How to Avoid Staph and other Skin Infections During Your Trip to Thailand

Best practices to avoid Skin Infections Ruining Your Thailand Training Trip

Imagine flying halfway across the world for a once-in-a-lifetime Muay Thai or MMA training camp—only to have it cut short by a nasty skin infection. Sadly, this is a reality for some travelers, and this may have been prevented if they’d followed hygiene protocols.

Thailand’s hot and humid climate can be a breeding ground for bacteria. For many visitors coming from cooler, drier countries, their immune systems aren’t used to the tropical conditions of Thailand, making them more susceptible to infections like staph and ringworm.

The Rise of Staph and other Skin Infections in MMA Gyms in Phuket

With the growth of MMA-focused gyms across Phuket and Thailand, staph infections have become more and more common.

Grappling-heavy sessions on the mats, such as BJJ and MMA, have increased the risk of infections significantly, and while many of these gyms offer world-class MMA training, their Muay Thai programs may not always be on par, prompting many to split their training across multiple grappling, MMA, and Muay Thai gyms.

Regardless of where or what you train, the risks remain the same. But you can take steps to protect yourself

Tips to Stay Infection-Free:

Shower Immediately After Training

Always head straight to the shower at the gym after the class. Use antibacterial soap and bring a clean change of clothes. If you’re extra cautious, rinse your workout clothes before showering your body. And yes, showering before class is basic gym etiquette. No one wants to clinch or roll with someone who smells!

Wear a T-Shirt to Reduce Skin Contact

Yes, I get it, it’s hot and sweaty—but wearing a t-shirt during Muay Thai training reduces skin-to-skin contact by up to 90%. It’s a simple, effective way to massively lower the chance of transmission during pad work, clinching, or partner drills.

Wash Training Gear Daily

Use the laundry service at your accommodation—it’s cheap and available almost everywhere. Wash everything: shirts, shorts, hand wraps, everything! If you leave anything at the gym, spray it with alcohol-based disinfectant before and after every session. Leave gloves in the sun to help dry and disinfect them. The sun is a great killer of germs; leaving your training gear in the sun can really help.

Stop Training and Treat Wounds Immediately

If you notice cuts, abrasions, or open wounds, stop training right away. Clean them thoroughly. It’s often better to skip a session than risk a serious infection or infecting other people. No one wants your blood on the mats (except maybe your head trainer)

If you feel sick with a cold or flu, take time off. Training while ill risks your own health and the health of your trainers and teammates. If someone else looks unwell or has visible sores or wounds, you can refuse to train with them.

Clean Equipment Before and After Use

Again, this is just regular gym etiquette, but it still needs to be said - whether you think you have an infection or not, always clean shared equipment—bags, pads, weights, mats—with alcohol spray or disinfectant wipes. This isn’t just respectful; it protects everyone.

Strengthen Your Immune System Before and During Your Trip

Long flights, moving to a tropical climate you are not used to, and a heavily increased training load will all weaken your immune system You can try and combat this by:

• Getting plenty of sleep
• Hydrating consistently
• Taking multivitamins
• Using ice baths and other recovery methods
• Avoid overtraining at the start of your trip.

Seek Medical Advice Immediately If Something Feels Off

Don’t waste time asking your mates or your mum or searching on Google for images. If you think you may have a skin infection or something feels wrong, go and see a doctor immediately and trust the medical professionals, especially when dealing with skin conditions that can have serious consequences! I don’t want to hear that you're listening to Dave from the bar, who says back in his day, you cut your leg and just carried on training or working. Listen to the experts!

Avoid Touching Your Face, Eyes, or Mouth

One of the simplest ways to prevent sickness and infections. Keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth, and nose during and after training until you’ve thoroughly washed. This has never been easy for me but try your best.

Tie Your Hair and Remove Jewelry

If you have long hair, tie it securely to avoid extra sweat and bacteria spreading during clinch or grappling. Also, remove all jewelry before stepping on the mats or into the gym—it’s safer and more hygienic.

Final Thoughts: Clean Hard and stay Healthy

Your Muay Thai or MMA trip to Thailand should be about growth as a person and becoming a better martial artist, not unwanted trips to the clinic and weeks out of training. With some better hygiene habits, you can train harder, recover faster, and enjoy your time in paradise without worry.