Skin care and pools

Hi Guys,

Below is a post from my coaches “board” that I thought you might find interesting with respect to skin irritations while training for triathlons- especially pools.

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Cherilyn,

Boy, the topics us coaches begin to advise or refer out on, eh?  That’s why this is a great forum.  But the thing is, all our athletes are causing some type of damage to the skin from photo damage (sun exposure) to free radical damage (caused by training, racing and putting the body in a “stressed” state).

Here are my professional two cents (as a skin and hair care specialist with 20+ years as a licensed cosmetologist)

Immediate care:  At this point, given how your athlete is self treating his skin with Dove, Vaseline and Olive oil (except for Olive Oil, these are petroleum [crude oil] based products can cause skin irritations), he may be causing the skin more harm than good.  Despite his good intentions, these products are drying and coating, causing the skin to be more reactive (hypersensitive)

An additional tip for anyone using skin care creams, soaps, lotions, shower gels, shampoo’s, is to use a product that is a) sulfate free [surfacting agent] and b) Paraben (not paraffin) free [preservative found in many skin care products including foods].  These ingredients have been linked to many skin sensitivities.

Enzyme bath soaps or shower gels  help to gently exfoliate and slough off the dead skin cells and remove the man made build up.  Then applying a body lotion made for sensitive skin.  At this point, I recommend NOT using a lufa…this is going to sensitize the skin further, which is why an enzyme bath can gently help exfoliate the buildup.

Yet, this does not address the immediate issue now masked by his self prescribed care.  Is the rash contained to blotchy patches in one particular area or all over?  Since his skin itches apart from using the pool, this may not be a pool issue.  Have him consider any other changes he made during the onset/appearance of the rash, for example such as switching laundry detergents. Does he itch after showing at home?  Does he itch in general when he sweats?

Chances are his skin is just “dry” and sensitive, reacting to particular products and chemicals.

Many noon chlorinated pools use Saline, a salt solutions, which still cling on the body.

Have him work with a dermatologist to find what he may be allergic to.

Dorette