Outdoor Athlete Skincare: Wind, Cold, and Altitude

Outdoor athletes in cold, windy, or high-altitude environments face a combination of skin stressors that indoor training does not prepare you for. Cold and wind strip the skin's protective lipid layer faster than warm-weather exercise. Altitude dramatically increases UV exposure. And the temptation to ignore skin in favour of performance focus means problems compound over time.

• Windburn is not technically a burn — it is barrier disruption caused by cold air, low humidity, and wind stripping surface lipids. It looks red and feels raw. Treat with ceramide-rich creams; avoid fragranced products on compromised skin.
• Cold weather: use richer, more occlusive moisturisers than you would in summer. Petrolatum-based balms on exposed facial skin are used by elite endurance athletes for good reason.
• Altitude and UV: UV intensity increases approximately 10% per 1,000m of elevation. A skier at 3,000m receives ~30% more UV than at sea level. Use SPF 50+ on all exposed skin, including under goggles (which can cause a tan/burn line).
• Helmet and goggles: wear a buff or neoprene face mask for wind protection on long cycling or ski descents. Apply barrier balm before, not instead of, SPF.
• Lips: lip skin has no melanin and is highly UV-sensitive. Use an SPF 30+ lip balm and reapply frequently. Cracked lips in cold conditions also lose moisture rapidly — add an occlusive balm (Aquaphor, plain Vaseline).