The water in a swimming pool contains chlorine salts which, together with the sunrays can cause excessive tanning of the skin. Chlorine in water can also make our skin dry, damaged, aged, acne-prone, irritable and in extreme cases, it can cause cancer.
Does Chlorine Water Darken Skin? While chlorine by itself will not darken your skin, in combination with the Sun it can be the cause for a pretty bad tan. This is why you must always use sunscreen when you go for a swim.
Dr. Harish Koutam, Chief Dermatologist at SkinKraft, says, “Chlorine water damages the skin barrier and results in inflammation. It can make the skin darker too.
Apply sunscreen before going to the swimming pool
As it not only protects the skin from the UVA and UVB rays while swimming, but it can also form a protective layer on the skin and prevent the water from the swimming pool from coming in direct contact with the skin.
Generally, your skin will tan quicker when you're in a swimming pool or ocean because of the reflection from the surface of the water. This reflection amplifies any direct exposure to UV radiation from the sun, which leads to more efficient tanning.
Our skin has melanin which is responsible for our skin's colour. When this pigment comes in contact with UV rays it is produced in excess leading to pigmentation or tanning. The water in a swimming pool contains chlorine salts which, together with the sunrays can cause excessive tanning of the skin.
As per Archimedes principle, the water exerts an upward force or buoyant force on our body. This is because the weight of our body in water is equal to the apparent weight.
Swimming in a pool can help prevent, minimize, or treat acne breakouts. Why? Chlorine has antibacterial properties, so it can help reduce the size and amount of breakouts by drying the acne out. When chlorine interacts with water and your skin, it can remove and purify the water molecules that are on your skin.
The more time spent in contact with it, the more irritating it can be. Add to that the fact that chlorinated water opens the pores, hypochlorous acid in essence strips the natural oils from the skin, causing dry, itchy, and irritated skin. This drying effect may even be a contributing factor to premature aging.
Try some over the counter creams containing arbutin, kojic acid, and Vitamin C to reduce tan. Drink plenty of water and exercise which will help to keep your skin hydrated and glowing.
Exposure to harsh chemicals and products can bleach away your tan. Even low concentration of chlorine in swimming pools can also fade away your tan, especially if you spend more than an hour in the pool.
When swimming, all parts of the body have to work, so the amount of calories burned is quite large. Therefore swimming not only helps to reduce belly fat but also helps to lose weight on the whole body.
Chlorine is the most commonly used chemical agent to keep swimming pool water clean and germ free but many do not know the hazards it brings for humans. Chlorine is not gentle on human skin. It causes irritation and skin darkening when in contact for prolonged periods of time.
Swimming burns calories and can help people manage their weight, tone their muscles, and improve their overall health and fitness. This activity engages several different muscle groups and the cardiovascular system, and it can provide an excellent workout for a wide variety of individuals.
Prolonged exposure to chlorinated water can damage the skin tissues, rob the natural oils from the skin and lead to dry, flaky skin. It can also accelerate skin ageing and cause acne breakouts.
Chlorine can strip off natural oils from your hair, leaving it dry and brittle. Regular exposure to chlorine can make your hair highly porous. Chlorine can change the colour of your hair. It can weaken your hair strands, resulting in split ends.
Our dermatologists recommend rinsing off your skin as soon as you get out of the swimming pool. The longer the chlorine sits on your skin, the more damage is being done to your pores. Use a light to mild hydrating cleanser or a body wash to rinse off the pool's chemicals and help restore your skin's pH balance.
While swimming does burn a lot of calories, you may be overestimating the amount of calories you burn during each workout. As a result, you may overeat and put your body in a calorie surplus! This can cause you to gain weight if maintained for a long period of time.
In addition to these benefits that make swimming a more viable option for some people, swimming also increases the rate of your metabolism. A higher metabolism means that you'll have an increased energy level and burn more calories during periods of rest and activity.
Chlorine Can Gain Weight
As a harmful substance, chlorine removes the iodine in your thyroid, prompting hypothyroidism and undesirable symptoms like hot flashes and weight gain.
UVA radiation is what makes people tan. UVA rays penetrate to the lower layers of the epidermis, where they trigger cells called melanocytes (pronounced: mel-AN-oh-sites) to produce melanin. Melanin is the brown pigment that causes tanning.
White Spot on Skin After Swimming
Chlorine can bleach melanin, leading to the appearance of white spots. To treat white spots, apply a moisturizer with vitamin E or use a skin-lightening cream. However, it is important to note that these spots may take some time to fade away.
Chlorine can indeed change the color of your hair. If it can make paper white and take the color out of flowers, then it should be no surprise that, over time, chlorine in the pool will bleach your hair. Chlorine reacts with the melanin in your hair that gives it color, from blonde to jet black.