Common causes of a swimming pool rash

The most likely causes for a swimming pool rash are corrosive chemicals in the pool water and, in rarer cases, allergens not properly filtered or oxidized by the water treatment system. This means that if you get a rash from swimming in chlorinated pool water, the rash is almost assuredly due to either not enough (so to speak) chlorine in the pool water or too much chlorine in the pool water. If the pool water does not have much chlorine in it, allergens that can irritate skin such as pollen or algae can form on and in the pool. If there is a lot of chlorine in the pool, the chlorine itself will irritate the skin and cause rashes (because it is a highly corrosive, acidic substance).

What if I have a saltwater pool?

Saltwater pools are actually chlorine pools. The reason for the confusion among many pool owners is that many pool water treatment systems that claim to be better or healthier alternatives to chlorine pools actually create chlorine as a byproduct to treat the pool water (such as saltwater pools) or still require chlorine in conjunction with the use of the “alternative” (such as bromine and UV lighting). To the latter alternative, I say, “Then what’s the point of the ‘alternative’ if you still have to add chlorine?” I’m going to cut right to the point here: whether your swimming pool rash is caused by “too much chlorine” or “not enough chlorine,” either one is too much chlorine. The only solution to contracting swimming pool rashes is to swim in a pool that is not treated with chlorine.

Non-chlorine pools

It’s time to switch. Using chlorine to treat your pool water makes zero sense, especially when you consider that non-toxic, hypoallergenic pool water treatment methods exist. Chlorine is an outdated sterilization method for anything because it is so toxic to humans. It is so toxic to humans, it accounts for more accidental poisoning deaths per year than any other substance. Chlorine solutions (sodium hypochlorite solutions) made from combining sodium, oxygen, and chlorine produce an acid that breaks down living cells. Treating pools with chlorine “works” because in diluted form, chlorine kills smaller organisms such as bacteria but doesn’t kill humans. However, in diluted form, though not fatal to humans, chlorine is still corrosive to human tissue – so mild to moderate skin, eye, or throat irritation is common. In concentrated form, chlorine breaks down human tissue much faster.

Thus, the best way to treat pool water in a way that is not corrosive to human tissue and is hypoallergenic, is to generate oxygen in the pool water and treat with non-chlorine formulas. The best news in all of this is that oxygen generator systems for pool water treatment are more affordable than chlorine systems, require less maintenance, and are completely non-toxic and hypoallergenic. Whether you are a first-time pool owner getting started, or want to convert your existing chlorine system to an Oxygen Pool system, an average pool costs less than $400 to convert or have installed. So you can say goodbye to swimming pool rashes for good by going chlorine-free.