Pool Hygiene: Should You Shower After Swimming In The Pool?

Are you one of those people who immediately jumps out of the pool and races to the shower? If so, you’re not alone. Many people believe that showering after swimming is necessary in order to remove chlorine from their skin. In fact, Francesca Reynolds from Fort Lee, NJ wrote in and asked, “Whenever we swim at our community pool there is an overwhelming chlorine smell on us when we get home. Should I shower after swimming in the pool?”

The question is one that many people often wonder about. In this article, we will discuss the effects of chlorine on the skin and why that chlorine smell after swimming might be driving you straight for the showers.

How Chlorine Reacts With The Skin

Chlorine is a chemical that is used to kill bacteria in swimming pools. While it is effective at killing bacteria, it can also be harsh on the skin. When chlorine comes into contact with the skin, it can cause irritation and dryness. In some cases, it can even lead to eczema. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to avoid swimming in chlorinated water altogether.

Instructions For Swimmers With Skin & Eye Sensitivity To Chlorine

If you do choose to swim in a pool that uses chlorine, there are a few things you can do to protect your skin. First, apply a generous amount of sunscreen before getting into the pool. This will help create a barrier between your skin and the chlorine. Second, try not to stay in the pool for too long. The longer you stay in, the more time your skin has to absorb the chlorine. Finally, make sure to rinse off with fresh water as soon as you get out of the pool. This will help remove any residual chlorine from your skin.

The Saltwater Alternative

If you are a regular swimmer, you may want to consider investing in a pool with a saltwater system. Saltwater pools use salt to generate chlorine, which is gentler on the skin than traditional chlorine. Saltwater pools are also easier to maintain because you don’t have to add chemicals as often. As an added benefit, saltwater pools tend to feel softer and silkier than chlorinated pools.

Should You Shower After Swimming In The Pool?

Wondering, should you shower after swimming? The answer is, yes. If you have truly sensitive skin, it may be best to avoid swimming in chlorinated water altogether. However, if you don’t have sensitive skin, there are steps you can take to protect your skin while swimming. Apply sunscreen, Rinse off with fresh water as soon as you get out of the pool, and consider investing in a saltwater pool.

Is Showering After Swimming in The Pool Necessary?

The addition of chlorine as a disinfectant to swimming pools protects you from waterborne pathogens. The ideal range is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.0 to 3.0 parts per million. Just a little bit less chlorine is present than in drinking water which is typically 4 parts per million.

People who have discovered that swimming pool water affects their eyes are surprised by this fact. The cause or irritation is actually a chemical reaction between skin cells, sweat, lotions, and yes, even urine from other swimmers, which produces chloramines when it reacts with pool chlorine. If you’ve ever been to a public pool or a swimming pool at a resort, you will smell like chlorine because of these factors and when chlorine in the water can begin to cause skin and eye irritation.

While chlorine creates a safer swimming environment when it reacts with organic compounds a chemical reaction occurs which creates Trihalomethanes (THMs) which are toxic. Chlorine can also cause hair to take on a “bleaching” quality for those who spend an inordinate amount of time in the pool and even make hair turn green. To make a long story short, if everyone showers before entering the pool, the effects of THMs can be greatly reduced.

In general, experts advise taking a fast shower before entering a pool to lessen contamination and giving yourself a good scrub with shampoo and soap when you exit to remove any remaining chloramines. It’s also advisable to give your swimsuit a good washing too.

Aside from getting that chlorine smell off your skin and hair, swimming can take a lot out of you physically. A nice warm shower is a great way to wind down after exerting yourself swimming in the pool and we’re not the only ones who seem to feel that way. That feeling of “I need a shower” is almost universal and perhaps a contributing factor to why building an outdoor shower is fast becoming one of the more popular outdoor amenities to add when installing a swimming pool in the backyard.