Medically reviewed by Haley Andress, PA-C
Chlorinated swimming pools do a great job of drying out your pores and skin as a result of chlorine strips away its pure oils. However in the event you develop a rash after swimming in a pool, you could be coping with greater than dry pores and skin: It’s attainable you’ve got a chlorine rash. Any pool rash can take away plenty of the enjoyable of going swimming, however there are methods to deal with a chlorine rash and decrease the danger of getting one other one the following time you bounce in.
Are you able to be allergic to chlorine?
A chlorine rash could look lots like an allergic pores and skin response, however there’s no such factor as a chlorine allergy. Slightly, a chlorine rash is a sort of irritant contact dermatitis—pores and skin irritation attributable to contact with a substance your pores and skin is delicate to.
Disinfectants equivalent to chlorine are widespread triggers of irritant contact dermatitis. If you have already got one other type of dermatitis, equivalent to eczema or seborrheic dermatitis, chlorine publicity can worsen it.
In people who find themselves regularly uncovered to chlorine, it could play an oblique function within the growth of respiratory allergic reactions, equivalent to bronchial asthma, by irritating the respiratory tract and making it extra delicate..
What does a chlorine rash appear to be?
A response to chlorine may cause redness, irritation and bumps or patch-like lesions. The pores and skin could also be dry, scaly or crusty. Sadly, the rash doesn’t really feel a lot better than it appears to be like: Itching could be extreme, and the pores and skin could also be tender. Signs normally develop a number of hours after a swim in a chlorinated pool or a soak in a scorching tub.
A chlorine rash is typically confused with swimmer’s itch (cercarial dermatitis), however swimmer’s itch is attributable to tiny parasites present in freshwater and saltwater. Until a pool is poorly maintained or the extent of chlorine is simply too low, it’s unlikely you’ll run into any parasites.
Who will get chlorine rashes?
Anybody could be hypersensitive to chlorine, however it’s extra prone to be a difficulty for individuals who spend an excessive amount of time in chlorinated swimming pools, equivalent to lifeguards {and professional} swimmers, or who work with chlorine. The chance is increased in the event you swim in closely chlorinated swimming pools, however even swimming pools handled with decrease ranges of chlorine may cause a rash. That’s as a result of chlorine creates a good harsher chemical known as chloramine when it mixes with sweat or urine that could be within the pool or in your physique.
You’re extra weak to chlorine rashes when you’ve got a situation equivalent to psoriasis or eczema that weakens the pores and skin barrier. This outermost layer of pores and skin usually protects in opposition to irritants and invaders. When it’s not functioning correctly, it provides chlorine simple entry into the extra delicate layers of pores and skin beneath. (Utilizing a barrier cream may also help restore its operate.)
Chlorine rash remedy
You may normally deal with chlorine rash signs at dwelling with over-the-counter lotions. You’ll have to keep away from chlorinated swimming pools and scorching tubs till the rash heals, however generally, it takes just a few days for signs to vanish. Do your greatest to keep away from scratching the rash, which might make it painful and will end in scarring.
To get aid, dermatologists advocate utilizing a number of of those:
- CeraVe Itch Relieving Moisturizing Cream. Each a moisturizer and an itch-stopper, this cream comprises 1% pramoxine hydrochloride for long-lasting aid of itching.
- Benadryl Itch Stopping Cream. This cream comprises 1% diphenhydramine hydrochloride, a topical painkiller that relieves itching. Oral Benadryl may also help in the event you develop hives.
- Hydrocortisone cream. These lotions soothe redness, itching and irritation. Don’t use one for greater than every week or in your face except your physician advises you to.
- A thick, fragrance-free physique cream. Thick lotions, equivalent to Eucerin Unique Therapeutic Cream and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, relieve dryness by locking moisture into the pores and skin.
See a dermatologist in case your signs are extreme, are getting worse or persist regardless of at-home remedy. The physician could prescribe a stronger steroid cream.
Methods to forestall chlorine rash
Once you’re able to get again within the pool, you may take some steps to keep away from a chlorine rash or at the least get a milder one.
Bathe first to clean away any sweat and oil so it doesn’t work together with chlorine and kind chloramine. Subsequent, slather on petroleum jelly or a pre-swim lotion or chlorine rash cream to assist cut back chlorine absorption. After your swim, bathe instantly and use a physique wash designed to take away chlorine, equivalent to TRIHARD After Swim Physique Wash. Apply a moisturizing cream, then grow to be unfastened, dry garments.
Chlorine rashes attributable to chlorine sensitivity are itchy and ugly. If the preventive steps above don’t assist sufficient, think about switching to a saltwater pool (they require much less chlorine) and even the ocean.
Written by Jessica Brown, a well being and science author/editor primarily based in Nanuet, New York. She has written for Prevention journal, jnj.com, BCRF.org, and lots of different retailers.