Swimming and Chlorine: How to Protect Your Skin, Hair, and Health - Page 2

For Skin

• Apply a waterproof sunscreen designed to protect against chlorine sensitivities.
• Shower frequently between swims to reduce the amount of overall chlorine your skin will absorb.
• Shower again when you are done swimming to remove all traces of chlorine. You can use soap this time.
• Apply after-swim lotions that are specifically designed to neutralize chlorine’s causticity.

While swimming in a chlorinated pool can heighten the chances of these effects, even the light amounts of chlorine in your daily showers can harm your skin and hair. Therefore you should consider installing either a shower filter or whole house filter to remove this and chemicals from your daily bathing routine.

Chlorine isn't the only pool culprit. Water itself (ironically) removes moisture from the skin. There is a layer of oil present on all of our bodies, but once immersed in water, it disappears. This allows for the dryness to set in. To combat this, after showering (following the swim), apply a moisturizer- either a lotion or cream.

Let the Healing Begin!

If you are suffering from skin or hair problems caused by chlorine exposure do not worry because the damage is reversible. The human body is incredibly resilient and if you follow the proper care and diligence to reduce contact with chlorine, your body will quickly heal on its own, and you may find that you can still enjoy fun activities such as swimming!