every day after using natures privy. Kept the oven ass at bay.

Farther

#6

How are baby wipes biodegradable?

carolina beau

#7

If you are asking if biodegradable baby wipes are available the answer is yes. If you are asking for a discription of the biological/chemical/environmental action on baby wipes, contact the manufacturer of the various biodegradable baby wipes.

Farther

#8

if what u got is what I think u got, cotton underwear might do it. It starts with itch, then your skin turns red. then the red dots turns white like zits. You must have a milder version of what I got. I dread summers. I can wear nothing but 100% cotton over my skin. I try to keep synthetic shirts avay from my neck. If I wear something that is not cotton it starts biting my skin. It takes 10 min. Even after I take it off, take shower or powder-no mather what I do, it takes its toll. Rash then zits. I have seen doctors, they did not have an answer. Cotton seems to keep the skin cooler. I have seen babies having it under their neck or armpits, where it gets hot. U can say we have sensitive skins as babies.:happy

turk