Back to School, Back to Sports: Don’t Forget About Their Skin

It’s back-to-school season! 

It always amazes me how quickly we go from summer vacations and slower schedules to school drop-offs, practices, games, and activities.

As families settle back into their routines, there’s one thing that may not make the school supply list but is still worth thinking about: your child’s skin and hair.

Back to school often means back to football, soccer, dance, gymnastics, wrestling, basketball, and other activities. As a dermatologist, I want parents to keep a few skin and hair concerns on their radar this school year.

Sunscreen still matters after summer

The end of summer vacation doesn’t mean the end of sun exposure. Kids are still outside for recess, walking between buildings, practicing after school, and spending hours on fields and courts.

The challenge is that you’re not there to remind them to reapply their sunscreen.

Sometimes the solution is simply finding a sunscreen they’ll actually use.

While I generally prefer lotion or cream sunscreens for good, even coverage, sunscreen sticks can be a convenient option for reapplication, especially for kids and teens. 

They can swipe it on much like deodorant. Just remind them to rub it in and make sure they haven’t missed any areas.

The best sunscreen routine isn’t the one that looks perfect on paper. It’s the one your child will actually follow.

Sports can bring more than sweat

Close contact, shared equipment, locker rooms, heat, and sweating can all create opportunities for skin problems.

For wrestlers in particular, skin-to-skin contact can spread infections such as herpes gladiatorum, which is caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Sweating and heat can also make acne worse, including acne on the chest and back. Encourage your child or teen to shower as soon as possible after practices and games.

An acne body wash may also help.

If your child already has acne medication from a dermatologist, sports season isn’t the time to stop using it. Consistency matters.

Locker rooms can also expose athletes to fungal infections and warts. Take a look at your child’s feet periodically, especially between the toes and on the soles. Pay attention to new itching, redness, scaling, rough bumps, or other changes.

Pay attention to helmets and the back of the scalp

I also want parents of athletes who wear helmets to pay attention to the back of the scalp.

Some people develop persistent bumps in this area, particularly when the hair is cut very short, and there is repeated friction. A condition called acne keloidalis nuchae can eventually cause thickened scars and permanent hair loss if it progresses.

Avoiding extremely close haircuts in the affected area and reducing friction from helmets or other equipment may help.

If bumps aren’t going away, don’t wait until significant scarring develops to have them evaluated.

That “easy” hairstyle shouldn’t come at the expense of their hair

This is one I especially want parents to hear.

Dance, gymnastics, cheerleading, basketball, and other activities may require hair to be pulled back repeatedly. Braids, wigs, and other convenient styles can also make busy school mornings much easier.

I understand the appeal. When you’re trying to get everybody out of the house, convenience matters.

However, hairstyles that repeatedly pull on the hair can cause traction alopecia, particularly around the edges. Braids can cause traction in other areas of the scalp as well.

I’m seeing hair loss in younger patients, and we need to take it seriously. Continued tension can eventually cause permanent hair loss.

If a hairstyle hurts, causes bumps, pulls tightly around the edges, or you notice thinning, that’s your signal to make a change.

Convenience today shouldn’t create a long-term hair problem tomorrow.

The Doctor’s Note

As schedules change for the school year, don’t delay getting your child’s skin, hair, or nail concern evaluated.

If something is spreading, painful, causing hair loss, leaving scars, or simply isn’t going away, it’s worth having someone take a look.

I know school, work, practices, and activities can make scheduling difficult. If you can’t find an in-person appointment that works for your family, Simmons Skin Center offers virtual visits. If you need an alternate appointment time, contact the clinic and let us know.

Here’s to a healthy school year for their minds, bodies, and skin.