Tech

Love your swim, protect your skin.

Swimming does wonders for your mood, but your skin has mixed feelings.

Saltwater has soothing minerals (magnesium, zinc, potassium) that may help eczema and psoriasis¹ . My husband loves that salty, sun-kissed feeling after an ocean swim.

But once dried, saltwater pulls moisture out, leaving skin flaky, tight, and irritated.

Your skin has a microbiome (just like your gut), and a single ocean swim can change its balance (often for the better!)² .

While most new bacteria are harmless, some, like Vibrio vulnificus ("flesh-eating bacteria"), can infect wounds and cause serious illness³ . Warm waters (Florida or the Gulf) increase the risk, especially if you have fresh cuts, tattoos, eczema, or a weakened immune system.

On the other hand, chlorinated pools kill germs but also strip your skin’s protective oils and weaken its natural barrier⁴ .

The result? Chlorine leaves skin itchy, dry, and might prematurely age your skin⁵ , and makes hair and nails brittle⁶ .

Ocean 🌊

✅ Soothing minerals may help eczema and psoriasis

❌ Dry, flaky skin

❌ Risk (low, but serious) of harmful, skin-damaging bacterias (Vibrio)

Pool 🏊♀️

❌ Chlorine strips skin’s protective oils, weakening natural barrier

❌ Itchy skin, possible faster ‘aging’

✅ No risk of harmful ocean bacteria (Vibrio)

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This round is nearly a tie between ocean and pool. But personally, I'm team ocean. While risks like Vibrio are serious, they're also very rare.

But which ever you choose, always rinse off right after swimming and moisturise to protect your skin. If you swim regularly in a pool, consider a chlorine-removing shower filter.

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