Is Swimming Making Your Acne Worse!?
Chlorine can leave skin feeling dry and itchy and leave hair dry, brittle, and prone to dandruff. It can cause or further aggravate rashes and other skin irritations and it leaves eyes feeling sore and itchy. The fact is that most municipal water systems contain chlorine, and, depending on the presence of contaminants in the water, levels of chlorine can be quite high.Technically, chlorine is a poisonous gas that does not exist on its own in nature. In fact, chlorine can’t exist on its own at all. This is why chlorine is often mixed with other elements such as sodium-chloride (salt). Chlorine effectively kills bacteria that are inside of water, which is why many different cities “purify” their water supply with chlorine.Exposure to Chlorine increases Acne outbreaks beceause of it’s inherent skin irritation effects. Chlorine irritates rashes, causes rashes, and severely dries the skin. Consider the causes of Acne (both internal and external) and it’s easy to see how Acne can worsens with exposure to Chlorine. In most cases, when the skin becomes overly dry, the body reacts by releasing more oil than usual through the skin. This causes too much oil to be produced and conditions for Acne improve. If the Acne condition is internal (ie: body reacts to processed sugars, or certain types of foods) then the Acne may initially improve, but with time will actually worsen because of the Chlorine’s drying effects on the skin. When it comes to swimming It is a well-known fact that exercise in general promotes healthy skin. In addition to that, the deep breathing allows more oxygen to be processed and circulated by the body assisting in the removal of toxins and dead cells from the body and promoting the regeneration of cells. Furthermore, because swimming requires the immersing the whole body (hence the entire skin surface) in water, it allows for the natural moisture absorption of the skin. Since you will most likely either be swimming in chlorinated pools or salt water, the disinfectant properties of the water will also be absorbed by the skin. And as you may or may not remember from a previous post, severe acne is the result of a susceptibility to infection. Chlorine dries and irritates skin, and your skin might react by breaking out. Make sure you gently wash your face after swimming to get the chlorine out and the n moisturize it. Also, it might be caused by bacteria, chlorine doesn’t kill absolutely everything. Don’t worry, the first cause is a lot more common. Chlorine also has a devastating effect upon your skin and hair. There is a good reason why the health and beauty industry does not use chlorine inside of beauty products…it is damaging. In fact, chlorine will make your skin age rather quickly. Of course, the only way to avoid this from happening is to stop showering. Most swimming pools, especially in the third world countries use chlorine as it is the cheapest and one of the most efficient ways of disinfecting the waters. The chlorine levels in the pool waters have to be monitored constantly and regulated carefully to maintain a recommended pH level. Correct levels of chlorine in waters don’t pose much of a health hazard. But if the level becomes too high, the water can become acidic and swimming in such over-chlorinated waters can cause many problems.Always remember to shower before and after swimming in a pool using specially formulated shampoos used for that purpose. Hair is like a sponge absorbing water. The fact is that you cant avoid swimming in pools unless you intend to have a boring and very hot summer just to keep your skin clear. The best that you can do to facilitate your skin regime and have a good time is take the proper precautions and make sure to shower right after you get out of the swimming pool to get that evil chlorine directly off your skin. Not a bad compromise unless you can find yourself a good saltwater pool, which they have at most of the YMCAs here in New York. Chlorine is pretty essential to keep out bacteria but salt water is considered a safe alternative for those looking to swim in public. If you have your own pool make sure you’re using just the right amount of chlorine and not toxic levels.
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