Annoying itch from swimming pool

I go swimming at an outdoor pool. It is dirty - the water is cloudy and greenish, and there is actual dirt on the bottom. Sometimes the water is so cloudy you can’t see the tiles on the bottom; other times you can see them, but never clearly. They do clean the pool - I’ve seen them - but obviously not often enough. The pool never has that chlorine smell one associates with pools. However, I need some kind of exercise, so I swim there. My only concessions to the conditions are that I don’t put my head under the water, and I shower after I go swimming.
The problem: I am very itchy, especially my legs. From some experimentation, it definitely is from the pool. It lasts for about one-and-a-half days after each swim. What is it from? I’ve swum in dirty, algae-ridden pools in Canada, and I never got itchy. The chemicals? I’ve never had a reaction before. Is there any way to stop the itch, other than stopping swimming? Which I don’t want to do because there is no other place to exercise here.

[quote=“bababa”]I go swimming at an outdoor pool. It is dirty - the water is cloudy and greenish, and there is actual dirt on the bottom. Sometimes the water is so cloudy you can’t see the tiles on the bottom; other times you can see them, but never clearly. They do clean the pool - I’ve seen them - but obviously not often enough. The pool never has that chlorine smell one associates with pools. However, I need some kind of exercise, so I swim there. My only concessions to the conditions are that I don’t put my head under the water, and I shower after I go swimming.
The problem: I am very itchy, especially my legs. From some experimentation, it definitely is from the pool. It lasts for about one-and-a-half days after each swim. What is it from? I’ve swum in dirty, algae-ridden pools in Canada, and I never got itchy. The chemicals? I’ve never had a reaction before. Is there any way to stop the itch, other than stopping swimming? Which I don’t want to do because there is no other place to exercise here.[/quote]

dude, for Christ sakes, stop using that pool.

The answer is simple. You have cooties. Stay outta that pool!

[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]

dude, for Christ sakes, stop using that pool.[/quote]
Well, she is a lady, but stay pout of the pool.

Maybe they’re using a different chemical to clean the pool? some pools use bromine instead of chlorine, and some people have different reactions to it. I have no idea if that’s done in Taiwan though…

[quote=“zyzzx”]Maybe they’re using a different chemical to clean the pool? some pools use bromine instead of chlorine, and some people have different reactions to it. [/quote]I was wondering if it was the chemicals rather than some kind of natural contaminant. If it’s some kind of bacteria or fungus that is making me itch, I guess I shouldn’t swim there any more, but if it just a reaction to a different chemical, maybe it isn’t so bad.

I have nowhere else to exercise here, so I’ve been putting up with the itch, but …

Umm, if your skin is itching it’s your body’s way of saying, “Stop dipping me in that nasty water! Keep me out of the pool!” It doesn’t matter what, exactly, is making you itch. It’s not good for you no matter what, exactly, it is.

You should wrap your nekked body in plastic wrap, and when he opens the door . . .

Sorry. :blush: Wrong thread.

[quote=“zender”]You should wrap your nekked body in plastic wrap, and when he opens the door . . .

Sorry. :blush: Wrong thread.[/quote]

You are so funny this evening!

[quote=“bababa”][quote=“zyzzx”]Maybe they’re using a different chemical to clean the pool? some pools use bromine instead of chlorine, and some people have different reactions to it. [/quote]I was wondering if it was the chemicals rather than some kind of natural contaminant. If it’s some kind of bacteria or fungus that is making me itch, I guess I shouldn’t swim there any more, but if it just a reaction to a different chemical, maybe it isn’t so bad.

I have nowhere else to exercise here, so I’ve been putting up with the itch, but …[/quote]

I dunno, seems like a bad reaction to a chemical isn’t necessarily any better than a reaction to something growing in the pool. And itching for several days sounds pretty bad. I know a lot of people (myself included) who react to chlorine with sneezing and some mild itchiness, but it never lasts more than an hour or so.
It sucks to lose your exercise place though, so I understand you wanting to just put up with it. Do you know if anyone else who uses the pool has similar problems?

Yeah, my husband also gets itchy when he goes swimming there, but he’s only itchy for about an hour.

[quote=“zender”]You should wrap your nekked body in plastic wrap, and when he opens the door . . .

Sorry. :blush: Wrong thread.[/quote]

it’s the Annoying Bitch from Swimming Pool thread you’re looking for.

[quote=“urodacus”][quote=“zender”]You should wrap your nekked body in plastic wrap, and when he opens the door . . .

Sorry. :blush: Wrong thread.[/quote]

it’s the Annoying Bitch from Swimming Pool thread you’re looking for.[/quote]
:ohreally:

That seems more reasonable, and makes it sound like it is a chemical thing that you’re more sensitive to than most. Or maybe the pool’s pH is off, which can also cause skin problems and can make the water cloudy.
Do you shower immediately after, using soap? Other than that, there’s probably not much you can do, unless you can find a way to get whoever’s in charge to take better care of their pool…