The Swimmers’ Guide to Healthy Skin
We all love to take a dip in the pool, especially when summer rolls into town. But swimming – whether in a villa’s outdoor pool in Italy or the lanes at Latchmere – can quickly take its toll on our skin.
With a few precautions and a little TLC, however, you can make sure your skin stays happy and healthy as you paddle your way to fitness and fun.
Before swimming
You might think everything you can do for skin starts after you’ve finished swimming and toweling off – but that’s not true! Looking after your skin should start way before you put on the swim suit or spend 30 minutes looking for your goggles.
If swimming outside, it’s really important to apply sun cream before you leave for the pool. This will ensure the sun cream has been absorbed by your skin by the time you’re exposed to the sun’s UV rays.
Chlorine from pools or salt from seawater can irritate the skin, especially if you already have sensitive skin.
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During a swimming session
As much as it feels like a chore, you need to reapply sun cream every time you get out of the water – especially if you’re on holiday at a warm destination. In popular destinations like Dubai and the Caribbean, you can burn within minutes if you don’t reapply sun cream after swimming.
If in and out of the pool, or playing by the beach, be sure to reapply sun cream regularly – every two hours at most. If you get sweaty playing sports, use a sweat resistant sun cream for best effects.
When drying off between dips in the pool, don’t rub with your towel – try and dab the water off your skin, instead. Vigorous rubbing removes the protective layer of oils on the skin, and scrapes away the top layer of skin cells, causing the skin to become more sensitive.
After the pool
When you’ve finished swimming, make sure to rinse off with fresh water. Unless you’re swimming in a sparkling spring stream, chlorine and saltwater will dry out and irritate your skin if not properly rinsed off. Then apply a body milk like Anti-Ageing Body Cream to moisturise and fight signs of ageing.
