Top 12 Tips to Protect Your Skin from Chlorine Water

How to Protect Your Skin from Chlorine Water?

To beat the summer heat, jumping into a pool is a thrilling experience. Isn't that so? But did you know that chlorinated pool water may be harmful to your skin and hair?

When you take a swim in the pool, your skin is exposed to chlorine-treated water, which promotes a sticky tan and other problems. So, how do you safeguard it?

What Causes Chlorine Water To Be Harmful To Your Skin?

Chlorine is a powerful chemical that may compromise your skin's protective barrier. This might cause your skin to lose its natural oils, resulting in irritation and other skin problems.

The skin's barrier is harmed by chlorine water, which causes irritation. It may also darken the skin. However, with the use of excellent moisturisers and sunscreens, the damage may be reversed.

The following are some of the ways that chlorinated water may affect your skin:

Damages and darkens the skin from the sun

When your skin is physically exposed to the sun, it increases the rate of melanin formation. Melanin is naturally present in the skin. Sun exposure, on the other hand, accelerates the rate of synthesis, resulting in skin darkening. Nothing can protect your skin from UV harm since chlorinated water breaks down your skin barrier. Sunburns and excessive tanning are the results of this.

The skin's barrier is harmed by chlorine water, which causes irritation. It may also darken the skin. However, with the use of excellent moisturisers and sunscreens, the damage may be reversed.

Is a Drying Agent

Chlorine is a natural irritant that opens pores and depletes the skin's natural oils, which keep it hydrated and healthy. Chlorine overexposure may dry out your skin, causing redness and discomfort. Continuous exposure to chlorine over a long period of time might cause premature ageing and have a negative impact on the skin's health.

Causes Early Aging?

When you wash your hands, have you ever noticed wrinkles on the tips of your fingers? Long periods of time spent in a chlorinated pool may be harmful to your skin.

The deeper layers of your skin are exposed to environmental aggressors since chlorine water removes your skin's natural barrier. This may cause fine lines and wrinkles by breaking down the protein in your skin that keeps it tight and elastic.

Causes Rashes And Itching

Chlorinated water may increase sensitive skin symptoms, including itching, rashes, and inflammation.

Causes Sebum Overproduction And Breakouts

Your skin may overproduce sebum owing to a lack of moisture caused by a damaged barrier. This is your skin's way of compensating for the absence of essential oils it requires. Acne is caused by an excess of sebum.

Chlorine Kills Beneficial Bacteria

Chlorine aids in the elimination of dangerous germs that cause illness. At the same time, it destroys the good bacteria and beneficial microflora that are necessary for our skin's health. According to certain research, chlorinated water may degrade vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Conditions that have worsened

If you have hypersensitive skin due to a pre-existing disease like eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis, chlorine might aggravate it even more. When chlorine is dissolved in water, hypochlorous acid is formed, which causes additional skin irritation. This causes dryness, scaling, itching, or rashes in the skin that are already present.

Burns

Chlorine burns may occur if there is too much chlorine in the water. Blisters and severe burns might occur if you are exposed to a high quantity of the chemical.

How To Avoid Skin Damage From Chlorinated Water and What can I put on my skin before swimming?

Before entering the pool, wet yourself

Wet yourself shortly before entering a chlorine-treated pool, regardless of whether you had a shower that morning. Are you curious as to why? Because dry skin absorbs chlorinated water fast, this is the case. This water penetrates deeper into the epidermal layers, causing more harm.

Perfumes, perspiration, soaps, shampoos, and other cosmetics are also made up of organic molecules. When these substances come into contact with chlorine-treated water, they may produce dangerous by-products and poisonous fumes. Chloramines, one of the by-products, may be damaging to your skin and health.

A brief shower will protect your skin from the harmful effects of chlorine-treated water by preventing it from absorbing it.

Keep your hair and eyes covered

Your eyes have a tear film that maintains them moist and clear, much like your skin's protective barrier. Chlorinated water may pull away from this thin coating, causing pain and burning in your eyes. So put on your goggles before diving into the pool.

Your hair, in addition to your skin and eyes, is immediately exposed to the chlorinated pool water. This might result in a lot of dryness. As a result, wearing a swimming hat to protect your hair would be great.

Include Vitamin C in your daily routine

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps to protect the skin from the sun's rays. By suppressing tyrosinase, topical Vitamin C may aid to minimise suntan (melanin-producing enzyme in the skin) as per studies.

Put on a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen

Sunburn from swimming is a regular occurrence. Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which protects your skin from both UVA and UVB rays of the sun, will help you avoid this. Not only that, but sunscreen also acts as a barrier, preventing chlorine-treated pool water from coming into direct touch with your skin.

To avoid being rinsed away, make sure your sunscreen is water-resistant. Apply sunscreen to your skin for at least 15-20 minutes before going into the pool. Every two hours, reapply sunscreen and body lotion.

Moisturize thoroughly

When your skin is exposed to chlorine and other pollutants, it may become excessively dry. To rehydrate your skin after a swim workout, use moisturiser as soon as you get out of the shower. To keep your skin's pH balanced, use a gentle cleanser on your face.

Apply a lip balm

Long periods of time spent in chlorine-treated water might cause chapped lips. After you get out of the water, use lip balm to keep your lips from bleeding.

Be Consistent With Your Timings

Limit your time in the pool to an hour unless you're playing in a competition. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the sun reaches its highest point in India. Swimming should be avoided during these hours. Swimming is best done early in the morning, between 7 and 9 a.m., or after 4 p.m.

Apply oil to your skin's barrier to protect it

Water and oil don't get along. Before entering the pool, apply a coating of oil to your skin to function as a barrier, preventing chlorinated water from infiltrating your skin. You can also use almond oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil to protect your skin.

Exfoliate on a regular basis

Once every two weeks, exfoliate your skin to eliminate pigmented dead skin cells. This might help to lighten the appearance of dark and drab skin.

If you swim often, chemical exfoliators containing hydroxy acids are a wonderful choice since they dissolve dead skin cells. It may also be found in natural sources such as tomatoes. They also aid to enhance your skin barrier by increasing cell turnover.

Rinse your skin

It's critical to flush the toxins out of your skin as soon as possible after a swim session. You may get rid of chlorine deposits and avoid skin damage by using an after-swim body wash within minutes of coming out of the pool or taking a shower after swimming.

Go for a swim outside

If at all possible, stay away from indoor pools. Indoor swimming pools lack sufficient ventilation, trapping chemical-related gases. More skin issues result as a result of this. Select a location with an outdoor swimming pool.

Don't forget to drink plenty of water

Skin that is dehydrated is prone to feel dry and rough. Hydrated skin, on the other hand, remains supple. While swimming, drink some water to ensure that your skin is well moisturised. This also aids in the purification of your skin, the replenishment of lost moisture, and the removal of chlorine and other pollutants.

Take Away

While swimming is an important life skill and a terrific physical exercise, many people are concerned about the chlorine used to sterilise swimming pools. You've probably learned enough about chlorine's skin-damaging effects by now. If you swim often, make it a point to follow these guidelines to keep your skin from becoming dull, black, and dry. You're good to go after you've established your skincare routine.