Q&A:
Will our 6-month-old's skin be harmed if we take him into a chlorinated pool?

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Answered by Anthony Mancini M.D.

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Dr. Mancini received his undergraduate and medical educations at the University of Arizona, and trained in pediatrics, pediatric dermatology, and dermatology at Stanford University. He is currently Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Dermatology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and Head of the Division of Dermatology at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

Dr. Mancini has served as a member of the AAP Executive Committee, Section of Dermatology since 2001. He is a member of the AAP Super CME Planning Group and the AAP Pedia Link Pediatric Dermatology Project Team, and is Secretary-Treasurer of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. His teaching accomplishments include the Faculty Excellence in Education Award from the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern, which he has received for the last eight years. Dr. Mancini is a peer reviewer and/or sits on the editorial board for several academic journals, and has published over 75 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, and book chapters. He is co-author of Hurwitz Clinical Pediatric Dermatology, 3rd edition, and is an associate editor for the comprehensive dermatology textbook Dermatology. His special interests include infectious skin diseases and exanthems of childhood, vascular malformations and hemangiomas, and neonatal skin maturation and skin disorders.

Dr. Mancini is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Dermatology. He and his wife, Nicola, a neonatal intensive care nurse, have three children (Mallory, Christopher, and Mackenzie) and reside in Evanston, Illinois.

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Question

Will our 6-month-old's skin be harmed if we take him into a chlorinated pool?

Answer

Swimming is a wonderful activity for baby and parents alike. While prolonged exposure to chlorinated pool water can be drying, shorter swim times (30 minutes at a time) are usually well tolerated, even in babies with dry skin conditions. Rinse your baby in plain water as soon as possible after swimming, and if he is prone to dry skin, quickly apply a moisturizer after the rinse. Don't forget sun protection: your baby's skin is very sensitive to the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays. Apply a sunscreen with SPF 30 at least 30 minutes before going to the pool and every two hours if he will be outdoors for prolonged periods. Try and stake out a shady spot for resting in between swims, and have protective clothing and a hat on hand (if he will wear one). And one last reminder: Don't leave him unattended for even a second while at the pool. Enjoy yourselves!