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This is a super exciting post for us because it is the launch of our first product! In this article, we will discuss the various fungal infections that you can get along the way of training as an athlete. This site is primarily focused on grapplers but the spectrum of people that train in other ways is massive. BJJ Soap bars are just the beginning for us here at Grapplers Graveyard! Let’s learn how to keep ourselves clean and away from any nasty infections that could stop us along the way!
All Natural Remedy Soap
Remedy soaps use all-natural active ingredients and natural essential oils, they are produced without the use of any chemicals or preservatives. There are multiple benefits of using remedy soap over regular soap.
These great skin cleansers eliminate bad body and foot odor, and dead skin cells. They also help prevent common skin infections like ringworm, jock itch, athlete’s foot, and much more.
The natural essential oils may consist of tea tree oil, olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, and eucalyptus oil. These could be in the form of bar soap or liquid soap and can contain traces of aloe vera and shea butter. Both of these help with inflamed skin and soothe athlete’s foot through their powerful antimicrobial properties.
Filthy Animal Soap
We are so excited to launch our first product on our website! Grapplers Graveyard is a website built for those who love to push themselves to their limits and want to become the best version of themselves by doing challenging things. BJJ and various grappling sports are not easy and we wanted to provide a product for people who also carry themselves in the same way. Whether you train BJJ or not is irrelevant what matters is the character of the individual.
Filthy Animal Soap is a new kind of naturally hand-made soap that is specifically built for tough people who no longer want the BS chemicals on their bodies. Made with real ingredients with decades of laboratory experience, Filthy Animal Soap is giving way to a breakthrough in the soap-making process.
All Natural ingredients and no added chemicals
Filthy Animal soap is made with shea butter, castor oil, palm oil, and various essential oils to provide people with a clean ingredient that not only is good for the skin but also smells great. You work hard to keep your body at its peak by training or partaking in various forms of exercise, give your body what it needs and get Filthy Animal Soap today right on our site!
Types of Fungal Infections
Athlete’s Foot
This is an infection that catches on a person’s feet because fungi thrive in damp, dark, and sweat-infested areas with the most common being shoes, socks, swimming pools, saunas, and locker rooms. Athletes’ foot is usually more common during hotter seasons.
Symptoms of Athlete’s foot include:
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A foul odor on feet and in footwear
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Foot illnesses like rashes
Jock Itch
This is an infection that usually occurs in the midsection of a person’s body like the inner thighs and glutes and other warm and dark places. It forms a red ring-like itchy rash that is quite contagious if not looked after properly meaning it can easily spread to others through direct and indirect contact.
Symptoms of Jock Itch can include:
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Itchiness
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Scaly skin
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Rashes spreading from the initial area affected
Ring Worm
This is one of the most common infections among athletes, it forms a ring-shaped rash that is very itchy. The most common cause for Ringworm is not making hygiene a priority and just being dirty. It is contagious and can easily spread to other athletes while practicing BJJ or other martial arts.
Symptoms of Ringworm include:
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Red, scaly, and rashed skin
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Ring-shaped rash
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Hair loss
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Itchiness
Yeast Infection
Yeast infections are caused by the spread of a fungus called Candida. This usually happens in dark warm areas like the armpits and groin of a person. This is a non-contagious infection however can be of a high severity if not medically treated properly. These infections have strong painful symptoms and are hard to slow down even if medically treated.
Symptoms of Yeast infection can include the following:
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A foul stench of discharge
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A burning sensation during urination
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Excessive itching near the genital area
Aspergillosis
This is caused by Aspergillus, which is a common mold or type of fungus that can be found in and outdoors. The average person inhales particles of this fungus every day but is usually unphased. However, for those with weaker immune systems and more sensitive skin than average, they can develop health problems.
Symptoms of Aspergillosis can commonly include
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Runny nose
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Headache
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Reduced ability to smell
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Stuffiness
Blastomycosis
This is a common infection caused by the Blastomyces fungus that is usually found in the environment on moist soil or around decomposing plants like wood and leaves. Most people would not be affected by Blastomycosis when they inhale Blastomyces from the air. However, in some cases, they can develop a cough or fever.
Some common symptoms of Blastomycosis can include:
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Fever
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Cough
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Night sweats
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Muscle aches or joint pain
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Weight loss
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Chest pain
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Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
Benefits of Using Antifungal Soaps
Infections and itchiness are very common among the average person. It is not necessary that these may come as serious issues or diseases but usually as an itch or sudden redness. In most cases, they’re caused by different types of fungus usually because of a lack of hygiene.
There are other reasons for them occurring especially for athletes like excessive sweating which can cause bumps, redness, and harsh itching.
However, there is a simple solution to common infections. You should use an antifungal soap that caters to your problem and your skin type as these two factors essentially decide what kind of soap would be the best fit for good riddance.
Anti-fungal soaps work great for treating severe infections and breakouts, however, they work to their highest potential when symptoms are still mild. These work by killing and preventing the growth of fungus during its initial stages.
They also relieve the body of any symptoms caused by the fungal infection. Anti-Fungal soaps may be used to treat many fungal infections, such as ringworm, athlete’s foot fungus, fungal nappy rash, and fungal sweat rash – the most common types of infections in most athletes.
How Do You Know What Type of Antifungal Soap You Need?
There are a few important things one should look for when trying to buy the right antifungal soap for themself. These mostly include:
Quality
In most cases, you should try to use the best quality of soap as cheaper options might have had corners cut during the production process, which could potentially make your infection worse. You should also aim to look for a soap that is durable and long-lasting, usually for at least over a year.
Price
This is an important factor as the person must know the amount they are willing to invest and then explore the options that fall in their budget. They should try and find the best deals by checking multiple retailers and the options they offer.
If different qualities of soap do not have a big difference in price, it is generally recommended to get the slightly costlier but better quality bar soap.
Features
It is of extreme significance that before buying any kind or quality of antifungal soap, a person should do their homework and find out what features they need for the issues they have. This is because there is not a universal bar of best antifungal soap that cures all infections, but rather specific kinds that target specific fungal infections through differences in ingredients.
Good Reviews
Like with buying anything, it is essential to read the reviews from real customers as it gives a good idea of what you are buying. You should always choose a product that has superior customer reviews so that you are not misled by brands singing praises of their products.
Likewise, with antifungal soap, you should find reviews of customers that have gone through the same symptoms as you have and if the product they bought helped them.
What Else Can Grapplers Do To Prevent Ringworm And Common Skin Infections
Ringworm is one of the most common fungal infections that most wrestlers and grapplers regularly face. It is when a rash in the shape of a ring forms on your body that is very itchy. This and other skin infections are most common in BJJ gyms and other martial art training centers.
This is because the main reason for the spread of infections is body-to-body contact. There are multiple ways that grapplers and martial artists can avoid such kinds of annoying infections which include:
Using defense soap before training
The worst thing you can do as an athlete is show up to your training sessions dirty which entirely creates a breeding ground for ringworm. What you should do is take a shower right before training and also use defense soap which is which does not kill the good bacteria on your skin. Focusing on personal hygiene is essential to be safe from any fungal infections.
It is not recommended to use antifungal soap before training as it kills the good bacteria on your skin which serves the purpose of protecting you and your healthy skin from harmful germs and fungi.
Using an antifungal soap or body wash after training
The best thing you can do to prevent ringworm which is essentially a fungal infection is to use a powerful antifungal soap or body wash after training when you shower. This will kill all the harmful bacteria and fungi that you may have caught during rolling or grappling.
Keeping your gear (and your body) clean
Another factor that is absolutely key to avoiding ringworm is to make sure that your gear is clean. This includes your gis, rashguards, shorts, shirts, socks, towels, and even thin gear like singlets and headgear. Regularly washing your gear is a great procedure to make sure you never catch ringworm.
Keep as much skin covered as possible
One should emphasize wearing rashguards and spats during training and during competition not for just their temperature-regulating benefits but because they keep your skin covered. The less skin that is in direct contact with other athletes or mats the better.
Train on clean mats
This holds high value because this is the only preventing factor that is not in the athlete’s hands, but one that the training institute or gym controls. Dirty mats are foul breeding grounds for bacteria that could potentially cause infections much worse than ringworm.
It is recommended that people join gyms that promote hygiene and make it a priority as negligence is hazardous.
Do not share gear or clothing
Keeping your gear to yourself is essential to avoiding skin infections as you do not know the hygiene measures taken by the other athlete. Most skin infections are contagious and can easily spread through sharing gear and clothing.
Avoid training entirely if you have ringworm
The last major tip that an athlete should focus on is that in the unfortunate case that they do catch a case of ringworm, they should avoid training and going to the gym. Skin infections can easily be caught even during little contact and therefore you should completely quit going to training until and unless the infection is entirely gone.
Other Great Soaps And Body Washes For After BJJ and Wrestling
There are a lot of great options in the market for high-quality antifungal soaps and body washes. These can include;
Defense Soap
Defense soap is the most well-known soap for athletes on the market. It is a great brand with great products and you really cannot go wrong with what they have to offer. Filthy Animal Soap is better though don’t you forget it!!!!
Derma-nu Antifungal Therapeutic Soap
It is a great antifungal soap that is very effective against yeast infection. It helps with bad odors and is safe for all skin types, this natural soap is made from only the highest quality organic materials and is paraben-free.
Ose-DuDu Raw African Black Soap Block
This is another excellent option that is made from old highly effective remedies that easily tackle skin problems. These include body odor, blackheads, dry skin, red skin, eczema, oily skin, wounds, wrinkles, anti-aging, dark spots, and much much more. This soap is alcohol-, paraben-, and synthetic-chemical-free. It is completely scentless though.
Katialis Antifungal Medicated Soap
One more option that works great is the medicated bar soap made by Katialis. This soap is particularly amazing because of its healing properties for irritated skin and also works wonders on rough and oily skin. It has a pleasant smell and is perfect for all skin types. However, it melts quite easily.