4 Disgusting Long-term Effects of Chlorine on Skin

As swimmers, we spend A LOT of time in the pool. This gives us chronic exposure to highly chlorinated water.
Have you ever wondered what the long-term effects of this exposure may be? Well, I’m here to tell you the shocking truth about the chlorine effects on skin:
 

Eczema

Eczema… not only is it hard to pronounce, but it’s also hard to get rid of. This pesky skin condition is linked to exposure to chlorinated water.
“Numerous scientific studies report that chlorinated tap water is a skin irritant and is associated with rashes like eczema.”
Moral of the story: if you have sensitive skin, you may have some side effects. If you are unwilling to cut back on your pool time (like me) you may want to see a dermatologist if any signs of eczema show up.
You don’t have to suffer through it alone. There is a lot you can do to deal with the symptoms. They may even prescribe something special to apply topically that will nurse your skin back to health.

Acne

Acne… The dreaded zit… Nobody likes it.
Everyone has experienced at least one zit though, right? So don’t be embarrassed if this is something you are dealing with. The best thing you can do is be informed.
That way, you’ll know what to do to prevent future breakouts.
“Chlorine dries out your skin and causes the sebaceous glands to overproduce sebum, or oil, which can clog pores and cause breakouts. Rubbing a little oil-free lotion on the skin after showering is a good way to prevent skin from drying out”
 

Dry Skin

“Chlorine can destroy much of the needed protein within the body. Short term, this can lead to dry, itchy skin. Continued depletion can lead to very dry skin.”
How do you combat this effect? Keep baths and showers as short as possible because added “rinsing” only dries the skin further. The water wicks away the natural oils even more.
You also should compensate for oils lost by applying lotions and other topical moisturizers. Make sure to stay hydrated as well. Drink lots of water.
 

Hope is Not Lost

Is it nice to hear about all of these awful things your skin is more susceptible to? No. But is it good to know? Yes.
Now that you are informed, you can do something about it. You can have your cake and eat it too. You can swim as much as you want and know how to deal with these pesky skin symptoms if they decide to pop up.
So, put in your waterproof Swimbuds Sport headphones and crank up the tunes on your Underwater Audio Waterproof iPod Shuffle. Dive in and listen to the music. RELAX! We are all in this together.
If you have any comments or questions, feel free to write to us in the section below.