Ah, summer! That glorious sunshine inspires lots of guys to head for the beach. Whether he lives near the ocean and goes regularly or travels a distance for a vacation stay on the sands, beach time is a lot of fun. However, guys need to know that all that sun, sand and surf can potentially impact penis health, especially where dry penis skin is concerned.
Salt water
As numerous skincare journals have noted, there can be tremendous benefits to salt water. For example, sea water kills bacteria and can balance pH levels. It also can help treat wounds. And some sources believe ocean water helps fight eczema.
However, it’s important to realize that many benefits of sea water come from the presence of magnesium, not from the salt – and that too much salt can counteract some of the beneficial aspects of ocean water. When salt gets on the skin, it dries it out – and fast. Even more problematic, the salt from a dip in the ocean doesn’t wash out easily. Toweling off doesn’t do much for it, nor does simply standing under a shower – even if that shower lasts quite some time. Regular bar soap does help remove salt, but not all of it. Foaming cleansers tend to do a better job.
Dry penis skin
The salt water factor becomes more problematic where the penis is concerned. Unless a guy is swimming at a clothing-optional beach, the salt is not only going to cling to the penis but also to the swim trunks and the form-fitting mesh jock inside. In other words, the penis is essentially getting “packed” in salt until the suit is removed for the shower.
As mentioned above, simply showering or even using a regular bar of soap won’t remove all the salt. Foaming cleansers are recommended, but many of these contain ingredients that may be a little too harsh for sensitive penis skin.
For other parts of the body, exfoliation is recommended to help remove excess salt. But exfoliating the penis is definitely not an option!
Sand
And then there’s the sand problem. Whether a guy opts to just stay on dry land and work on the tan or to immerse himself over and over again in the ocean, sand inevitably creeps into the swimsuit. Unlike salt, sand has a granularity sufficient to cause irritation. So while the salt water is creating dry penis skin, the sand is irritating the skin to create rashiness. Sand does wash off more easily than salt, but it can do damage to the skin before a man hits the showers.
Tanning
Men who prefer to dispense with a tanline also risk some dry penis skin issues. Sunbathing nude requires care and attention. The last thing a guy wants to do is lie stretched out on his back in all his glory and fall asleep for an hour or two. Even with sunscreen applied, he is likely to suffer a nasty penis burn – and all that sun will also help lead to a dry penis skin condition.
Take care
Men can take some steps to help prevent and treat dry penis skin from a day at the beach. For example, if spending a long time at the beach, take a couple of showers – and change into fresh swim trunks after each one. This helps decrease the salt on the skin over the long term.
Dry penis skin from a beach day can also be minimized if proper penis skin care is already part of a man’s daily routine. Using a first rate penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) can be of enormous help in this area. Select a crème that contains a combination of both a high-end emollient (something like Shea butter is ideal) and a natural hydrator (vitamin E works quite well.). The combination of these agents helps create a moisture lock that keeps skin moist longer. The crème should also include a good antioxidant, such as alpha lipoic acid. This can combat the free radicals that otherwise cause oxidative stress, thereby prematurely aging and damaging the penis skin.
