Currents: Sports and the Skin

Skincare for Athletes: Face Reality Skincare Partners with Olympic Swimmer Abbey Weitzeil

Face Reality Skincare partnered with Abbey Weitzeil, a former Golden Bear from Cal Berkeley and Olympic swimmer, for Acne Awareness month.

A 2016 Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist and American Record Holder, Weitzeil holds the title as the first woman in history to swim the 50 yard freestyle in under 21 seconds.

At the recent US Olympic Team Trials in Omaha, Weitzeil qualified for the 2020 US Olympic Swim Team in the 50m and 100m freestyle.

“Abbey is arguably one of the most dominant female sprinters in collegiate swimming history, she embodies strength and is a symbol for women’s empowerment,” says Jeremy Soine, CEO of Face Reality Skincare, in a news release. “However, despite her athletic success and achievements in the pool, Abbey has struggled to find balance with her skin. She recently sought the help of our team of Acne Experts to help her develop a strategic skincare program, so she can confidently step up to the blocks in Tokyo.”

Weitzeil was first introduced to Face Reality Skincare through a friend. Soon after, she began her treatment program.

“I have been using Face Reality Skincare for a couple of months and I have already seen an incredible difference in my skin,” says Weitzeil. “Since I was young, I’ve always suffered from backne and in more recent years, breakouts on my face as well. Hours and years in the chlorine pool was negatively affecting my skin and I started to get so self-conscious every time I got out of the pool. Not just physically, but mentally, I was not feeling confident in my own skin. I’ve always thought that the secret to clearing acne was to dry it out, but I’ve only recently learned that is a myth. Finding a regimen that both treats and hydrates skin has been such a game changer for me, and for the first time I feel like I’m getting my acne under control.”

Face Reality Skincare creates a personalized acne treatment plan, which includes a combination of professional services and at-home regimen that is customized to each individual’s skincare needs.

Game On: Level Ex Launches Top Derm Medical Education Gaming App

Level Ex, creator of medical video games for physicians, has expanded into the dermatology field with the launch of its newest medical mobile game, Top Derm. The company’s fifth specialty-specific game covers a wide variety of dermatology topics with original dermatological imagery, and will soon provide dermatologists with the opportunity to earn free continuing medical education credits (CME). Designed as a medical resource for dermatologists that addresses both common and rare skin disorders, Top Derm provides an opportunity for dermatologists to strengthen their skills and remain up-to-date with the latest industry techniques, treatments, and products through quick-burst challenges.

Despite the visual nature of the dermatology field, there is a scarcity of high-quality imagery for many dermatologic disorders. Harnessing the most cutting-edge visual effects and video game technology, Level Ex’s team built the dermatologist-approved DeepSkinFX Generator, which can create remarkable, medically accurate, high resolution imagery of any skin disorder on any region of the body and on any skin tone. Combining exclusive, stunningly detailed images with neuroscience-based game mechanics, Top Derm creates an engaging educational experience and gives dermatologists the ability to visualize and understand a wide variety of medical scenarios.

“Over 140 dermatologists collaborated with the video game industry’s top designers, developers, and artists to advance the field of dermatology through play,” says Sam Glassenberg, CEO and founder of Level Ex, in a news release. “As someone who has spent his career pushing the cutting-edge of video game graphics, I’m especially impressed by what we’ve achieved visually with our computer-generated images in Top Derm. Using industry-leading VFX technology, we’ve built a system capable of rendering images so realistic that dermatologists struggle to discern them from real photos.”

“The use of gaming for medical education is something I have been passionate about for quite some time,” says Peter Lio, MD, a dermatologist at Medical Dermatology Associates of Chicago. “Top Derm is a unique resource leveraging technological advancements to help train and reinforce identification of a wide range of disorders and diseases on different skin tones and in different lighting conditions; it’s a fun and interactive experience that educates us on important topics that impact many dermatology patients.”

Top Derm will continue to evolve after it launches: Level Ex will implement competitive multiplayer challenges, as well social features that allow dermatologists to connect in-game and engage in collaborative discussions.

Top Derm is available to download for free in the App Store and Google Play.

Dear Dr. Laundry

Mary Gagliardi, aka “Dr. Laundry,” Clorox’s in-house scientist and cleaning expert, answers reader’s top questions about their patients’ common concerns when it comes to laundry and the skin.

My athletic patients are always asking me how to get the sweat stink out of their workout clothing. What should I tell them?

Dr. Laundry: The best way to clean your sweaty, stinky workout clothes is to not just wash them with detergent, but also sanitize them! This is particularly the case when washing workout apparel that has spandex in it. This helps to remove and break down naturally occurring bacteria that get trapped deep within the clothing fibers.

While using bleach to wash bleach-safe laundry has been the go-to for laundry sanitization for decades, that didn’t help fabrics you can’t safely bleach. Now, laundry sanitizer products can help take care of the items you can’t add to your bleach load. I recommend using a product that kills 99.9 percent of odor-causing bacteria, such as Clorox Fabric Sanitizer, to sanitize all your machine washable laundry that isn’t bleach-safe. This works at any wash temperature, so it’s perfect for items labeled “machine wash cold.”

Many of my patients have sensitive skin. What should they look for in a detergent and what should they avoid?

Dr. Laundry: It’s important to make sure you’re using the right amount of laundry detergent, and that you’re using a detergent that is formulated for people with sensitive skin. These should be free of dyes and fragrances, so search for products that are labeled “fragrance free” and “dye free.” If you have a known sensitivity to enzymes, check ingredient lists to avoid those ingredients, as well.

Everyone is concerned about spreading germs now that the world is reopening again. What are the best ways to make sure dirty clothing and towels don’t spread germs?

Dr. Laundry: If handling dirty laundry from a person who is sick, the CDC recommends wearing gloves and a mask, and if possible, contain dirty laundry in a hamper lined with a washable laundry bag or plastic bag. Wash hands when finished handling the dirty laundry. If washing dirty bed sheets and towels, avoid shaking laundry to minimize dispersing germs into the air. Finally, clean hampers or laundry baskets according to guidance for surfaces.

Any advice on how often people should wash their clothing, especially if they have sensitive skin? Should you always wash new clothing?

Dr. Laundry: How often you should do laundry depends on what you’re washing. Clothes you wear close to the skin, like workout attire, underwear, socks, and bras, should be washed frequently, while other types of clothes can be worn multiple times before washing.

Many people prefer to wash newly purchased clothing before wearing, even if only to get any unwanted creases or wrinkles out! Others prefer that brand-new, fresh-off-the-rack look. People with sensitive skin may prefer washing clothes first to remove any fabric treatments (like starch or excess brightener) that are still present on fabric at the point of sale. It’s an individual choice!