Skincare for swimmers in chlorinated pools: a barrier-first daily-swim routine

I have written about endurance athlete skin for years, and the swimmers I work with present with a specific pattern that is different from runners or cyclists. The face skin of a daily lap swimmer is, on average, drier, more lipid-depleted, and more prone to mild eczematous flares than the face skin of a comparable athlete who trains on land.

The chlorine in U.S. and European pools is held at 1 to 3 parts per million (ppm) free chlorine, with chloramines (chlorine bound to ammonia and amine compounds from sweat and urine) often at higher concentrations than the free chlorine itself. The chloramines are the more irritating compound and the one most pools cannot fully control. The exposure profile for a one-hour pool session is roughly equivalent to two to three hours of moderate-strength surfactant exposure on the face.

What chlorine actually does to skin

Three mechanisms are relevant.

First, lipid extraction. Chlorine oxidizes the lipids in the stratum corneum (the outermost skin layer), particularly the ceramides and free fatty acids that hold the brick-and-mortar structure together. A 2016 study in Skin Research and Technology measured transepidermal water loss in 20 daily swimmers compared to 20 matched non-swimmers and found a 35 percent higher baseline TEWL in the swimmers, with the largest difference on the cheeks and forehead.

Second, pH disruption. Pool water is held at pH 7.2 to 7.8, which is slightly alkaline relative to healthy skin (pH 4.5 to 5.5). One-hour daily exposure to alkaline water shifts the skin surface pH transiently, which disrupts the microbiome and reduces the function of the enzymes that build the lipid matrix.

Third, microbial irritation from chloramines. Chloramines bind protein and irritate the skin’s nerve endings, producing the post-swim itch and the mild contact dermatitis pattern around the goggle seal and forehead that competitive swimmers develop.

For swimmers with existing eczema or atopic dermatitis, all three mechanisms compound. The condition flares more aggressively in winter (when indoor air is dry and pool chemistry is held tighter) and improves in summer when outdoor exposure compensates for some of the lipid loss.

Pre-swim: barrier balm at the goggle seal and chlorine-exposed zones

The protocol that works: apply a thin layer of a petrolatum-or-lanolin-based balm to the face 10 minutes before entering the pool. Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($8 for the small tube), Vaniply Ointment ($8), or for budget specifically a generic petroleum jelly ($4 to $5).

The application is targeted, not whole-face. Apply to the goggle seal zone (around the eyes), the forehead, the cheeks, and the under-jaw line. The balm produces a hydrophobic film that reduces the direct chlorine contact and reduces the chloramine binding to the skin surface.

The 10-minute pre-application matters because the balm needs time to set into the skin surface rather than sitting as a slick film that will wash off immediately upon water contact. A balm applied 30 seconds before diving in does roughly half the protection of one applied 10 minutes before.

A 2019 dermatology guidance note from the American Academy of Dermatology specifically addressed competitive swimmer skin protection and recommended pre-swim emollient barriers as the single most effective intervention for chronic chlorine exposure. The evidence is good for the practice.

Post-swim: rinse first, in the pool shower, before the locker room

The first action after the swim is a thorough rinse with non-chlorinated tap water. Most pool facilities have rinse showers in the deck area; use them. The goal is to remove the chlorinated water and the bound chloramines from the skin surface before they continue oxidizing the lipid matrix.

The rinse should be 60 to 90 seconds, with attention to the face, scalp, and neck. The temperature should be cool to warm (not hot, because hot water further disrupts the barrier on already-stripped skin).

If the deck shower is not available or your pool does not offer one, the locker room shower is the next-best option. The longer the gap between exit from the pool and the rinse, the more lipid damage accumulates.

Post-swim: cleansing and moisturizing protocol

After the rinse, the cleansing step in the locker room is a gentle non-foaming cleanser used as a wash. CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($14), Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser ($12), or Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser ($14). The cleansing removes the residual balm from the pre-swim application and the residual chlorinated water that the rinse did not fully clear.

Immediately after cleansing, on damp skin, apply a ceramide-rich moisturizer. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($18), La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair ($22), or Avene Cicalfate+ ($28). The ceramide content is what matters: look for ceramides 1, 3, or 6, plus cholesterol and free fatty acids in the formula.

The application is generous. Most swimmers under-moisturize after the swim because they are in a hurry to get to work or to the next part of the day. A heaped pea-sized amount, worked into the face for 60 seconds, is the minimum. The ceramide cream is the rebuilding step; the chlorine has just stripped the matrix and the cream is rebuilding it.

Twice-a-day routine on non-swim days

On the days you do not swim (typically rest days, or the days your schedule does not allow pool access), the twice-a-day routine is the same gentle cleanser and the ceramide-rich moisturizer, plus a daily SPF for any daylight exposure.

The SPF: CeraVe Hydrating Mineral SPF 30 ($16), EltaMD UV Daily ($24), or La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral ($20). The same criteria as the other routines: SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum, fragrance-free.

The non-swim day routine takes about three minutes total. The cumulative effect of the swim-day plus non-swim-day routines is what protects the barrier over months.

How to choose if you can only afford three products

Pre-swim balm, post-swim ceramide moisturizer, daily SPF. The cleanser is upgradable to plain water plus a washcloth in the locker room. This three-product approach is the bare minimum.

If you can only afford two products: pre-swim balm and ceramide moisturizer. The SPF is still important; consider a tinted moisturizer with SPF as a combination product to keep the routine compact.

If you can only afford one product: the ceramide moisturizer. Apply twice a day on damp skin. This alone produces measurable improvement in barrier function within six weeks for most swimmers, but it does not address the active chlorine exposure during the swim itself.

Real numbers

Total cost at the low end: Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($8), CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser ($14), CeraVe Moisturizing Cream ($18), CeraVe Hydrating Mineral SPF ($16). Total: $56.

Mid-range with eczema-prone skin: Vaniply Ointment ($8), Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser ($14), Avene Cicalfate+ ($28), EltaMD UV Daily ($24). Total: $74.

Premium with reactive skin: Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($8), La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser ($18), La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair ($22), La Roche-Posay Anthelios Mineral SPF ($20). Total: $68.

Annual replenishment is roughly $150 to $200 for a daily swimmer. The balm and moisturizer are the highest-rotation items.

The contrarian take: ‘chlorine-resistant’ marketing products are mostly the same balms with markups

The ‘swimmer skincare’ category that boutique brands have built since 2019 is mostly emollient balms with added marketing. TriSwim’s pre-swim and post-swim products, the ‘chlorine neutralizing’ lotions, and the various ‘swimmer-specific’ creams largely contain the same petrolatum, lanolin, ceramide, and panthenol ingredients that the mass-market drugstore products contain. The price difference is the brand positioning.

The actual technical innovation in swimmer skincare in the past five years has been minimal. The drugstore Aquaphor plus CeraVe Moisturizing Cream combination produces equivalent or better outcomes than the boutique swimmer-specific products in the testing I have done with daily swimmers.

The exception is the post-swim chelating shampoos for hair (which neutralize chlorine residue and prevent the green tint on blonde hair). The face does not benefit from chelating products in the same way; the rinse-and-replace protocol is more effective.

FAQ

What about saltwater pools? Saltwater pools use electrolysis to generate chlorine from dissolved salt, so the actual chlorine exposure is similar to a traditional chlorinated pool. The face routine is the same.

Does goggle pressure cause permanent skin damage? Repeated goggle pressure produces transient redness and very mild micro-trauma that resolves within hours. Long-term damage is uncommon in well-fitted goggles. If you see persistent redness or hyperpigmentation around the goggle seal, the goggle fit is the issue, not the chlorine.

Should I use a retinoid if I swim daily? Yes, but timing matters. Apply the retinoid on the evening of a rest day, not on the evening before a swim. The combination of retinoid-driven barrier sensitivity plus next-morning chlorine exposure produces inflammation. Twice weekly on rest evenings is the sustainable pattern.

What about my hair? Hair protection is a separate routine: a pre-swim wet-and-condition (saturate the hair with tap water and a leave-in conditioner before the swim, so the cuticle absorbs less chlorinated water) and a post-swim chelating shampoo two to three times weekly. Not strictly face-skincare, but it sits in the same bag.

Does the routine differ for outdoor versus indoor pools? Outdoor pools add the SPF reapplication issue that runners face. The pre-swim balm, the post-swim rinse, and the ceramide moisturizer are the same; the outdoor swimmer also needs the sport-formula sunscreen applied before the balm and reapplied if the swim is longer than 80 minutes.

For related routines, see the runner’s routine, the shift worker routine, and the peptides vs retinol breakdown.

Tag hub: More on ceramides and barrier-rebuilding routines

Sources

Seidenari S et al. Skin barrier function in competitive swimmers. Skin Research and Technology, 2016. AAD guidance on competitive swimmer skin protection, 2019. Draelos ZD. Cosmetic dermatology in athletes. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015.