Imagine getting out of a relaxing pool and hopping right into a dry itchy wooly sweater. Wait, was that not where you thought this wonderful day spent swimming was heading?
Unfortunately, itchy skin is one of the common irritants around swimming pools, particularly ones with high chlorine usage. This is because that itchy skin feeling is primarily caused by a high chlorine concentration even more so than just to an individual's sensitivity to the chemical. Although chlorine is an integral part of pool water chemistry, particularly in killing bacteria, it is a strong chemical agent that can irritate and dehydrate your skin if you're not careful.
While the itching can diminish with time, it may severely affect people with inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema. High levels of this chemical can also make your eyes itchy and red as well as bleach or discolor swimsuits and even pool liners. However, at Royal Swimming Pools, we discovered a perfect alternative to having to use high volumes of this chemical. Or even add any.
What Are Chlorine Itches?
Chlorine itches (medically known as cercarial dermatitis) can easily be confused with rashes because they can result in swollen red skin. They can also cause sore eyes or other symptoms of respiratory irritations, such as frequent sneezing or coughing. Not everyone who sits in chlorinated pools or hot tubs can develop itches or rashes. However, they might develop these skin dangers after repeated exposure to high levels of chlorine.
Symptoms of Chlorine Itch and Rashes
Symptoms can develop immediately after getting out of a pool or hot tub or a few days after repeated exposure to chlorinated water. The intensity of chlorine itch or rash symptoms vary from person to person and are similar to itches caused by other irritants:
- Chapped or dry skin that may worsen with repeated exposure to chlorinated water
- Scaly patches
- Red or swollen skin
- Stinging or burning skin
- Skin that may bleed or crack after repeated exposure to chlorinated water
Suppose a person with these itches doesn't take preventive measures and continually interacts with the chlorinated water. In that case, the condition may become worse and predispose one to other severe skin problems like chronic skin inflammation.
While chlorine is the primary cause of itches, it might not be the only cause. Some itches are associated with allergic reactions to algae and parasites in the pool waters. You can prevent these causes by using, Sanitizers (a chemical component that limits the growth of algae and kills potential bacteria and parasites, traditionally chlorine) and/or Algaecides (a chemical that kills all potential algae spores to prevent your water from turning green).
However, it's worth noting that due to the BioLab fire in 2020, these products along with chlorine tablets, have become hard to come by as well as very expensive.
However, as mentioned, we have a solution that solves this without needing to source these other products all while not only preventing chlorine itch and rash but actually conditioning your skin and hair.
Pairing E-Z Pool and Pool Frog to Minimize the Use of Chlorine
What is E-Z Pool?
E-Z Pool is a non-chlorine proprietary water care program with a specially blended formula that improves the quality of pool water in a once-a-week application. It is a one-fit-all program because it contains a variety of chemical products that provide proactive care to pool water rather than you having to play pool chemist on a reactive basis.
E-Z Pool is essentially all of your pool chemicals in one (including your algaecide), aside from your sanitizer which, yes, is traditionally chlorine. but stick with us because when we're finished you won't have to add any additional chlorine at all!
Why is E-Z Pool an Effective Program in Pool Water Care?
- The program contains a stable oxidizer that break down all contaminants immediately to increase the effectiveness of sanitizers, resulting in extremely clear and clean water
- It has a uniquely blended formula that creates stable and balanced pool water chemistry, minimizing the need for regular chemical additions.
- The chemical compositions maintain the sparkling nature of water that prevents the formation of scales and corrosion on the pool surfaces and swimmer's skin, preventing chlorine itches and rashes.
- The E-Z Pool program has perfect algae shield formula that prevents your water from turning green. It inhibits chloramines' formation, which is the main contributor to chlorine itches.
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What is Pool Frog?
Pool Frog is a water purification system that functions like Mother Nature.
This purification system eliminates the foul smell of pool water (which is caused by too much chlorine) and transforms the water itself into mineral water which is remarkably gentle to the eyes, hair, and skin. Making you feel like you are swimming in naturally flowing fresh spring water.
The Pool Frog Cycler system has a compact cartridge that can last up to 6 months or one swim season depending on usage. You pair this cycler (containing zinc, calcium, silver, etc.) with a pre-filled Pool Frog BacPac (containing chlorine). The chlorine and the minerals work together in harmony to sanitize the water flowing back into your pool, meaning your sanitization system needs less chlorine to get the job done. Meaning there's not only a much smaller chance of you and your loved ones getting itchy after a swim and more of reaping the benefits of swimming in healthy minerals.
This is also one reason Pool Frog is so cost-effective because it saves you from gallons of chlorine you would have traditionally had to have used.
Best of all, the process is automatic. The small concentrated amount of chlorine required is not added manually but comes from the prefilled Pool Frog BacPacs. All you need to do is set the Pool Frog release timer, sit back and test your water weekly.
Why Pair E-Z Pool and Pool Frog?
Pool Frog is a mineral system that when paired with E-Z Pool replaces traditional chlorine usage entirely. Here's how:
Remember how we said, E-Z Pool contains all your needed pool chemicals except for your sanitizer (aka chlorine)?
A Pool Frog mineral system using Pool Frog BacPacs is the sanitation system! Using these two products together completes your basic pool chemical needs without having to source expensive tablets or algaecides or measure out the correct combination of chemicals week-to-week.
This means no more harmful chlorine attacking your favorite swimmers. Just clean, safe, soft, conditioning mineral water.
And if you've ever owned a pool before, you may be thinking, but what about if there's a heavy storm or my grade-schoolers have a big pool party? I.e. What happens when you need to shock a pool? Because as you could have guessed, the Biolab fire has affected that product as well: Hard to come by and expensive when you find it.
E-Z Pool's sister product REVIVE! eliminates the need for the periodical shock. It's so powerful that it is recommended by our Memphis, TN installation team for all new pool startups, remodels/refills, spring openings, and even abandoned pools. 
Additional Benefits of Pool Frog and E-Z Pool
Both Pool Frog and E-Z have independent chemical formulas and specific benefits in pool water maintenance. They are also two of the most user-friendly pool products on the market when it comes to keeping your swimming pool clean and safe.
Benefits of E-Z Pool
- E-Z Pool minimizes chlorine consumption by up to 50% on it's own, saving money and hassle on this currently scarce product
- E-Z Pool plays a major role in balancing your pool water chemistry, all without guessing how much of each chemical you need to add to do so- just scoop and go
- E-Z Pool inhibits scale and corrosion formation, leading to clear, clean, and balanced water.
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Benefits of Pool Frog
- Between pre-filled cartridges and the release timer, with Pool Frog there's no mess, guesswork, and tedious manual addition of chemicals
- Use a small amount of chlorine from the Bacpacs to kill potential bacteria. Chlorine can last 2-3 weeks depending on usage.
- The mineral reservoir can last for up to 6 months, or one summer
- The system is easy to use and produces consistent and effective sanitization
E-Z Pool + Frog Mineral System Combo = No Chlorine
When the two programs are paired, the initial benefits are significantly expanded. Some of these benefits include:
- Uses fewer chemical products to achieve top-notch sanitization
- Makes pool maintenance practices very easy and pool-user friendly
- Eliminates the smelly and burning effects of unbalanced chlorine, among other limitless benefits.
Our Final Thought
Yes, chlorine is an essential chemical in pool water, as it kills harmful bacteria and germs. However, as we've discovered, it is potentially dangerous to swimmers' skin, eyes, and even your pool's liner. It is associated with skin rashes, itches, irritations, swelling, and eye problems. It is also demanding because it must be applied frequently alongside other expensive chemicals such as algaecides, oxidizers, balancers, and sanitizers to ensure efficiency. But with E-Z Pool and Pool Frog combo, the hassles associated with the multiple chemicals (and their yucky side effects) are eliminated and you can replace the need for any additional chlorine usage by 100%. Never again having to worry if your pool has too much for even those with the most sensitive skin.
You can order both E-Z Pool and Pool Frog from Royal Swimming Pools today, to get rid of the irritating harmful effects of chlorine and related chemicals.
To learn more about pool treatment and using Pool Frog and E-Z Pool, please reach out to us with your questions (866-532-8194) or feel free to continue diving into the related articles below.
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OPEN YOUR POOL SOONER (AND A LOT EASIER) WITH POOL FROG AND EZ POOL
