Pool chemicals are not the enemy. Chlorine and bromine are in pool water because they keep it safe, they sanitize the water and protect every swimmer from the bacteria and pathogens that would otherwise make shared pools dangerous. Nobody is arguing against treated pools.
The trade-off is skin. The same chemicals that keep pool water clean are also hard on the natural oils that protect your skin's surface. Understanding that trade-off, and knowing how to manage it, is what makes the difference between a swim season where your skin holds up and one where it gradually wears down.
The chemistry of what happens to your skin in the pool
Chlorine is a chemical oxidizer. When it contacts organic matter, it breaks it down, which is how it neutralizes bacteria. Your skin's natural oil layer is also organic matter. In a pool, chlorine doesn't distinguish between the bacteria it's meant to neutralize and the sebum on your skin's surface.
The result of that contact is gradual disruption of your skin's natural oil layer. That layer is responsible for retaining moisture and keeping irritants out. When it's repeatedly stripped by pool chemicals without protection, the visible effects build up: dryness, tightness, pool rash, itching, and a chlorine smell that lingers even after showering.
Bromine, used in many hot tubs and some pools as an alternative to chlorine, affects skin through a similar mechanism. DermaSwim's barrier helps protect against bromine contact as well.
What protection looks like in practice
You can't change the chemistry of pool water. You can change what happens when that water contacts your skin.
A pre-swim barrier, applied before you enter the pool, creates a physical layer on the skin's surface that sits between the pool chemicals and your skin's natural oils. The barrier reduces the degree of direct chemical contact during your session. Less direct contact means less disruption. Less disruption means your skin holds up better, session by session, across the season.
DermaSwim Pre-Swimming Lotion is the world's first lotion built specifically for this purpose. The formula, beeswax, coconut oil, aloe vera, green tea extract, and grapefruit seed oil, creates a barrier that holds in the pool. Unlike water-soluble regular lotions that wash off within the first few minutes of swimming, DermaSwim's wax-based core adheres to skin and stays through your session.
Hot tubs and bromine: the same protection applies
Hot tubs often use bromine rather than chlorine as the primary sanitizer. The mechanism is similar, bromine interacts with your skin's natural oils during extended soaking, contributing to dryness and irritation. DermaSwim helps protect against bromine contact the same way it protects against chlorine.
Apply DermaSwim before soaking, then get in. The barrier works in hot water as well as pool water.
Use caution when entering or exiting a hot tub after applying DermaSwim, as the lotion may make surfaces slippery.
The complete protection routine
Before: Apply DermaSwim to clean, dry skin before entering the pool or hot tub. Cover all skin that will be in contact with the water.
Consistently: Pool chemicals don't take days off, and your skin protection routine shouldn't either. The benefit of pre-swim protection is most pronounced as a consistent habit across a full swim season.
Put a barrier between your skin and pool chemicals.
DermaSwim is available on . 97.5% natural. Paraben-free.
For external use only. DermaSwim is a cosmetic product, not a medical treatment. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, consult your healthcare provider before use. *97.5% natural based on weight/volume of natural-origin ingredients.
