How to Prevent Chlorine Rash and the Available Treatment Options
Did you know that when chlorine gets added to swimming pools, it forms a weak acid called hypochlorous acid that kills bacteria like E. Coli and Salmonella? It also kills the germs that cause diarrhea and the swimmer’s ear. Therefore, chlorine must be used in swimming pools to protect bacteria and germs from forming.
So what happens when you get itchy skin after swimming in a chlorinated pool? This is called a chlorine rash. If you find this is happening to you or your loved ones, keep reading for information on preventing and treating a chlorine rash.
What Is Chlorine Rash and Its Symptoms?
When you get into a chlorinated pool and have itchy skin after, it’s likely a chlorine rash, your skin gets irritated due to contact with the chlorine in the pool (irritant contact dermatitis); it’s not an allergic reaction necessarily.
If your skin is hypersensitive to chemicals of all kinds, you will also be more prone to getting chlorine rash. And the longer you stay in the pool, the longer you expose yourself to chlorine, and the more severe your rash will be.
Some common symptoms are:
- Itchiness
- Redness
- Skin tenderness
- Lesions or rashes
- Scales or crust on the skin
Remember that chlorine rashes are not contagious, so if you get it, you can’t pass it to someone else.
How to Prevent and Treat Chlorine Rash?
When you visit highly chlorinated pools like public pools or a hotel pool (where they have to be extra careful to kill off any germs), you are more likely to get a chlorine rash. Instead of avoiding these pools, which isn’t a feasible long-term solution, use these prevention techniques instead.
Before getting in the water, apply an ointment like Aquaphor or Vaseline, which can act as a barrier between your skin and the chlorinated water. This is how to prevent these rashes most effectively.
Also, do not go home wearing your wet swimsuit. Change out of it immediately and take a shower to remove any chlorine on your skin. After you shower, you can apply moisturizer, so you don’t trap any chlorine on your skin.
Once you notice you have a rash, avoid using the pool for a few days after, so your rash has a chance to heal. Then follow the prevention tips above to protect your skin from further irritation and rashes. If you feel like your rash isn’t getting better, then visit a dermatologist or a skin specialist to get treatment.
In most cases, though, following the tips above should be enough to take care of and prevent chlorine rash.
Itchy Skin After Swimming in a Chlorinated Pool?
If you or your loved one gets itchy skin after swimming in a chlorinated pool, then it’s time for you to investigate further. A chlorine rash isn’t anything to worry about, but it can be annoying.
Instead of visiting highly chlorinated public pools, why not get a pool in your backyard, so you can enjoy great memories with your family but not worry about contracting some germ or virus from a stranger?
Contact Precision Pools & Spas to get your custom swimming pool quote.