Showering is a must
Despite the many benefits of seawater, you should take a shower after bathing to rinse the salt from your hair and skin. Because once dried on the skin, it draws a lot of moisture from it – especially from the scalp. This can cause itching in sensitive people. “In addition, the salt crystals amplify the sunlight in exactly the same way as water droplets on the skin, which is why sunburn can occur more quickly,” adds Schmid.
Swimming in the pool – when the chlorinated water irritates
If you swim laps in an indoor or outdoor pool or simply splash around with the children, you will soon notice the smell of chlorine. It is added to the water because it is particularly effective at killing bacteria, viruses and fungi, in other words it disinfects the water. If chlorine reacts with undesirable residues such as urine or sweat, chloramines are formed. They cause the typical swimming pool odor.
This can trigger an attack in asthmatics. Especially if water components are inhaled during intensive swimming. “An asthma spray can help those affected as a preventative measure or in the event of symptoms,” says Schmid. The irritation is also much less in the outdoor pool thanks to the fresh air.
Chlorinated water can irritate the conjunctiva as well as sensitive skin. “If you suffer from neurodermatitis or very dry skin, you should rinse off the chlorinated water well in the shower immediately after swimming, whereby warm water is completely sufficient,” says Schmid. “Afterwards, it is a good idea to apply a moisturizing body lotion or cream.”
Those who cannot tolerate chlorinated water at all can switch to swimming pools that purify the water by fumigating it with ozone. Ozone consists of three oxygen atoms. It is not water-soluble, but disinfects the water by reacting with harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses, algae or body fats. Swimming pools with ozone cleaning are rare, however, as the technology is comparatively expensive. The best way to find out more is to visit the swimming pool’s website or ask directly. Ozone systems for cleaning are also available for private pools and whirlpools.
Swimming in lakes and rivers in Switzerland
There’s nothing wrong with a refreshing dip in a cold lake or river in Switzerland. According to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the water quality of Swiss bodies of water is very good. If you want to be on the safe side, you can check the current status of many bathing areas on the FOEN website under “Bathing water quality”. People with respiratory problems or sensitive skin need not worry about chlorine.
“We recommend the following as a rule of thumb: If you can no longer see your feet in knee-deep water, you should not go swimming in that body of water.”
But there is one problem: blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and cercariae, known as duck fleas, can cause problems, especially in smaller, stagnant bodies of water. Cercariae try to penetrate the skin, but they die there, which leads to itchy pustules – also known as bath dermatitis.
Blue-green algae can cause skin irritation and some species are poisonous. Swallowing large amounts of water can damage the liver. But blue-green algae are clearly visible because they color the water blue-green. “Most people instinctively don’t go swimming in murky water because it’s simply not appealing,” says Schmid. “Nevertheless, we recommend the following as a rule of thumb: If you can no longer see your feet in knee-deep water, you should not go swimming in that body of water.”
5 tips for the bathing season
- Whether in the sea, pool or lake, you should not swim too much or for too long. Paradoxically, water dries out the skin. This is due to the pH value. Water has a neutral pH value of 7, while the skin has a low, acidic pH value of 5.5. “Due to the diffusion force, the skin tends to balance this pH value and thus loses moisture,” explains Schmid.
- As most of the sun cream is washed off when swimming, you should dry off well after bathing or showering and apply sunscreen. “If you swim in the sea or lake, you should use a mineral sun cream without nanoparticles if possible, as conventional creams are very harmful to aquatic organisms. In the sea, for example, they lead to coral bleaching,” warns Schmid.
- Especially when you’re on vacation and in the water every day, you should moisturize your skin sufficiently. A moisturizer without parabens is a good choice, as parabens clog pores.
- Warm water is usually sufficient for a shower after swimming. If you use soap, you can use a mild, pH-neutral soap that does not additionally dry out the skin.
- In seawater and chlorinated water, swimming goggles can protect the conjunctiva from unnecessary irritation, especially in children.
