What should I do straight after swimming?

  1. 1Shower as soon as you leave the pool. Use fresh, clean water, keep the shower short and choose warm rather than hot water.
  2. 2Wash gently with a mild cleanser or body wash. Avoid scrubs, loofahs and vigorous rubbing, especially if your skin is already irritated.
  3. 3Pat dry, leaving your skin slightly damp. Apply fragrance free moisturizer within five minutes of finishing the shower.
  4. 4If you are returning outdoors, apply water resistant, broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen. Reapply after leaving the pool and toweling off.
1234

Should I wash my face after swimming?

Yes. Include your face in the fresh water wash, using a mild, unscented cleanser and rinsing thoroughly. This is general skin care guidance applied to your face, not a separate facial treatment. Avoid antibacterial or deodorant washes, which can dry skin. Washing removes the pool water; scrubbing harder can damage the skin's protective barrier and make chlorine irritation worse.13

Should I moisturize after swimming?

Yes, after every swim and shower rather than waiting until bedtime. Moisturizer traps water in your skin, so apply it while your skin is still damp. Choose a fragrance free product; a thick moisturizer made for dry, sensitive skin is useful when pool water leaves you dry. Moisturizers soften skin and reduce dryness and feelings of tightness. Damp skin gives moisturizer water to trap, which is a more concrete assignment than "revitalizing" anything. Keep moisturizer in your swimming bag so you can apply it promptly and use it again when your skin feels dry.135

Can chlorine dry out your skin?

Yes. Chlorine strips away natural skin oils, leaving skin dry and sensitive. Saltwater pools contain chlorine too. Frequent swimmers face repeated exposure, while friction from tight swimwear and repeated movements can further damage the skin barrier. A rash after swimming is usually irritation rather than a true chlorine allergy, but not every rash that follows a swim has the same cause.3

How do I protect my skin from pool chlorine?

Shower before entering the pool as well as afterward. The first rinse removes sweat and oils that react with chlorine to form more irritating compounds. Wash swimsuits and dry them thoroughly before wearing them again. For outdoor swimming, apply sunscreen half an hour before entering the water, then reapply after swimming and toweling off.23

What changes if I have eczema?

Use your usual emollient, a moisturizer, as a soap substitute if that is part of your eczema care. For children with eczema, apply their moisturizer or petroleum jelly before swimming, rinse immediately afterward and moisturize damp skin within three minutes. Keep children out of pools during a severe flare, with infection, open sores, raw skin or itchy, red, oozing skin.46

What if I develop a rash?

Mild chlorine irritation often settles within hours, or a day or two. Avoid scratching and harsh exfoliation. Contact a healthcare provider if the rash worsens or does not clear within a couple of days. Get immediate medical help for a rash or hives accompanied by swelling, vomiting, dizziness, or difficulty breathing or swallowing.3

Where this answer comes from

  1. 112 summer skin problems you can preventaad.org
  2. 2Why Water Turns Fingers and Toes Into Pruneshealth.clevelandclinic.org
  3. 3Chlorine Rash: Why It Happens and How To Treat Ithealth.clevelandclinic.org
  4. 4Will swimming in a pool trigger my child’s eczema?aad.org
  5. 5Massage and Scar Mobilisationchelwest.nhs.uk
  6. 6Atopic eczemabad.org.uk