Rash, itchy!

[G1teg]

We have a new tub, about 1 month installed. Tub is a Canadian spa - Toronto model.

We've been spending a good amount of time in it lately as it's getting colder, and I have rash that's been spreading.

It's itchy even days after having been in the tub, small bumps and I can resist scratching while awake, but I'm scratching til I bleed in my sleep.

We are using bromine, levels seem pretty good, if low on pH and alkalinity according to the strip that came with our tub.

Any thoughts?

[Tman122]

Go see a doctor. I don't think we have any here.

This non doctor plumber thinks you are reacting to the extreme temperature changes on your skin.

[The Wizard of Spas]

Tends to be caused by a lack of sanitzier, and tends to happen in the first month or so of a new spa purchase.  Be sure to increase the sanitization process you're using.

[Tman122]

Exema (spelling) a condition cause by extreme temperature changes to your skin.

Because only one of you is suffering I think your sanitation is fine. And your telling us your levels are fine. Upping it won't hurt, unless your reacting to the bromine?

[Its_Shaun]

While I'm not going to try to tell you what is going on with your scenario I will share my experience since there are similarities.

I took ownership of a new hot tub a few months ago and this is my first experience with having a hot tub or pool so I am a complete rookie with regards to water care management. Once the tub was setup it was being used frequently (sometimes with a large number of people) and right around the 5 week mark I had a group of people in the tub (approximately 10 people) throughout an evening and a few days later 3 people developed a rash which included red bumps which many called the hot tub rash even though it didn't itch. Long story short in my case is that while I thought I was following the proper procedures for the water it turned out that I wasn't accounting for what large bather loads do to the water and I was inadvertanty not using enough sanitizer. My theory is that since that I was checking the water every couple of days I believe my chlorine dropped too low on that night and only the most sensitive people developed the rash.

I will say that after this experience it opened my eyes to make me realize I really needed to learn more about how and when to add the chemicals and after much reading and even going through this forum I now feel comfortable that the water is always safe.

[bud16415]

I had the exact same problem and many trips to a dermatologist. I finally gave up and decided it was the bromine. I switch to a chlorine (Dichlor / liquid bleach) method and it helped a lot. In the end I decided it was for me a combination of bromine and something others above have described. For years I enjoyed others hot tubs without issues, so what changed when we got our own? The frequency of use and habits. With our tub we always shower before using it and then we are in it almost every day. The hot water will take away your bodies natural oils and dry you out especially during the cold months when the water in the tub is hotter and the air in our homes dryer. Combine all that with a slight problem with bromine say irritating the open pores and you have an itchy condition and itching causes itching I’m told.

After switching to chlorine it got some better and doing a daily dose of chlorine after soaking killed what it needed and left the level lower for the next nights soak. Then I added in to the routine shower, soak and moisturize at the advice of my dermatologist. Take it from a guy that was always a bar of soap is all you need type guy if you want to enjoy your tub add the moisturizer into the process. There are different ways to do it but one I like is they now have in the shower moisturizing products. When I get out of the tub I jump in the shower and rinse off the chlorine suds up with the moisturizing stuff and rinse off. My skin has never felt so good.

I have done one other thing and it is a little controversial. Even though my tub is a Dichlor / daily chlorine tub I add salt to the water when I change the water as if it was a saltwater tub using a salt generation chlorine system. I just like how the salt feels in the water and I personally thinks it helps with the skin issues.

If I had to advise of one thing for you and because your wife is showing no issues it would be to moisturize after each soak. Switching to chlorine I actually think makes maintaining a tub easier so I would do that also.

Good luck I know what you are going thru as I did for most of a year.   

[G1teg]

Thanks everyone for all the detailed answers!

I waited for a while to respond.  I took a few days off of going in, and it seemed to help a bit.  1 night back in the tub and I was itchy again!

I have started showering after the tub, that wasnt something I was doing originally.  I also added some moisterizing body wash, and lotion.  Helped immensely! 

At my first drain, I will do bleach as suggested too.  For now, no one else who has gone in has had an issue, just me.  So, since the shower seems to help, I'll keep doing this!

Thanks again!

[Mikedee]

Thanks everyone for all the detailed answers!

I waited for a while to respond.  I took a few days off of going in, and it seemed to help a bit.  1 night back in the tub and I was itchy again!

I have started showering after the tub, that wasnt something I was doing originally.  I also added some moisterizing body wash, and lotion.  Helped immensely! 

At my first drain, I will do bleach as suggested too.  For now, no one else who has gone in has had an issue, just me.  So, since the shower seems to help, I'll keep doing this!

Thanks again!

I've owned my hot tub for 20 years..I had same exact issue. After about 1 month of suffering, I did some research and discovered that Bromine was a very common allergy\ skin irritant to males especially over 40..I immediately drained and cleaned my hot tub  twice and cleaned my filters...I switched to Dichlor and have never had a reaction since..Hopefully what happened to you  was a fluke but if it happens again I would drain , refill and try dichlor..