How Can Swimmers Maintain Healthy Skin?
What Happens to Our Skin While Swimming?
During swimming, our skin is exposed to water, minerals in the water, and halogens such as chlorine. Due to the differences in the content of sea and pool water, our skin reacts differently to these waters.
Effects of Sea Water on the Skin
Seawater is a water source rich in minerals. It contains many minerals such as Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, K, Fe, HCO3, Cl, SO4, NO3. Thanks to these ions, seawater is good for atopic dermatitis [1] . However, seawater also contains a large amount of salt. This high salt concentration damages skin lesions and irritates the skin layer. Desalinated seawater reduces symptoms such as itching, flaking and redness caused by dermatitis.
At the same time, the quality of the sea or ocean water you swim in is also very important for skin health. Swimming for a long time in waters with high levels of pollution causes allergic reactions, itching and other skin disorders [2] . Chlorine is added to disinfect these waters, as in pool water.
Effects of Pool Water on Skin
Pools are indoor swimming areas used by many people. Since they are common areas used by many people, it is extremely important to ensure their cleanliness. In order to maintain the hygiene of the pools, substances such as chlorine and hypochlorite are added.
Chlorine is an antimicrobial agent that is often added to pools due to its ability to kill microorganisms. However, it also has negative effects on the skin. Chlorine disrupts the oil layer in the skin's protective barrier and causes the skin's permeability to increase [3] . The oil layer acts as a barrier to prevent water loss. If this layer is disrupted, the skin cannot be moisturized sufficiently and the skin becomes dry.
Swimmers are exposed to chemicals in pools for a long time, and these chemicals are absorbed by their skin. For swimmers who already have sensitive and eczematous skin, swimming in chlorinated pool water increases symptoms such as itching and dry skin [4] .
Is Swimming Harmful to Skin Health?
Continuous skin contact with chemicals in pool water can cause problems in terms of skin health. Swimmers in particular are more likely to experience skin problems such as eczema and contact dermatitis [5] . As the duration of contact with chlorinated pool water increases, itching and redness also increase.
Transepidermal water loss in swimmers is greater than in athletes who do not participate in water sports. As a result of excessive transepidermal water loss, the skin barrier loses water and the permeability of the epithelial barrier increases. Thus, problems such as dryness and atopic dermatitis begin to occur in the skin [5] . In people with eczema or other skin problems, increased transepidermal loss causes their current symptoms to worsen.
Is Swimming Good for Skin Health?
There are many benefits to swimming in open water sources other than pools, such as the sea or lake. Swimming in open water areas has positive effects on mood. It makes a person more calm and peaceful and reduces stress. It would not be wrong to consider stress as the main cause of skin problems. Activities that reduce stress, such as swimming, have positive effects on the skin, albeit indirectly.
At the same time, being in contact with water provides relief from eczema [6] . It also reduces itching caused by eczema due to the decrease in sweating while swimming in water. In addition, sea water is good for dermatological disorders thanks to the minerals it contains.
How Should Skin Care Be After Sea and Pool?
The first thing to do after getting out of the pool is to take a shower. The chlorinated water on the body should be thoroughly cleaned with the shower. Swimming clothes that come into contact with the water should also be removed immediately and washed thoroughly with non-chlorinated water. Because if these swimsuits are not removed immediately, the skin may become blocked and directly irritated. It can also cause folliculitis and bacterial infections in children [6] .
There are also some points to consider when taking a shower. It is important not to use detergent-based gels in the shower. Because these gels erode the oil layer on the skin [3] . In order not to make the oil layer, which is already damaged by chlorinated water, worse, detergent-based shower gels should not be used. Especially people with eczema should avoid long and hot showers after swimming. It is extremely important to moisturize the skin with oil-based lotions after the shower and restore the moisture it has lost.
After swimming outdoors, such as at beaches, the swimsuit and skin should be washed with clean water. For this, parents can have clean water with them. Again, after the sea, the skin should be washed with oil-based lotions and moisturizing cream . It is also recommended to apply sunscreen to protect from the sun.
Ways to Protect Your Skin Health While Swimming
Some precautions should be taken to minimize skin contact with chlorinated water while swimming. Since chlorine can also be absorbed by hair follicles, this contact can be prevented by wearing a swimming cap. Goggles should also be used to prevent water contact with the eyes. However, the content of the materials used is also important. According to the recommendations of the National Eczema Association; people with eczema should prefer silicone materials more than latex and rubber [7] . Because latex products trigger contact dermatitis less.
Skin Care Tips for Swimmers
It is extremely important for swimmers who spend long periods of time in the water to pay attention to their skin care, as their skin barriers are damaged by chlorinated pool water. The oil layer on swimmers' skin is disrupted by chlorinated water, which causes the skin to dry out. To prevent this, they can apply a thick layer of oil-based ointments before and after entering the pool.
It is recommended that they take a shower immediately after leaving the pool to remove the chlorinated water from their body. It is also useful to check the content of the shower gels they use in the shower. They should prefer products that are harmless and non-irritating to the body.
Swimmers who swim outdoors should take care to apply sunscreen in addition to the above recommendations. Because they are in contact with the sun while in the water, it will be useful to apply sunscreen. The content of sunscreens is also important, like shower gels. Again, care should be taken to ensure that sunscreens do not contain endocrine disruptors. Frequent exposure to hormone disruptors, especially from a young age, causes early puberty, early menopause and thyroid disorders in later ages [3] . In order to prevent this, attention should be paid to the content of the products. UVB filters in sunscreens are among the main endocrine disruptors. Sunscreen products containing UVB filters should be avoided as much as possible.
In conclusion, although swimming provides many benefits for both physical and mental health, it is very important to take the necessary precautions to protect skin health. Although the contents of sea and pool water are different, it is possible to reduce the negative effects of both on the skin. Choosing appropriate and clean care products , adopting correct hygiene practices and not neglecting skin care after swimming will ensure that you have a healthy and happy swimming experience. It should not be forgotten that protecting skin health also plays a critical role in general health and small precautions can make a big difference in this regard.
Source
[1]Bak, JP., Kim, YM., Son, J. et al. Application of concentrated deep sea water inhibits the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice. BMC Complement Altern Med 12 , 108 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-12-108
[2] Halder, Joshua & Islam, Nazrul. (2015). Water Pollution and its Impact on Human Health. Journal of Environment and Human. 2. 36-46. 10.15764/EH.2015.01005.
[3] Serbestoğlu, A.,(Host).(23 July 2024). Swimming Notebook [Tuba Çalık- What Should Swimmers Do to Protect Their Skin?]. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3I8TIVmOTFeSkNBuK3aN1Z?si=af8060a1660a4db0
[4]
[5] Paciência, I., Rodolfo, A., Leão, L., Silva, D., Cavaleiro Rufo, J., Mendes, F., Padrão, P., Moreira, P., Laerte Boechat, J., Delgado, L., & Moreira, A. (2021). Effects of Exercise on the Skin Epithelial Barrier of Young Elite Athletes-Swimming Comparatively to Non-Water Sports Training Session. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 653. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020653
[6] O'Connor C, McCarthy S, Murphy M. Pooling the evidence: A review of swimming and atopic dermatitis. Pediatr Dermatol. 2023; 40(3): 407-412. doi:10.1111/pde.15325
[7] National Eczema Association. (2018, Jul 18). Swimming with Eczema: What You Should Know Before You Take the Plunge. https://nationaleczema.org/blog/swimming-eczema/
