Post-ride forehead acne - a solution?

[MercuryKev]

A couple of days after the last few audaxes I've ridden, my forehead has erupted in an unsightly rash of small spots, which coincide with the position of my helmet.  I'm thinking that it is cause by a combination of sweat, bacteria and irritation and on the last ride I carried anti-bacterial facewipes, which I used at each stop, in addition to washing my face but here I am three days on with a forehead like a teenage Burger King worker.

Is this something that anyone else has experienced and found a solution to?  I’ve tried washing my helmet pads but maybe they need to be sterilised but what could I use?

Any suggestions would be gratefully received as I'm not really enjoying reliving my teenage years.

Thanks

[Ariadne]

Ewww, not pleasant!

Could you wear something under the helmet? That might boil you to death, though.

You could soak the pads in Milton? I love Milton, use it for everything! It should kill off any bacteria.

[Greenbank]

I’ve tried washing my helmet pads but maybe they need to be sterilised but what could I use?

Get some Milton tablets from boots and soak the pads in a solution of it.

Sounds more like blocked pores though, might be worth borrowing some cleanser...

[Regulator]

Sounds to me like a heat or pressure rash.  There's not a lot you can do about it other than keep you helmet pads clean and take the helmet off whenever possible to relieve any pressure and allow sweat to dry.

Ariadne's suggestion of using Miltons fluid is an excellent idea.  Miltons is the dogs dangly bits for such things.

[Greenbank]

And consider wearing a cotton cycling cap under the helmet. Despite what you think it doesn't make you any hotter, it gets soaked up with sweat but then has a cooling effect due to evapouration. It should also keep the majority of the sweat and pressure off your head.

Cotton cycling caps are also much easier to wash than helmet pads.

[clarion]

Use witch hazel gel on the spots if theydo still come up.

[Andrew Br]

+1 to what Greenbank said.
I've started wearing a white cotton cap under my helmet and it makes everything more comfortable, cooler and it stops the top of my head getting sun burnt.

I'm actually searching for a peak-less cap so if anyone knows a source................

[Gattopardo]

Wash with coal tar type soaps, cheap and wash your face aa few times.

[peliroja]

Beware of too much washing which will strip your face of necessary oils and can actually cause spots and dryness!

I find not wearing a helmet helps.

[Thor]

Try an exfoliating wash after riding, to help with blocked pores - something like this

[Crystal Tips]

I used to have a similar problem with helmet & acne & also the same problem afetr running in the summer. 

I'd second the exfoliating suggestion - Lush do a brilliant one called 'Herbalism' that doesnt dry your skin out too much, and it certainly helped me.

[MercuryKev]

Thanks for all the advice. I think that I'm going to have to implement some form of post-audax hygiene routine or something   I'm going to try soaking my pads in Milton and on my 600 next week, I may ditch the helmet all together.

[Really Ancien]

I'm actually searching for a peak-less cap so if anyone knows a source................

A pair of scissors.

Damon.

[Andrew Br]

I'm actually searching for a peak-less cap so if anyone knows a source................

A pair of scissors.

Damon.

I was trying for a neater look than I'll get with scissors 

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

I used to have a similar problem with helmet & acne & also the same problem afetr running in the summer. 

I'd second the exfoliating suggestion - Lush do a brilliant one called 'Herbalism' that doesnt dry your skin out too much, and it certainly helped me.

And they do a fresh face mask called Cosmetic Warrior, full of garlic and tea tree oil. Whack that on your face for 15 minutes then wash it off. You get enough in the pot for four applications, but keep it in the fridge - it's made fresh without preservatives and has to be used within a fortnight. It dries spots right up, and gets rid of the nasty inflammation.

[geraldc]

I get acne after long audaxs, ie 300km+. I've been told its due to my hormones going a bit funny rather than being a soap dodger.

[GlasgowDave]

I'm actually searching for a peak-less cap so if anyone knows a source................

Chefs suppliers:



http://www.yarmo.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?PRODREF=44&NOLOGIN=1

or these look slightly better http://www.chefwear.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=149&DEPARTMENT_ID=72&

Dave