English Transcript
Allergist Selina Gierer, DO: Chlorine is actually an irritant to the skin. It would be very rare for a patient to have developed a true allergy to chlorine. We are at risk for chlorine exposure fairly frequently in our day-to-day cleaning products in our homes, but also patients who are swimmers may have consistent exposure.
Patients can have both skin and lung findings for exposure to chlorine. So chlorine on the skin can be an irritant causing redness, causing itching, dryness, and even a rash that may resemble hives. In patients who have asthma, it may cause some breathing problems like chest tightness, cough, or wheezing. We of course would recommend avoidance, but we know that is not possible for all patients, especially our athletic swimmers. So, we would recommend patients who have skin reactions shower before getting into the pool to reduce any oils on their skin, using a barrier emollient to help give their skin an added layer of protection, and showering immediately to get the chlorine off of their skin after their swimming sports.
In patients who have asthma or breathing-related conditions related to chlorine exposure, we recommend moving to more natural cleaning products. Things like dish soap and white vinegar make excellent substitutions for chlorine in your home cleaning products.
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Resource Type: Video | Allergy, Allergy Symptoms, Allergy Treatment, Skin Allergies
