I just started swimming within the last couple of months; I swim about an hour, every single day. My skin has held up, up until just recently. My finger tips are a bit dry and cracked, my back feels tight when I move around and I have red irritation on patches of my body.
I've read mixed things about showering afterwards and not showering afterwards as the heat opens up your pores and allows the chlorine to seep into your skin.
So, what steps should I take? Should I use a certain body wash after swimming? Should I shower with cold water or warm water? Perhaps, would it be wiser to wear a swimming shirt?
It's hard enough trying to learn how to swim correctly, but now I have to figure out how to protect my supple skin.
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Former Member
If I don't get the chlorine off right after swimming, and if I don't moisturize, I get itchy. So now I'm religious about my apres-swim skin care. Hair care, too. I've learned the hard way about that!
I shower right after swimming. First I wash all over with a gentle shower gel (while I'm waiting for my hair conditioner to work). Then, last thing before I get out, I use an oil scrub. The one that works best for me is Trader Joes lavender salt scrub. I turn the water off to apply it, then rinse it off with lukewarm water. I also have used other stuff, other in-shower oil products (Eucerin makes one, Neutregena makes several things along this line, etc) that usually come in bottles or tubes, and they all work pretty well, but the TJ's salt scrub that comes in a tub really does the job for me. It really keeps my skin looking nice.
I've also found it helpful to use "gel oil" type products immediately after getting out of the shower. Towel off first.
Also, if you are swimming daily, make your after-swim shower your only shower. Over-cleansing is terrible for your skin. If you do need to get clean between swims, only use soap in the places you really need it, and don't make the water too hot.
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Former Member
If I don't get the chlorine off right after swimming, and if I don't moisturize, I get itchy. So now I'm religious about my apres-swim skin care. Hair care, too. I've learned the hard way about that!
I shower right after swimming. First I wash all over with a gentle shower gel (while I'm waiting for my hair conditioner to work). Then, last thing before I get out, I use an oil scrub. The one that works best for me is Trader Joes lavender salt scrub. I turn the water off to apply it, then rinse it off with lukewarm water. I also have used other stuff, other in-shower oil products (Eucerin makes one, Neutregena makes several things along this line, etc) that usually come in bottles or tubes, and they all work pretty well, but the TJ's salt scrub that comes in a tub really does the job for me. It really keeps my skin looking nice.
I've also found it helpful to use "gel oil" type products immediately after getting out of the shower. Towel off first.
Also, if you are swimming daily, make your after-swim shower your only shower. Over-cleansing is terrible for your skin. If you do need to get clean between swims, only use soap in the places you really need it, and don't make the water too hot.
