How to Get Folliculitis Out of Your Hot Tub

 

If you or one of your family has developed a rash after using your hot tub, you could have a problem with folliculitis, and if that is the case, you will want to know how to get folliculitis out of your hot tub.

Folliculitis is an infection of the hair follicles, which can be brought on by bathing in a hot tub that hasn’t been properly maintained, but before you treat it as such, you need to be certain that this is the cause of the rash.

There are a number of things that can cause itchiness and a rash, from a chemical imbalance to just sitting around in a wet costume after a soak, so I decided to do a little research, and this is what I found out.

 

How do you test for folliculitis in a hot tub?

Hot tub folliculitis – or pseudomonas folliculitis to give it its scientific name – is a type of bacteria that thrives in the warm water of a hot tub that isn’t properly sanitized.

There is no simple test for this, but if you get a rash after soaking in your hot tub for a while, you will probably know soon enough what it is.

The symptoms can be quite severe and usually appear within 72 hours of exposure. It usually presents as red skin, tenderness and puss-filled sores – this is what normally distinguishes folliculitis from other causes of rash.

There are several forms of folliculitis that fall into these four categories:

•          Acute – where the condition lasts just a few days
•          Chronic – where the symptoms persist for several weeks
•          Superficial – hot tub folliculitis falls into this category
•          Deep – usually associated with people who have underlying health issues

Although it is not life-threatening, complications can arise such as boils, permanent hair loss and in more serious cases cellulitis.

It is important therefore to seek medical advice if the symptoms persist for more than a day or two where folliculitis is thought to be the cause.

There are things you can do yourself to ease the itching. Try soaking a clean cloth in warm water, wringing out the excess water and applying to the affected skin for 20 minutes. Some say adding salt to the water helps too.

You can also wash the affected area with your hands – not a cloth – using a mild soap and dry off by dabbing with a clean towel. Hygiene is paramount as you don’t want to risk spreading the infection.

Using anti-bacterial cream is also known to help ease the itchiness, most beneficial after washing.

If you want to read more on this, check out this article in the Medical News Today newsletter.

 

What else can cause a hot tub rash aside from folliculitis?

If you have too much chlorine in your hot tub, that will lead to a burning sensation and a rash. You should check the amount of chlorine you put in your hot tub and if you have to keep topping it up it could be an indication that you have a biofilm problem.

Biofilm build-up in the plumbing and jets could result in depleted chlorine levels. I discussed why this happens in a recent article, and you can read that here on my website by clicking on the link.

Biofilm is a thin layer of bacteria and other organic material, such as dead cells, and when this builds up on the surfaces of the pipework, it reduces the efficiency of the sanitizer, causing it to disappear quickly. You keep adding more, but it doesn’t seem to make any difference.

The best way to clear this is to flush out the jets using a cleaning fluid. Add this to the water and run the jets for a few minutes, then drain the hot tub and re-fill as normal.

Itchy skin and burning eyes can also result from high pH levels, and you can read more on this in a recent article. Just click on the link to read it on my site.

When your pH is high – above 7.8 ppm – it may be that your total alkalinity is off. This should be between 80 and 120 ppm, and if it falls outside of this range, it means that the pH is harder to control, so start off by correcting this.

High pH signifies low acidity, so to lower alkalinity and pH, you should add acid such as sodium bisulfate or even vinegar (acetic acid).

If alkalinity is fine, then you just need to focus on the pH, and the best product for that is SpaChoice pH Decreaser (click to check the current price on Amazon).

 

 

Why do I keep getting hot tub folliculitis?

If folliculitis reoccurs frequently, then this is a sign that something is seriously wrong with your maintenance regime, and you will need to address this. It could also mean that you have become hyper-sensitive to bacteria in the water.

There are things you can do yourself to prevent rashes from appearing, like showering before AND after using the hot tub.

Showering before getting in gets rid of the oils, deodorants, make-up, and other things that can clog up your filter and lead to the development of biofilm. It also helps prevent the skin from absorbing chlorine.

Showering afterward will wash off the chlorine from your skin and help rehydrate it. The use of a moisturizer will also help in this respect.

Remove your bathing costume as soon as you can, certainly before showering, and set this aside for washing along with your towel after drying off to eliminate any bacteria.

 If you keep getting a build-up of foam on the surface of the water, this is a sure sign of chemical imbalance. You can read about the causes of hot tub foam in this recent article here on my website by clicking on the link, but the likely cause is your pH level may be too high.

 

 

Can hot tub folliculitis go away on its own?

Hot tub folliculitis can refer to the infection as well as the bacteria that causes it, so in this case, yes, it can clear up on its own, but that depends on how bad the infection is.

Folliculitis is an infection of the hair follicles so it can easily spread across the body as we have these everywhere.

There is no actual cure for folliculitis; all you can do is treat the symptoms, and eventually, it will clear up. Mild symptoms should disappear within five days and, in more serious cases, ten to fourteen days.

If symptoms persist, it is important that you get medical advice because some of the complications can be dangerous. If you start to feel feverish and achy, or the discoloration seems to be spreading, this could be a sign of cellulitis, and you will need a good dose of antibiotics and probably hospitalization for a short spell.

 

How do you prevent hot tub folliculitis in a hot tub?

Hot tub folliculitis is a form of bacteria (pseudomonas), and like all bacteria, it reacts badly to clean, sanitized conditions.

Good sanitization starts with a clean tub, pipes, and filter, so if you have had an outbreak of folliculitis, you need to empty the tub and give it a thorough clean.

Purge the pipes and jets before completely emptying the tub. I recommend  Oh Yuk Healthy Hot Tub Cleaner for this purpose (click to see the current price on Amazon).

You should clean your filter at least every two weeks, more often after heavy use. A great product to help thoroughly clean your filter is the Filter Flosser, which connects to your garden hose and gets jets of water right where you need them – inside the pleats.

Every 3 to 4 months, you should give your filter a deep clean by removing it and soaking it in a 5-gallon bucket with a good quality cleaning agent overnight. There are lots of products on Amazon, but one I would recommend is Power Soak.

Keeping on top of maintenance and balancing the chemicals also means that you shouldn’t have to change the water so often. This was the topic of a recent article, which you can read here on my site if you click on the link.

 

Did I cover everything you wanted to know about how to get folliculitis out of your hot tub?

Hot tub folliculitis is not a common ailment for hot tub users and the bacteria that causes it is easily destroyed if you keep your hot tub water clean and healthy.

More often than not, a rash following a hot tub session is caused by a chemical imbalance in the water, which is easy to resolve and, apart from a little discomfort, isn’t serious.

However, it is important to know that more serious conditions can result from dirty or badly maintained water. I hope this article has helped you to distinguish the difference, but if there is anything more you would like to know, just drop me a line.

Don’t forget to click on the links to read the associated articles on my website.

https://hottubownerhq.com/category/hot-tub-maintenance/