Why My High School 'Slugging' Routine Backfired: A Lesson in Facial Eczema
Written by Kira Damani
THE BEAUTY ED®’S NOTE: Can sweat and the sun cause facial eczema? THE LAB mentee Kira investigates the link between sun exposure, sweat, and facial eczema. Featuring insights from Dr. Peter Lio, this report explains why petroleum-based products can trap heat and worsen inflammation for Florida athletes.
As tempting as it sounds to skip SPF before a two-hour practice in the Florida heat, I advise you to put it on anyway. The long-term effects suck. I speak from experience.
During my first year of playing flag football for my school team in the fall (practices lasted 2 hours, from the beginning of August until mid-October), I noticed some discoloration around my lips. I thought it was just that my lips were dry, and that was somehow affecting the skin around them.
Is Your “Slugging” Routine Making Your Skin Bad?
So, like any other sensible 8th grader, I went to Walmart with my dad, got a tub of Aquaphor and Vaseline, and applied them every night before bed. If anything, it got worse after that.
The rashes became more flaky and spread to both my eyes and in cracked patches around my mouth. My self-confidence completely shrunk; I had no idea what was happening to me. At first I thought it was an allergic reaction to the Aquaphor, so I completely stopped using petroleum-based products. I’ve since done some research and learned from this article in Medical News Today, that Petroleum jelly is an occlusive, meaning it forms a waterproof seal over your skin.
And for an athlete like me, practicing for two hours every day in Florida, this seal trapped heat and sweat against the skin. This ‘greenhouse effect’ just made the inflammation and irritation worse, especially in sensitive areas like the mouth and eyes.
I then switched to natural alternatives like castor and coconut oils, but I ended up looking really oily all the time, and once the oil dried up, it was right back to square one.
The Dermatologists Verdict
I eventually cracked and spent an entire day begging my parents to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. The dermatologist told me that I was facing facial eczema, which has no real cure, but hydrocortisone, a corticosteroid medication, could be a temporary aid. Eventually, it faded away within 3 weeks of applying thin layers of hydrocortisone on the dry patches.
My eczema breakout lasted from September 2024 to March 2025 and it was ultimately all caused by my failure to wear sunscreen during practice. The sun exposure to my face dried out my skin and led to cracks and flakes in specific areas.
Why Sun, Salt & Sweat Made My Skin Worse
The salt from my sweat did not make matters any better and as Dr. Peter Lio, who is the Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dermatology at Northwestern University, explained in this article for the National Eczema Society, sweat actually makes our skin more ‘penetrable,’ allowing salt and bacteria to sink deeper into the barrier than they usually would.
Although most people find that the sun can soothe eczema and help patches itch less, some find that during the summer months, they see an increase in the spread.
The underlying fact here is that all of our skin is different, but you can never be too safe. Prolonged moments in the sun should not be ignored. Wear sunscreen.
Kira Damani is a freshman student, varsity basketball and flag football player and THE LAB mentee focusing on skin-positive storytelling. You’ll find Laneige, Makeup by Mario, L’Oreal Paris, and Laura Mercier in her beauty stash.
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