Skincare for Competitive Swimmers

by admin, posted in Swimmers Health

Last Updated on November 26, 2022 by admin

Competitive swimmers regularly expose their skin to the chemicals and irritants often found in chlorinated pools.
Competitive swimmers regularly expose their skin to the chemicals and irritants often found in chlorinated pools.

In this article, we will provide advice, hacks and tips on skincare for competitive swimmers, in chlorinated pools.

Competitive swimmers regularly expose their skin to the chemicals and irritants often found in chlorinated pools.

  • Over time can remove the natural oils from a swimmer’s skin,
  • Which can result in dry, sore, itchy and blotchy skin.
  • Listed below are some of our top skincare for competitive swimmers tips.

Related article on swimming in chlorinated pools

We have produced a related article on swimming in chlorinated pools. You can view it by clicking this link: swimming in chlorinated pools.

Contents
  1. Pre-swim skincare for competitive swimmers
  2. Post-swim skincare for competitive swimmers
  3. Takeaways

Pre-swim skincare for competitive swimmers

Listed below are some of our best pre-swim skincare tips.

Affiliate Links: Our articles and posts may contain affiliate links, to products we use and recommend. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll receive a small commission, which helps to keep us in the water. Many thanks.

Hydration

Hydrated skin absorbs significantly less chlorine than dry skin.

  • One of the most effective ways of keeping a swimmer’s skin hydrated is for them to ensure that they drink enough water throughout the day.
  • They should also ensure that they take a water bottle with them and sip water regularly during their swim.

Related article on swimming hydration for optimum performance

We have produced a related article on swimming hydration for optimum performance. You can view it by clicking this link: Swimming hydration for optimum performance.

Many of our swimmers use and recommend the Zoggs Sports Aqua Bottle it holds a litre of fluid, enough for a two-hour training session.

  • Easy flow on/off the mouthpiece
  • Sleek ergonomic design
  • Screw on wide mouth cap
  • Shaped for easy hand grip
  • 1 L capacity; clear panel to see the liquid level

Nutrition

Swimmers with dry skin should ensure that they consume plenty of foods that are rich in essential fatty acids, these include,

  • Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna.
  • Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, flax seeds and chia seeds.
  • Soybeans
  • Cod liver oil
  • Fatty acids can help improve the natural oil production and hydration of a swimmer’s skin.

Pre-swim balms

To help prevent dry skin some swimmers use a pre-swim balm,

  • Which helps to form a protective layer against the pool’s chlorine,
  • It also helps to retain some of the skin’s moisture.
  • Swimmers should ensure they allow enough time for the balm to be absorbed into their skin, before entering the water. (Ideally 10-15 minutes)

Some of our swimmers with dry skin or other skin conditions, use and recommend Derma Shield Barrier Cream to help protect their skin when swimming.

  • STRONGER PROTECTION FOR HANDS & FACE — Derma Shield is clinically proven to enhance the effectiveness of hand sanitiser, creating a lower bacterial count compared to using sanitiser alone. It stays on the skin despite repeat washing & lasts up to 4 hours
  • MOISTURISES, NURTURES & PROTECTS — forms an invisible, non-greasy shield that protects skin, whilst pharmaceutical grade moisturisers help maintain your skin’s correct hydration levels and Vitamin E and Aloe Vera encourage a supple, itch-free outer layer
  • PREVENTS IRRITANT CONTACT DERMATITIS — Derma Shield’s microscopic shield protects your skin against common skin irritants such as chlorine, cleaning solutions, washing up liquid, oils, general industrial dirt & grime, gardening chemicals and many others
  • FOOD CONTACT SAFE — can be used in food preparation areas as it is non-toxic, fragrance-free and will leave no residue when handling foodstuffs! Suitable for adults and children, simply rub a golf ball-sized amount of Derma Shield into clean and dry skin
  • UK MANUFACTURED TO MEDICAL STANDARD — to Medical Device Standard ISO 13485:2016, an internationally recognised quality standard. It ensures that we minimise risk and maximise performance and that the product you put on your skin is as safe as it can be

Emollient creams

Some swimmers who suffer from eczema and other skin conditions use an emollient cream as a protective barrier before entering the water.

  • Swimmers should ensure they allow enough time for the cream to be absorbed into their skin, before entering the water. (Ideally 10-15 minutes)

Sunscreen

When swimming in outdoor pools the sun can damage and prematurely age a swimmer’s skin.

  • Therefore, all swimmers swimming in outdoor pools in sunny weather conditions should use a waterproof sunscreen
  • Sunscreen helps to form a protective layer on the swimmer’s skin.
  • This helps to prevent the excessive drying and aging of the skin due to the combination of chlorine and the sun.
  • Swimmers should ensure they allow enough time for the sunscreen to be absorbed into their skin, before entering the water. (Ideally 10-15 minutes)

Pre-swim shower

A pre-swim shower not only ensures that the swimmer is clean before entering the water,

  • But it can also help to hydrate the swimmer’s skin, preventing their skin from absorbing higher amounts of chlorine.

Post-swim skincare for competitive swimmers

Listed below are some of our best post-swim skincare tips.

Post-swim shower

Swimmer should take a warm shower immediately after getting out of the water.

  • The warm water will open up the swimmer’s skin pores, enabling their skin to be thoroughly cleaned.
  • Ideally using an anti-chlorine soap or body wash
  • The swimmer should finish their shower with cold water which will help to close their skin’s pores, helping to lock in moisture.

Many of our swimmers use TRISWIM Moisturizing Chlorine Removing Body Wash For Swimmers for removing chlorine from their bodies after swimming.

  • TRISWIM Body Wash works to neutralize and remove Chlorine, Bromine, Salt Water, Hard Water Minerals, and other chemical odors from your body. Our shower gel will heal and soothe dry skin and leave you feeling refreshed and healthy.
  • TRISWIM Body Wash hydrates and moisturizers skin of swimmers and active people with Aloe Vera, Vitamin A and Pro Vitamin B5. This is the perfect gel for those who seek to build stronger and healthier skin after swimming.
  • Suitable for All Swimmers: Daily swim workouts, exercising in the water or lounging around by the pool or at the beach? The Body Wash will keep your skin Chlorine and Salt Water free. TRISWIM Hair and Skin care products for Swimmers are products recommended by United States Masters Swimming and Canada Masters Swimming.
  • The exotic Lime and Mango scent appeals to men, women and kids. In addition to the amazing scent, our gel is made paraben-free, gluten-free and without animal-testing.
  • TRISWIM’s Chlorine Removal Body Was contains Chamomile and Watercress that helps relieve symptoms of itchy and dry skin. The specifically-designed formula both protects and heals swimmers skin from harsh drying elements.

Haircare

Swimmers should also wash their hair thoroughly to help protect their scalp.

  • Ideally using an anti-chlorine shampoo.

Related article on swimming hair care: an introduction

We have produced a related article on swimming hair care: an introduction. You can view it by clicking this link: Swimming hair care: an introduction.

Moisturise

Moisturising should be an important part of a competitive swimmer’s post-swim skincare routine.

  • Post-swim moisturising helps to ensure that a swimmer’s skin stays hydrated.

Many of our swimmers use TRI SWIM Lotion After Swim Care for moisturising their skin after swimming.

  • TRISWIM Lotion thanks to its natural ingredients not only soothes irritated skin but also accelerates its natural regeneration and skin growth.
  • The lightweight formula of TRISWIM Lotion is quickly absorbed, leaving your skin silky smooth and delicate without unnecessarily greasy.
  • Provitamins B5 and E contained in TRISWIM LOTION contribute to the maintenance of firm and elastic skin, improves the structure of the epidermis and accelerates its healing.
  • The richness of ORGANIC ALOE VERA accelerates healing and soothes inflammation that may appear in cracked skin after sanitizing.
  • When you disinfect your hands, you remove the lipid layer from the skin, which is a very important natural protective layer preventing skin dehydration. In addition, the alcohol contained in the disinfection products dries the skin very strongly, which causes cracking and unpleasant irritation. Use appropriate cosmetic products such as TRISWIM Lotion for your hands to replenish their lipid layer, keep them safe and protect them from excessive drying.

Takeaways

In this article, we will provide advice, hacks and tips on skincare for competitive swimmers, in chlorinated pools.

  • Competitive swimmers regularly expose their skin to the chemicals and irritants often found in chlorinated pools.
  • Over time can remove the natural oils from a swimmer’s skin,
  • And can result in dry, sore, itchy and blotchy skin.
  • Listed above are some of our top tips for keeping a competitive swimmer’s skin in top condition.

Swimming Equipment

We have provided a recommended swimming equipment page.

  • It contains swimming equipment that we and our swimmers use and recommend.
  • You can access this page by clicking on the following link: swimming equipment

Swimming Publications

We produce a growing range of publications on a wide range of swimming subjects.

  • These include competitive swimming drill publications for backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
  • Which are now available in both Amazon Kindle and paperback formats.
  • For information regarding our portfolio please follow our link: Swimming Publications.

Swimming Resource Library

We have produced a swimming resource library.

  • This contains links to all of our blog posts.
  • These are subdivided by swimming category.

These categories include: Swimmer Development | Swimmers Health | Swimming Coaching | Swimming Competition | Swimming Drills | Swimming Dryland/Land Training | Swimming Equipment | Swimming Psychology | Swimming Training.

The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group

The Competitive Swimming Exchange is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.

  • It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents.
  • It’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water.

For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange

Amazon affiliate links

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