Have you ever been plagued by very uncomfortable and unsightly skin abscesses?
Last year I struggled with it under my chin. In a bad way. From the bike helmet strap. It was REALLY embarrassing.
This year during Ironman training, aka, lots more miles…I developed a case in the bikini area that really SUCKED. BAD. I couldn’t get my mind to shut up doing the long rides because I was in decent and relentless pain the entire time! The tri shorts/seams had a bit to do with it but the main culprit was…
Not just ingrown hairs but a skin condition called Hidradentitis suppurativa. Which is something I have struggled with my entire life, just to a lesser degree as compared to during intense training. Lots of people have it. Read here.
I’m sooooo RELIEVED to be done with this issue. Here is what I did.
- Purchased a garlic supplement.
- Garlic is highly antibacterial. But doesn’t kill our own good gut bugs and end up giving you…(you know). I bought Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract with Vit C, Astragalus, and mushrooms. Took a coupe of weeks to really knock it out. I eat really well and all, and noticed a difference. Nature’s medicine. Check it out on Amazon.
- Exfoliated
- I exfoliated with Yes to Tomatoes Daily Clarifying Cleanser. Yes to Tomatoes rocks on the face too!
- Bought different bike shorts.
- The material in the groin is wide, no seams in the crease of the groin.
- Started switching shorts
- I began to switch shorts from swim to bike (and bike to run) for practices and plan to do the same during the race. You can get the same Yes to Tomatoes face wipes. Very refreshing.
- Patience
- This skin condition can be a systemic thing, so be patient. Add more garlic and onions into your diet. Both very good for you and antibacterial in it’s properties. Fixing this “surface” issue will also have secret benefits for your body, as the immune issue won’t only affect the skin but other unseen things as well.
Side note: this approach will work with teenagers with acne, etc etc etc.
Side note 2: Also. I have been giving my dog (boxer: pron to cancer/tumors) this Garlic supplement as well and noticed a difference already in her skin!
Happy riding!
