Hi I’ve wild swimming in a local reservoir, the water is tested as safe for swimmers, and is treated with dye to minimise algae.
Every time I swim there I get an insanely itchy rash on the bits my swimsuit covers (not a euphemism!) The rash is raised red lumps and weeping nipples 🙃
I recently got a new swimsuit with a full back and when I tried that for the first time my back was itchy too.
The worst part affected is my nipples which ooze orange (from the skin not the insides!), the gp has examined and is happy it’s not cancer(!) but no further advice. Hydrocortisone doesn’t help, antifungal and antibiotic creams sometimes do but not currently.
I’m not going to stop swimming because the mental health benefits outweigh the itching, for now. Based on problems with increased coverage of new swimsuit, I’m going to try a bikini next 😬
I always shower afterwards with soap and am only in for half an hour max so it seems unnecessarily extreme.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received! My friends who swim there are fine but I know a few others have had rashes. I’m trying to find out the name of the dye they’re treating the water with.