Hot Tub Rash Is Real, Scary, and Preventable

09 Sep Hot Tub Rash Is Real, Scary, and Preventable

Hot Tub Folliculitis: Prevention and Treatment

From Swim University

Most people, especially children, never give the act of jumping into a public hot tub much thought.  It seems like a fun, harmless way to warm up and prolong the day at the waterpark or public swimming pool.  What these people don’t realize, according to this post from Swim University, is that hot tubs are scary places.  They run the risk of dehydrating the bather, as well as passing some water-borne diseases that are present in the super-heated water.  One such disease is Hot Tub Folliculitis, which infects the hair folicles of the person, and presents a red, bumpy rash and pus-filled bilsters.  Fortunately, as the post explains, this condition is preventable and treatable.

Here is an excerpt from the post:

Hot tubs, like all great things in life, come with inherent risks; dehydration and drowning come to mind. However, a more insidious danger is also present, one that hot tub users should be just as vigilant against: hot tub folliculitis, or hot tub rash.

It should come as no shock that marinating human beings in a vessel of hot water is likely to foster bacteria. One in particular, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, can infect hair follicles, leading to a very uncomfortable situation. A red, bumpy rash along with pus-filled blisters forms on the skin. It’s potentially dangerous, and quite gross.

Fortunately, like all pool and spa-related risks, simple prevention and common sense practices can easily keep this unpleasant rash from a hot tub from spoiling your good times.

How Hot Tub Folliculitis Happens

Rarely changed, inadequately disinfected water full of human skin particles breeds the germ in question. Therefore, a poorly maintained hot tub is the main culprit responsible for subjecting human beings and their innocent follicles to this scourge.

The relatively high temperature of hot tub water is quick to break down the chemical agents (like chlorine) normally trusted to keep germs like pseudomonas aeruginosa in check. Therefore, vigilance in constantly checking and adjusting the levels of chemicals in a hot tub is of greater importance here than in a normal pool.

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