Chlorine skin Allergy and Ways to Avoid It

Summer is a wonderful time that we all like because we associate it with good temperature, holidays, trips and, above all, being able to enjoy the swimming pool. However, allergy to chlorine on the skin becomes a problem that is repeated season after season and is not given the importance it deserves.

Chlorine is a chemical element that is frequently used to purify pool water and if not properly handled can seriously affect people’s health. Chlorine allergy on the skin is just one of its effects, but it also causes eye irritation, dizziness and respiratory problems that can be serious if you have a previous pathology such as asthma, bronchitis or cystic fibrosis.

For this reason, Godopools recommends cleaning pool water with ecological purification systems such as UV technology and nanocrystals, a system that is much more effective than chlorine, with no contraindications, low energy consumption and the ability to destroy all pathogens, bacteria and harmful microorganisms found in the water.

Effects of chlorine on the skin

Chlorine is a natural enemy of atopic skin, it promotes the appearance of eczema and makes skin reactions the norm. Although chlorine is used to remove germs and bacteria from water, it is a chemical bomb that also damages the skin surface and the biological layer that protects us against infections.

Another effect of chlorine, besides causing different types of allergies on the skin, is that it also dries and damages the hair and even the nails. This directly affects our physical condition and causes problems for people who often have atopic dermatitis on the scalp as well.

Skin allergies that occur in summer

During the summer we usually suffer from three types of allergies that are very repeated: The first is a natural reaction when our skin comes into contact with a jellyfish, the second is an allergy to unprotected sun exposure and finally the third and most common cause of skin allergies during the summer is swimming in a pool.

To protect ourselves and eliminate chlorine from our skin after bathing we recommend taking a shower with running water, keeping our skin moisturised with cream, protecting our hair with masks, our eyes with specific allergy solutions and, if we have eczema, treating it with an atopic skin product.

Furthermore, it is very important to bear in mind that the only 100% effective solution is to replace chlorine cleaning of the pool water with an ecological and environmentally friendly system such as the use of nano-crystals, UV technology or ozone cleaning techniques for water.

Chlorine contraindications for atopic skin

People who have eczema should follow a series of precautions when bathing in a pool if they want to avoid the effects of chlorine on atopic skin. The use of pre-bath cream to create a natural skin barrier is a basic step, as is the use of diving goggles to protect the eyes and a cap that covers the scalp to reduce chlorine exposure.

Bathing in a chlorinated pool aggravates eczema, a problem that is aggravated if the water temperature is above 28 degrees (special care should be taken with indoor pools and spas).

If we have respiratory problems such as COPD (chronic obstructive disease), our oxygen saturation is low or if we suffer from any respiratory pathology, the contraindications of chlorine are much more serious than its effects on atopic skin so we should avoid overexposure to this type of water.

Chlorine allergy in the skin makes it difficult for us to enjoy our free days and the pleasure of swimming. But if we follow the doctor’s instructions and, when possible, replace the chlorinated water with a method without contraindications such as ozone or nanocrystals, we will forget about this problem forever.