Both the swimmer’s itch and chlorine rash are swimming-related rashes. A swimmer’s itch is due to the microscopic parasites that dwell in freshwater, whereas a chlorine rash is a reaction of your body because of exposure to chlorine in the water.
In a swimmer’s itch, the parasites are from the snails in the water. When you contact them, the parasites can enter your skin. It can cause rashes that look like small pimples. Medically, this condition is known as ‘cercarial dermatitis.’
Knowing the difference between a swimmer’s itch and a chlorine rash depends on where you swim. Freshwater doesn’t have chlorine, unlike swimming pools. If a pool is clean and well-maintained, it contains the right amount of chlorine, preventing the growth of parasites.
Meanwhile, you will be more likely to experience a swimmer’s itch when you swim in salt or freshwater. This is especially true when you swim in the shallow water by the shoreline.
This article will explain the causes of chlorine rash and swimmer itch. Apart from the causes, you will learn the signs, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
Understanding Chlorine Rash
Chlorine is a chemical pool cleaner owners use to remove bacteria from the water. This makes the pool a safe environment to swim in and enjoy. Because of its powerful disinfectant properties, chlorine is added to various cleaning solutions.
Indeed, chlorine has multiple benefits. However, frequent exposure of swimmers to chlorine at the pool can cause several negative effects. This element can cause dryness and irritation of the skin. This is true even if you regularly swim and haven’t experienced skin problems.
If you experience a rash after swimming, you are not automatically allergic to chlorine; you might be sensitive to it. Luckily, there are ways to treat chlorine rash without avoiding swimming early on.
Symptoms of Chlorine Rash
Chlorine rash can make the skin itch after swimming. The common symptoms are the following:
- Crusting or scaling
- Red and itchy rash
- Hives or small bumps
- Tender or swollen skin
- Skin that can bleed or crack after frequent contact with chlorine
- Blisters or sores
Your eyes can be irritated from chlorine exposure. Sometimes, it can affect the respiratory tract, too. When exposed to chlorine, you might notice that you sneeze and cough frequently.
Cause of the Chlorine Rash
Not all swimmers experience a chlorine rash, but people can often experience it when they repeatedly expose themselves to chlorine. The immune system may tag chlorine as a foreign invader, like viruses or bacteria.
As such, the skin becomes irritated and inflamed. Chlorine can also strip the skin of its natural oils, causing it to dry.
Some residues can remain in the skin even after you rinse or bathe after exposure to chlorine. Indeed, continued exposure can lead to prolonged irritation and agony. Thus, swimmers, professional cleaners, and lifeguards are at risk for chlorine reactions.
Sometimes, the pool caretaker adds too much chlorine to the water, irritating the skin.
Treatment of Chlorine Rash
You can solve a chlorine rash by buying over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Examples of these are corticosteroid creams like hydrocortisone.
However, most medical professionals don’t recommend hydrocortisone cream on the face. The skin on the face is thin, and the cream can irritate the eyes and mouth.
If you experience hives, you can take medications or apply diphenhydramine cream, such as Benadryl. You can also buy lotions or body washes that remove chlorine and soothe the skin.
Avoid scented lotions, which can irritate the skin due to chlorine. The topical applications mentioned above will help reduce the incidence of a chlorine rash, allowing you to swim comfortably and enjoy the day.
When to Consult a Doctor
You must consult a doctor immediately if you are experiencing a severe allergic reaction, such as hives or difficulty breathing. An allergist will diagnose you and help treat the problems related to a chlorine rash. This is especially true for those with a chlorine rash who want to swim and continue their exposure.
Moreover, you must consult a medical specialist if the OTC medications do not heal your chlorine rash. An allergist can prescribe stronger treatments, such as corticosteroid creams.
Understanding Swimmer’s Itch
Cercarial dermatitis is due to a parasitic worm that clings to your skin. Don’t worry, this parasite doesn’t live in humans. It accidentally attaches to the skin while searching for an animal host. Its normal life cycle is from the water animal to the snail and vice versa. You happen to be present and swimming in the water when the parasite is looking for its natural host.
The worm can infect the waterfowl’s blood and all the animals that live near the water. Then, the animals or birds can pass the eggs of the parasites into the water by their feces. As soon as the parasite’s eggs hatch in the water, the larvae can swim around and find their second host, the snail.
After the parasite infects the snail, it develops. The snail excretes other parasitic larvae in the water. These larvae, known as cercariae, swim around in the water, looking for aquatic animals. Then, the cycle continues.
These larvae can live for 24 hours while hunting for a host to live and continue the cycle. Thus, worms can land on your skin if you swim in infected water.
Outlook for Swimmer’s Itch
During summer, a swimmer’s itch is a common ailment in different parts of the world. The rash can clear up on its own without experiencing further complications. As soon as the rash is gone, you can have a pigmented spot where the pimple was for some weeks.
Determining how long the water can remain infected will depend on several factors:
- Hundreds of species can be the parasite’s host
- There are various parasite species with attributes
- Waterfowl are migratory, and they can pick up the parasite in any part of the world
- The life cycle of the parasite will depend on the infection the snails or birds present
- The sunlight and temperature play a major role in the parasite's life cycle.
According to a 2015 study, more research is needed to determine the control measures. For example, knowing more about the species involved is advised to determine its control efforts. Moreover, a warming climate can increase the incidence of swimmer’s rash among us.
Indeed, control efforts are not easy. However, an anti-worm drug can cure waterfowl and decrease the parasite population.
However, this will require us to capture, treat, and release the birds individually. Reducing the waterbird population in recreational areas is a hard task. Snail or poison can also be used. However, this can damage other animals.
Overall, controlling the prevalence of the parasite in certain bodies of water can be difficult. However, a swimmer’s itch is not a serious medical condition.
People at Risk of Swimmer’s Itch
You can be at risk of experiencing the swimmer’s itch whenever you swim in infested freshwater. Putting in shallow water near the shoreline can put your life at a higher risk since the larvae can be present.
In addition, children can be at risk since they play and wade at the shore. If you have experienced a swimmer’s itch before, you will likely experience a worse reaction the next time you get exposed to it.
It is important to remember that chlorinated and well-maintained pools are safe to swim in. This won’t pose the danger of catching the swimmer’s itch on you. Moreover, a swimmer’s itch is not contagious.
Diagnosis of Swimmer’s Itch
Cercarial dermatitis can be challenging to distinguish from other skin reactions like bacterial infections, jellyfish stings, poison ivy, and insect bites. Your doctors might ask questions to aid in diagnosis. Some of the questions include:
- When did the rash begin?
- Have you been wading or swimming recently in salt or freshwater?
- Are there any other people swimming with a rash?
Your doctor might ask about your medical history. Thus, you must disclose any allergies, medications, or supplements. If the itching worsens, the doctor will prescribe stronger medicines.
Treatment of Swimmer’s Itch
You can rely on home treatments to calm the itch from a swimmer’s rash. Some of the remedies available are the following:
- Cold compress
- Corticosteroid cream
- Anti-itch cream or lotion
- Baths with Epsom salts, baking soda, or colloidal oatmeal
- Baking soda paste
When you think about swimming in freshwater, avoid wading in places where you know swimmers who experienced a swimmer’s itch.
How to Prevent a Chlorine Rash and Swimmer’s Itch
Here are some of the effective ways on how to avoid a chlorine rash:
Apply Petroleum Jelly
Apply petroleum jelly to your skin before diving into the pool. This will protect your skin from the water.
Take a Break From Swimming
Take a break from swimming or pool cleaning for some time and allow your skin to heal. Repeated exposure can only worsen matters when you have the rash or itch.
Take a Shower
Take a shower or bath before or after exposure to chlorine. Applying lotion to your skin with chlorine will only irritate it more.
Showering can help reduce your risk of experiencing rashes or infections. Showering with warm water and soap after swimming can help eliminate the bacteria from your hair and skin. Pool owners or homeowners who wish to protect the swimmers can now invest in a shower head filter, such as the Berkey Shower Filter. Here are some of the reasons why:
Remove Chlorine and Parasites in the Skin
When you shower without a water filter, chlorine from the pools will not be removed from your body. With this, the chemical can enter the body, travel the bloodstream, contaminate it, and cause damage.
But when you shower with a filter like the Berkey Shower Filter, it helps protect your body on the inside. This can help you feel fit and energized, especially after a long day of the swim. The skin will look younger, glowing, and ready for a fun day.
The Berkey Shower Filter is an affordable solution that you can use to prevent swimmers' itch and chlorine rash. You can easily screw this in between the shower pipe from your wall and the showerhead, and you are ready to make a splash.
The filter can last for one year or 25,000 gallons of water. It contains an improved filtration media, effectively removing hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, iron oxide, or rust water.
Moreover, this product can work at various temperatures, with a maximum operating temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to removing chlorine, it can also remove different pollutants that cause skin issues.
The Berkey Shower Filter is BPA-free, effective for cold and hot water, and can reduce chlorine by up to 95%.
Conclusion
Indeed, swimming is an enjoyable experience. It can boost your day, remove your troubles, and prepare for the challenges ahead.
Chlorine is added to the swimming pool to kill the bacteria present. However, prolonged exposure can cause rashes on the skin. Meanwhile, fresh and saltwater can contain parasites that can itch the skin. Even if you are healthy, you might not notice that the parasites start to cause damage to your skin.
However, you need not stop enjoying swimming because there are a few effective steps to treat an itch or rash. You can take medications or shower with a filter. A shower filter can reduce harmful bacteria and chemicals, decreasing the disease risk.
When installed, it can remove sediments from the water, reduce the traces of chemicals in the skin, and prevent sickness.
For most people, buying a shower filter is worth the price. With this, they can protect themselves and their family from inhaling, absorbing, or consuming dangerous pathogens and chemicals. This will leave soft skin and hair.
Invest now in a good shower head filter like the Berkey Shower Filter.
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