Swimming pool killing my skin

[Xiaoxiong]

Help! Have got massively into swimming in the last few weeks. It's the first exercise I've found I really enjoy and have managed to keep up 4-5 times a week. I've lost half a stone and feel fantastic...except my skin even though I shower straight after with shower gel and wash my hair I still smell like chlorine for hours afterwards, my skin feels tight and I'm getting some spots.

Usually at night I take off the day with micellar water and use either nothing, or a light moisturiser (hate the feeling of anything on my face and heavy moisturisers have made me break out in the past, but I will force myself if necessary). In the day I just wear Biore SPF50. I'm also drinking 2L of water a day.

Any suggestions? Is there anything that I can put on before swimming, or after to neutralise the chlorine? Or do I just need to slather my face in something at night and accept the risk of getting (more) spots?

Still waiting for the pools to open her, what procedures do they have in place at yours for changing afterwards?

You can get specific shampoos and body washes for post swimming which seem to do better at getting rid of the chlorine smell, but I always just wear a swim hat and use bar soap afterwards that I keep in a plastic tub.

I use Child's Farm Mint and Strawberry shampoo, conditioner, and showergel in one. I find it brilliant at getting rid of the chlorine smell (and my hair feels soft too). I found it better than the "sun and swim" stuff you get in Boots and Superdrug.

My gym pool you book a half hour slot, you arrive in your costume (under clothes) and then are allowed to show afterwards. To be honest they have been brilliant (lockers and showers and pegs you are allowed to use are spaces apart and labelled). You have a lane to yourself - probably not sustainable but better than pre covid. No sauna/steam/hot tub.

You can get anti-chlorine swimmers shampoo which might help.

You might find a different pool suits your skin better

The best pool I've ever swum in was at a very expensive private school.
They explained that as it's not a public pool (and they have more money I guess!) they can be more careful about the chemicals they use.
It didn't affect my skin at all, unlike my local leisure centre where I end up blotchy and the chemicals make me sneeze.....

Our pool is in a small community and we all know each other, there are only two open plan showers in the ladies so they've asked that only one person or family group use them at a time and they've also taped up the hair dryer so you have to go home with a wet head. The main thing they've done is limit the number of people in the pool to 30 total, so as a result I have only once been in the changing room with another person because you can see when another woman gets out of the pool to go get changed and I just do another couple of laps to give her time to have a shower. It also means a nice quiet swim!

Newgirls that's interesting - I don't have any other pools near me, but I may ask about using less chlorine, I know the pool manager as he's a neighbour.

Liz I absolutely agree with you about the chemicals in leisure centres - I can't swim in our local one at all because of sneezing. Our pool isn't too bad, just makes my skin quite dry and tight but no sneezing or rashes thank goodness.

Which expensive private school was it It may be the same as the "small community" aka. expensive private school that my pool is located in...

To protect your hair wet it with fresh water first then it can't absorb the pool water.

@Xiaoxiong

I probably shouldn't say but it starts with "Marl" and ends with "borough"

(they even have their own triathlon coach !!)

I swim most day and yes, it's a killer.

The trick is to use a barrier cream before swimming rather than after. Something like Vaseline, or a thick moisturiser maybe, to prevent the chlorine soaking into your skin too much.

I used to moisturise after, but the damage is done by then unfortunately.

I swam at least 6 times a week before lock down. Ultra swim shampoo and a proper swimmers anti chlorine bodywash. I used to use sun, swim and gym at Boots but they stopped making it. Then I moisturise afterwards with Palmers cocoa butter lotion. My skin was best its ever been. I also used a preswim antichlorine conditioner on my hair under my swim hat.

Ah Liz not the same, mine is a 4 letter word...

Ok I have tried out some lotions and potions and reporting back...

• Superdrug have a 3-in-1 anti-chlorine body/hair wash for less than £2 that really works. I didn't smell of chlorine at all afterwards.

• I used CeraVe moisturising cream after the pool which was great for my body, but felt too heavy on my face, so I'm going to try a Superdrug Vitamin C gel moisturiser today

• I used Philip Kingsley conditioner on wet hair under my swim cap which was lovely and resulted in fab hair afterwards. Unfortunately some of the swimmers over on the thread in Exercise say anything applied before swimming is a big no-no as it reacts with the chlorine (even vaseline) so now I don't know if I'm allowed to do that again or not! I may ask the pool manager since he is a neighbour.

Back in the pool today at 2pm so I will continue to experiment. Thanks for all your help