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What is a chlorine rash?

Chlorine is an element that pool owners use to disinfect water, making it safer to swim in it or to get in a hot tub. Thanks to its capabilities as a powerful disinfectant, it’s also added to cleaning solutions.

尽管氯有很多好处，但如果您喜欢游泳，那么经常接触它可能会产生一些负面影响。即使您以前曾在氯游泳并且没有皮肤问题，该元素可能会干燥皮肤并导致刺激。

如果您在游泳后会出现氯皮疹，那么您不一定会对氯过敏，只是对此敏感。幸运的是，有多种方法可以治疗氯皮疹，而不必避免完全游泳。

Chlorine rash can cause the skin to itch after swimming. Other symptoms can include:

  • itchy, red rash
  • scaling or crusting
  • small bumps or hives
  • swollen or tender skin

Your eyes may also be irritated from chlorine exposure. Sometimes chlorine can also be irritating to the respiratory tract. You may notice you frequently cough and sneeze when you’re exposed to chlorine.

Both a chlorine rash andswimmer’s itch是与游泳有关的皮疹。然而，氯皮疹是对氯暴露的反应，而游泳者的瘙痒是由生活在淡水中的微观寄生虫引起的。

这些寄生虫从蜗牛释放到水中。当游泳者与他们接触时，寄生虫可以钻进皮肤。结果是皮疹，可能导致类似丘疹的反应或小丘疹。这种情况的医疗名称是“cercarial dermatitis。”

Identifying the difference between a chlorine rash and swimmer’s itch often depends on where you’ve been swimming. Pools have chlorine added to them, while fresh water doesn’t. If a pool is well-maintained and uses the appropriate amount of chlorine, it shouldn’t have these parasites.

You’re more likely to experience swimmer’s itch when swimming in fresh water or salt water, especially the shallow water by a shoreline.

Not all people who swim experience a chlorine rash. People often experience chlorine rash related to repeated exposure to chlorine. The immune system may identify the chlorine as a “foreign invader” like a bacteria or virus and become inflamed and irritated. The chlorine can also remove the natural oils on the skin, causing it to become dry.

即使您在暴露后洗澡或冲洗干净，氯的某些元素仍保留在您的皮肤上。持续的暴露会导致长时间的刺激。这意味着有反应风险的人包括：

  • 救生员
  • 专业清洁工
  • 游泳者

Sometimes a pool’s caretakers may add too much chlorine to the pool. An excess of exposure to chlorine can be irritating.

You can usually treat a chlorine rash with over-the-counter (OTC) products. This includes corticosteroid creams, such as hydrocortisone. However, most doctors don’t recommend putting hydrocortisone cream on the face as it can thin the skin or get in the mouth and eyes.

If you experience hives, you can apply a diphenhydramine cream or take a medication that contains diphenhydramine, such asBenadryl。您还可以购买去除氯的沐浴露或乳液，旨在舒缓皮肤。示例包括：

避免使用高度香料的乳液，因为它们可以增加氯的潜在刺激。理想情况下，这些局部应用将有助于减少氯疹的发生率，并使您更舒适地游泳和清洁。

If you have a severeallergic reaction，例如不会消失或呼吸困难的蜂箱，您应该寻求紧急医疗。

A medical specialist — an allergist — can help to diagnose and treat further problems related to chlorine rash. This is true for those who experience a chlorine rash but plan to continue their exposure, such as swimmers.

如果您的氯皮疹对OTC治疗没有反应，则应该看到过敏症患者。过敏症患者可以开处方更强的治疗方法，例如处方皮质类固醇乳霜。

Some of the ways to prevent a chlorine rash include:

  • 暴露于氯之前和之后洗澡或淋浴。如果您将乳液涂在含有氯的皮肤上，则只有可能刺激它。
  • Applying petroleum jelly, such asVaseline, to areas that are irritated before going into a pool or doing cleaning. This provides a protective barrier between your skin and the water.
  • 另一个选择是从池或清洁溶液中休息一段时间，并允许皮肤愈合。

Repeated exposure when you have a chlorine rash will likely only irritate the skin further.