Is Chlorine Good For Acne?

Acne breakouts, amongst other skin concerns, are not what anyone wishes to experience.

For most people, it comes with a level of insecurity and tends to make one dull.

Personally, whenever I’m experiencing a period of acne breakouts, I deliberately shy away from large gatherings and close interactions with people because I don’t want anyone staring at me, as this makes me conscious of my acne-ridden face.

Although it’s different for everyone, some don’t seem to care about the unwarranted stares, but this doesn’t mean that if they could be rid of it, they wouldn’t, especially if the solution was simply diving into a pool!

Stunned? Don’t be.

A large number of people with acne-prone skin have noticed that after dipping in the pool, their acne seems to dry out, and they have fewer acne breakouts around that period.

I’ve heard many people say their skin is clearer during summer because they spend more time swimming in the pool.

Well, yes, this happens. How is that possible?

We’ll get there.

Now the pool contains a chemical called chlorine. This chemical tends to dry out one’s skin after swimming.

For clarity sake,

What is Chlorine?

Chlorine is a chemical element used to disinfect swimming pools and sometimes drinking water.

Chlorine kills bacteria that may be present in the water and makes it safe for swimming.

Is chlorine good for acne? This is actually a tricky question with an equally tricky answer. There’s no yes or no answer to this. I’ll explain.

To fully understand this, let’s digress a little to how acne is formed.

There are a few common causes of acne, and they include;

• Hormonal changes
• Diet
• Excess oil
• Genetics
• Clogged pores
• Stress

Excess oil here is our main focus.

Everyone’s skin produces oil. Your sebaceous glands produce sebum, an oily or waxy substance that protects and moisturizes your hair and skin. 

You have oily skin if your sebaceous glands produce too much sebum, leading to a greased surface, clogged pores, and, ultimately, acne.

Now to answer the question on your mind,

Is Chlorine Good For Acne?

Yes, chlorine temporarily stops acne breakouts. Since chlorine is a disinfectant that kills bacteria, bacteria causing acne is also destroyed.

Also, Chlorine contains chemical properties that make the skin feel dry after swimming which means less oil on your skin hence no clogged pores, no acne.

On the downside, the bacteria-destroying ability of chlorine is not limited to harmful bacteria. Good bacteria that are beneficial to your skin are also destroyed.

Furthermore, the momentary dry skin facilitated by chlorine tends to backfire because your sebaceous glands tend to go into overdrive, producing more sebum than needed. This can lead to clogged pores consequently more acne breakouts.

So, Is chlorine good for acne?

While it might have temporary benefits, chlorine does more harm than good in the long run.

Conclusion

Having learned of the beneficial properties of chlorine, you might be tempted to try out DIY chlorine solutions. Please resist that urge! You’ll only end up damaging your skin.

Instead, use skincare products that are specifically made to treat acne.

Note that other chemicals are added alongside chlorine to get the exact formula used to disinfect pools.

I hope you’ve learned a thing or two from this. Let me know how helpful this was in the comment section.