A guide to after-swimming skin care

Swim care before you jump into the water is just as important as after you come out. In our opinion, your post-workout swim care routine is more important for your skin.

The skincare that you do must ensure that the chlorine and sun exposure does not cause any lasting damage to your skin keeping you healthy and safe. Here is the after-swimming skincare routine that swimmers should follow.

After swimming, your skin becomes dry, itchy, or irritated due to overexposure to chlorine, salt water, or other chemicals. Sun also has a detrimental effect on your skin. So always remember to carry your moisturisers, body-wash and shampoo in your swimming bag, along with swimming equipment and swimming gear.

The after-swim skincare routine

After swimming, it is crucial to care for your skin to keep it healthy and prevent potential issues. Start by rinsing off the chlorine, saltwater, or pool chemicals with lukewarm water. Next, use a gentle cleanser to wash your body and face. Replenish moisture by applying a hydrating lotion or body oil to your damp skin, paying attention to dry areas. Remember to take care of your eyes by rinsing them with fresh water . Don’t forget to apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 to protect your skin from UV rays, even if you swim indoors. Lastly, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water to maintain overall skin health. Customize this routine based on your skin type and concerns, and consult a dermatologist if needed.

Take a shower after swimming

Immediately after swimming, rinse yourself with fresh water. This should be done in your swimming pool’s changing rooms. If you live far away from your pool, do not wait to reach home before taking a shower. The longer the chlorine stays on your skin, the more damage it will cause. Degraded chlorine on your skin can cause permanent dryness well after a swim.

If possible, take a shower with lukewarm water, which is less harsh on your skin than very hot or cold water. Otherwise, normal shower temperature water is fine. Carry a mild soap or shower gel to remove the residues of chlorine and salt water completely. Find recommendations for after-swim body wash to rinse chlorine and other residues that remain. Avoid using harsh soaps or shower gels that are heavily fragranced. This can strip your skin of its natural oils. There are also chlorine-removal products on the market, specifically made to remove the scent and the chemical remains of chlorine from your skin.

Remember to apply pre swimming lotion to create a barrier against chlorine before you swim.

Wash your hair

For your hair, you should remember to wet your hair before swimming. This will reduce the overall chlorine retention of your hair.

If you are able to completely tuck your hair into your cap, make sure you do this. If possible, wearing two caps also helps. The less chlorine in your hair, the better. While chlorine will only really cause your hair to become rough and dry, once it stays too long in your hair, it will cause additional issues. It may cause your hair to become brittle, and discolored, and it may start falling out. Read more ways to protect your hair when you swim regularly.

If you swim regularly, use gentle shampoos free of sulfates, parabens, and artificial fragrances. Some people prefer to use a clarifying shampoo to remove any buildup of chlorine and other chemicals. But this cannot be used regularly as it strips the hair of natural oils. Use conditioner after you shampoo your hair, to help retain oils that have been stripped away. Serum can also help reduce roughness and give your hair vital hydration that it lacks after swimming.

Read more about swimmers’ shampoo here.

Eye care

Hopefully, you have goggles that fit you well. This will prevent chlorine from getting into your eyes to a certain degree. However, supposing you swim without goggles, or they leak on some occasion, it is very important to rinse your eyes. Chlorine in your eyes can turn them red, and lead to irritation, and eye infections. Pool water does not just contain chlorine, and other irritants combined can be very harmful to your eyes.

After a swim, splash fresh water into your eyes to remove residues of chlorine and other chemicals. A saline solution is also good if you have irritation, or your eyes have turned red.

Apply sunscreen

If you swim in an outdoor pool, you would be reapplying sunscreen every 2 hrs to protect your skin from sun damage. Even after swimming, apply sunscreen. This sunscreen need not be water-resistant. You can apply it with moisturizer or body oil for best results.

Moisturize your skin

All swimmers have very dry skin. You should always use moisturizer, even if you are not swimming. After showers and throughout the day, moisturizer can help your skin gain the hydration it loses from the harsh chemicals in chlorine water.

If your skin is especially dry, you should try using an oil-based lotion, baby oil, or coconut oil. While it is thick, it will be absorbed very quickly by your skin, and leave your skin hydrated. The best moisturizer is coconut oil. Rub it on your damp skin. Coconut oil helps to reverse the damage caused by chlorine water, while providing your skin with natural oils that it has lost. Body lotions from Vaseline and Nivea have good moisturing properties

Avoid using hot tools

 If you have wet hair, avoid using hot tools like a hair dryer as much as you can to avoid damaging your hair. Since your hair is already damaged by chlorine, additional stressors such as hot tools will make your hair dry, and more brittle. Your hair will become frizzy, start to snap off, or fall out.

If you have longer hair, use a hair towel to dry your hair instead, and keep your hair dry while wrapped in the towel. After the initial moisture is gone, and your hair is not dripping wet, you should let your hair air dry. This will prevent rotting and also help your hair dry as quickly as possible. Use a wide tooth comb after some time to remove the tangles in your hair. You can spray a mist of natural green tea to make it tangle-free.