We talked to dermatologist Dr. Anna Chacon and emergency medicine specialist Dr. Syed Ahmad, both of Miami, and Chicago-based family and preventive medicine physician Dr. Chen Wang about how to avoid swimming-related health issues so you can enjoy the water in peace.

Swimmer’s ear

When water gets trapped in your ear, this moist environment can aid the growth of bacteria, which can cause a common ear infection known as swimmer’s ear. Lingering water left after a swim is the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of germs.

You can get swimmer’s ear, which is an outer ear infection, from swimming in any body of water, but it’s most commonly caused by bacteria that naturally lives in open water. Luckily, there are some pretty simple ways to reduce your risk for swimmer’s ear:

• Thoroughly dry your ears after swimming. Chacon recommends using a towel, tilting your head to drain water and even holding a hair dryer at the lowest setting at arm’s length from your ear. 
• Avoid swimming in water that has a lot of bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of signs that might indicate unsafe water.
• Treat your ears with Burow’s solution prophylactic ear drops, which contain acetic acid to combat bacteria. 

If you experience hearing changes, a fever or pain, redness or swelling in your ear or nearby lymph nodes, you might have swimmer’s ear. Visit your primary care provider or urgent care for treatment, which usually involves a round of antibiotic ear drops. You might also need anti-inflammatory ear drops and painkillers. If your symptoms are severe or you have recurring swimmer’s ear, you might have to see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.

Diarrhea 

Swallowing contaminated water while you’re swimming can lead to a bad case of diarrhea, whether you’re at a lake or a city pool. Water is a great breeding ground for diarrhea-causing bacteria, like norovirus, E. coli and cryptosporidium, and chlorine doesn’t immediately kill these germs. They can survive in chlorinated water for up to several days. Even small amounts of fecal matter containing these germs can wash off a person’s body when they get into the water. Additionally, people who are already sick may have an accident in the water.

You can take simple measures to prevent yourself and others from getting sick with diarrhea. “Avoid swimming if you already have diarrhea,” says Wang. “Don’t swallow water while swimming; change children’s diapers frequently, so they don’t contaminate the water; and take bathroom breaks. You should also rinse off with a quick shower before getting into the water to get rid of dirt and bacteria from your body.”

If you come down with diarrhea post-swim, your symptoms should only last a couple of days. Wang recommends treating the symptoms at home with fluids and rest. If you see blood or mucus in the diarrhea or if your symptoms last longer than a day or two, you should go to urgent care. 

Athlete’s foot

You can contract athlete’s foot, a pesky fungal infection, in places like your pool’s locker room. “Athlete’s foot spreads in moist communal areas,” says Chacon. Locker rooms are humid and warm, making them the perfect place for these fungi to grow.

Symptoms of athlete’s foot include a rash on your feet, cracked and peeling skin, and itching or burning sensations. It spreads easily, so take precautions to avoid spreading it to loved ones. Avoid sharing shoes and socks, wear shoes in shared areas and wash your sheets frequently to avoid spreading the infection to your partner or to other parts of your body.

Chacon suggests wearing flip-flops or shower shoes in communal areas and paying special attention to the spaces between your toes when you dry your feet after swimming. It’s also not a great idea to wear wet socks or shoes, she says. 

You can treat athlete’s foot with over-the-counter antifungal creams and ointments from your local pharmacy. Recurrent or severe cases that don’t improve with over-the-counter remedies warrant a trip to your primary care provider or dermatologist for prescription-strength treatment. 

Skin irritation

People with sensitive skin know that the simplest things can trigger a rash or other reaction. Sometimes, this includes swimming. 

A few common causes of skin irritation include: 

• A reaction to chlorine, salt or other elements in the water or plant life 
• Irritation from tiny parasites that usually infect birds, which is also called swimmer’s itch and can affect the parts of your skin that aren’t covered by your bathing suit 
• Rashes from jellyfish and sea anemone larvae, or seabather’s eruption, which affects the parts of your skin that are covered by your bathing suit 

“Mild rashes after swimming can be treated with antihistamines like Benadryl,” says Ahmad. “Topical creams like calamine lotion might also help. Severe rashes should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.”

To avoid skin irritation, rinse off with clean fresh water right after swimming to get rid of chlorine and other irritants. If you have sensitive skin, wearing a rash guard while you swim may help prevent skin concerns. 

Yeast infection

While swimming itself won’t cause a yeast infection, wearing a wet swimsuit for an extended period of time might. “That’s because yeast naturally lives on the body,” explains Wang. “Warm, wet places on the body, like the vaginal area covered by a wet bathing suit, encourage yeast growth.”

Common yeast infection symptoms include vaginal itching or soreness, pain during sex or urination and abnormal discharges. You can try treating a yeast infection with an over-the-counter cream, which can vary in strength from one- to seven-day treatments. If symptoms persist, you should see your primary care provider, gynecologist or an urgent care provider who can prescribe a cream or oral medication to get rid of the infection.

You can usually avoid a yeast infection from swimming by taking off your wet bathing suit as soon as you’re done. Change into dry, breathable fabrics that don’t trap moisture.