Can chlorine make eczema worse?

Why does my face feel dry after swimming in a pool?

Chlorine strips away natural skin oils, leaving skin dry and sensitive. Eczema also creates tiny cracks that let water escape quickly. Together, these explain why your face can feel dry after a swim and why existing eczema can become harder to control. Hot water and soap add to the dryness, so a hot, soapy shower is not the answer.145

A reaction after swimming is usually irritation rather than a chlorine allergy. Chlorine reactions can appear within minutes or up to a day after swimming. Saltwater pools also contain chlorine, so switching to one does not remove that exposure.4

How to protect your skin before and after swimming

These are general skin care precautions, including specific guidance for children with eczema.

1. 1Before swimming, apply your usual moisturizer and allow time for it to absorb. For children with eczema, a layer of petroleum jelly is another option.
2. 2Immediately after swimming, rinse thoroughly with warm, not hot, water. If you need a cleanser, use a soap substitute or a mild, unscented cleanser rather than ordinary soap.
3. 3Gently pat the skin with a towel, leaving it slightly damp. Apply a gentle, fragrance free moisturizer within 3 minutes of rinsing.
4. 4Continue moisturizing between swims, several times a day and whenever skin feels dry or tight. Smooth moisturizer onto the skin gently rather than rubbing.

Creams are useful during the day because they absorb quickly and are less greasy. Ointments suit very dry, thickened skin and nighttime use, but should not be used on weeping eczema. The best moisturizer is one you will use regularly, not the one with the most ambitious name. If you also use a prescribed steroid cream or another skin treatment, leave 20 to 30 minutes between it and your moisturizer; ask your doctor which should go first.36

Why does my moisturizer sting after a swim?

Eczema prone skin can sting when irritating substances reach its weakened barrier, and skin creams themselves can be irritants. An emollient, meaning a moisturizing treatment, can also cause burning or stinging because of a reaction to an ingredient. If an emollient wash stings and rinsing does not settle it, ask a pharmacist for an alternative. If a moisturizer causes burning or stinging that does not settle after a few days, speak to a pharmacist, nurse or GP.16

Should I swim if chlorine has irritated my skin?

Skip swimming while skin is raw, has open sores, is infected, is itchy and oozing, or has a severe eczema flare. Once those problems have settled, swimming with the precautions above is an option. Some children feel better after swimming, but they still need to rinse and moisturize.2

A mild chlorine irritation rash usually settles within hours to 1 or 2 days; that timing is not a recovery schedule for an eczema flare. Contact a healthcare professional if the rash worsens or does not settle within a couple of days. Yellow crusting and inflammation can signal infection. A sudden painful, widespread flare with small weeping sores needs urgent medical assessment.34

Why are bleach baths sometimes used for eczema?

Carefully diluted bleach baths are sometimes used for eczema with recurrent skin infections. They have a chlorine concentration similar to pool water and seem to reduce inflammation and itching, but can also cause dryness and irritation. Treat swimming and a planned bleach bath as different activities: follow your clinician's eczema treatment plan, and never apply household bleach directly to skin.7