Skin Rash

[marks]

I have had my Beachcomber 580 hot tub for about 3 weeks and my wife is getting a skin rash.  I thought it was the MPS, but am not sure now.   Here are the chemicals I am using all from Beachcomber.  Any guess at wich might cause a rash?

Dichloro - Daily
MPS - Weekly
Soft - No Ingrediant list, water softener. - Weekly

[marks]

After further investigation the Soft contains Boric Acid.

[Rayman]

so the "Soft" is causing the rash?  Cause I am using the same chems and I got a rash the first couple of weeks and it has gone away, I still use the chems though and the rash never came back.

Ray

[marks]

I am not sure what is causing the rash.  I am going to eliminate MPS and try Dichloro and soft and see if this helps.  Then I will eliminate soft.

[Mendocino101]

What is Soft...?....what is it supposed to do

[marks]

We have really hard water in Tucson, AZ.  Soft is a water softener.  The active ingredient seems to be Boric Acid.  My spa water does not dry out my skin as much as the pool, which does not have a water softener.  I am hoping that the MPS is causing the rash.

[orlandoguy]

I get really bothered by dichlor so I guess I am one of the few bromine fans left.

[TubsAndCues]

Regardless of what chems you are using for a sanitizer or oxidizer in your tub, there are two common causes for rashes occurring in hot tubs.  The first is low pH, which can cause skin irritation, but rarely a rash.

If you are noticing the rash primarily in the trunk of the body (thighs to armpits), they look like red bump or whitehead that don't pop, itch quite a bit in some cases, and they are appearing within 8 to 48 hours after you use your tub, look below.

The second cause of rashes, and it's one we see on a semi-regular basis is called Psuedonomas.  It's a term that loosely describes both a bacteria and the rash it can cause when it infects a hot tub.  It's a fairly common bacteria, but it can proliferate when in hot water.  It feeds on proteins, oils, ammonia and nitrogen (hint: maintain a constant sanitizer level and shock weekly!!!)

We see this most often on new tubs or tubs that haven't been used in a long time.  The bacteria left in the pipes from the factory or just sitting in the stagnant water can actually develop somewhat of an immunity to sanitizers if you allow your sanitizer level to run too low for too long.

The bad part about Psuedonomas is that you could put 20 people into a hot tub infected by it, and one person could develop a rash while 19 don't or vice versa.

The rash should go away on it's own after about 3 to 7 days.  Here is how we tell our customers to take care of the problem:

1.  Drain the spa completely
2.  Clean the surface with an alkaline surface cleaner
3.  Remove and clean or replace filter
4.  If time/weather permits, allow spa to dry
5.  Refill spa using a new hose or allow water to run for a few minutes through old hose before filling.
6.  Balance the water (using the help of a professional)
7.  Shock with a double dose of chlorine concentrate
8.  Maintain a higher than normal level of sanitizer for 1 week.

This treatment has worked on about 98% or more of all cases I have treated.  Only a small handfull of times have I needed a customer to repeat these steps.  

This treatment is based on the plan developed by Dr. Donald Ahearn who is a Professor of Microbiology at Georgia State University.  He's the smart one, I just have used his info lots of time.

Hope all this helps, and let me know if there is anything else I can help out with.

[orlandoguy]

Do you recommend keeping one of the floats with tablets in it for the tub?   I just bought one to try opposed to adding the concentrate after each use.

[TubsAndCues]

Do you recommend keeping one of the floats with tablets in it for the tub?   I just bought one to try opposed to adding the concentrate after each use.

I prefer the floater becuase it's constantly adding sanitizer to your tub.  What happens if you want to leave town for a few days?  It's times like that when your sanitizer level drops on you and allows the bacteria count to rise in your tub.

I also reccommend using bromine over chlorine in hot tubs too, just because at higher pH levels, which is more common in higher temps, bromine is much more effective.

[dsommerl]

I have developed this rash.  So, going thru the drain and clean process.
What are expamples (brand names--product number--descript) on some "alkaline surface clearner/s"
And then what is the best protective coating to use on the shell prior to re filling.
I have some "Fast Gloss" by Leisure Time which came in my starter kit---this appears to be a combo cleaner and protective coating--plishy.  would this one step product be the best to use?
Thanks for any replies.

[HotTubMan]

My experience with pseudomonas folliculitus is that it takes a lot longer than 3-7 days to go away. The visible symptoms are gone in a week, but can take up to two months before re-entering the tub does not cause a symptom relapse.

[dsommerl]

Tagt's sure bad news.  I have a pretty serious case of this stuff.  I didn't put two and two together---until just this week.
I had this for about two weeks---haven't been in the tub very much--but did dip in at least three times since the first symptoms showed up.

A long time ago--I tried using Bromide vs Chlorine (as now)--and developed a rash as wekk. At that time--I wrote it off to being allergic to Bromine---changed to Chlorine and had no further problems. Maybe the Bromine expience was actually this stuff----not sure--and it was a long time ago--can't remember the symptoms exactly.

think I'll just let my case clear up---and give it a try then---if it re occurs---guess I'll lay off fro an increased amount of time before trying again.

Anyway--what is the best product to clean and then polisyh--protect this spa (it's a Jacuzzi 375 and only 3 months old)----Figured I'd go thru the drain and clean process--now---and see what happens.

[scott10367]

My experience with pseudomonas folliculitus is that it takes a lot longer than 3-7 days to go away. The visible symptoms are gone in a week, but can take up to two months before re-entering the tub does not cause a symptom relapse.

In my 25 plus years of experience this has not been reported before.  Once the case is cleared up, and there is no more pseudomonas in the spa it should be OK to enter.  If you are getting relapses then the spa was probably not cleaned properly.  Good luck!

[dsommerl]

Scott
Tell me what steps I need to do to clean this spa

I have just drained it and taken out all residual water from the foot well etc.  I am going to leave it open in the sun for a day or two--let it dry out as much as possible before cleaning it.

Do I just apply the "Fast Gloss" product from Leisure Time---buff it out and re fill etc?

OR is there another cleaner I should use prior to the Fast Gloss?