That's funny, I'm also an Oil of Olay girl. Both the "normal" and the thicker kind that comes in a jar for winter. I have bottles in my gym bag, regular bag and at home. My husband has learned to stop asking about it. :-)

Love that stuff!

M

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The beatings will continue until morale improves

Thanks for the info - I will have to look into the leaky gut (yum) and the celiac.

I have been advised by my doc to not use the hot tub, take short showers (not too hot), use Dove soap and only when "necessary", lotion up without completely drying myself off, use Eucerin lotion and take a shower every other day. Being so active, the showering every other day went out the window the moment she said it.

I also have started to take GLA and a supplement with flax seed, borage oil & fish oil. Every day and multiple times a day when the excema was at it's worst. I also am trying to eat walnuts, salmon, flax seed oil and all those great omega-3's.

I also went to Whole foods to see if they had any creams or salves that I read about on Dr. Weil's website and found one called Look No X E Ma! by Four Elements. It really seems to help with the itching although it is not cheap - 2 oz for about $14. Seems to last though.

My doc also gave me a script for a steroid cream, but I have yet to fill it in hopes I can try to get more to the root of the problem...although with all of this different stuff I am doing, I haven't a clue what the root problem is for me! Right now for me, if the excema is improving, I am a happier camper!

I have always wanted to ask this question to get some more ideas, but thought it too "girly" for the main ST forum. This is perfect!

I swear by the Tri Swim shampoo and conditioner. I like the way it smells, and it really seems to get the chlorine out better than regular shampoos. This may sound bad, but I don't shampoo my hair after every swim (I'm in the pool 5-6 days per week). I rinse it well, and use conditioner like I would shampoo on alternate days.

One product I've found and LOVE LOVE LOVE is a leave-in product called ReSami Miracle Hair. I saw it advertised on the Swimming World website and decided to give it a try for my 11 year old daughter. She is a swimmer and has very long hair, and her hair was becoming quite damaged. The stuff is AMAZING! I started using it on myself as well. It's expensive, but especially for long hair it's well worth it. http://www.salonweb.com/resami/capsules.htm

Body wash -- anything super-moisturizing. I think I have something by either Dove or Aveeno right now. I second the idea of layering on the moisturizer while your skin is still damp. I also use the Olay Regenerist and have some Aveeno facial moisturizer in my car to use right after practice.

Now, if only anyone had a sure-fire cure for goggle-induced raccoon eyes! I think they're permanent, unfortunately. :-(

Since I was about five years old, I've been a blonde/green-haired swimmer. Nexxus makes a good chlorine removal shampoo called Aloe Rid.

Post-open water swims, when you're dealing with wetsuit marks on your neck and arms, I use Aquaphor. You can usually get samples in race bags and at expos.

I go the other way on the goggle issue, and have found that properly adjusted swedish goggles leave me with the least-marked eyes of all.

Aquaphor is great stuff- only thing I've found that really knocks back the dermatitus problem that flares up on my left hand every so often.

Husband's known me long enough that he likes it when I smell like chlorine.

yep, the swedish goggles don't leave marks! also, use foam gasket rather than the harder silicone gasketed lenses if you want cushion. If you wet your hair before swimming and slather on conditioner it closes the hair shaft so less damage. I have thin, fine blonde hair (swimming nightmare) so I use Aveda that removes chemicals and then the SapMoss conditioner-for face I use intensive conditioning lotion and then a layer of Neutrogena face w/spf- for body I use massage oil. I can't reach my back though so the dry skin itchy ness drives me crazy! I wish someone would invent some kind of applicator so you could reach middle back!

<<I wish someone would invent some kind of applicator so you could reach middle back!>>

Try this: lotion applicator. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing. It works best with a lotion that's medium consistency--too thin and it runs out; too thick and it doesn't really apply well.

I'll second (third?) the Aveda Hair Detoxifier shampoo. I'm in the water a lot and my fine, thin hair is in reasonably good shape. I'd be happy to find something that works as well on my skin!

thanks Heidi- wish it wasn't out of stock but that gives me an idea :)

Oops, sorry! I didn't notice it was out of stock. I actually bought mine at Linens and Things, although it was years ago. Try this instead; you can get two for the price of one and use the second one for sunscreen.

The Aveda detox shampoo is great--no chlorine smell at all!
For body wash/soap, I've tried everything out there. There's always a hint of chlorine smell--especially on my hands--I think the chlorine binds to thicker keratin in my nails and palms.
Lotion can cover up that smell, but doing a run or ride after the swim gets rid of the chlorine smell until the next swim.
BTW, love the aquaseal solution to the raccoon eyes!

I really like Weleda Skin Food. It's great stuff that's thick enough for your hands and lips, yet gentle enough for your face. It's on sale 1/2 off at my local Whole Foods so i stocked up.

I also really like Kiehl's Creme-de-elegance (I think that's what it's called). It's expensive, so I just ask for samples when I buy hand cream- Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is one of my favorites for the winter.

My son has severe eczema. Sometimes a day later after pool swimming, he looks horrifying; seriously like a burn victim. I'd been using the emollients of course, and hydrocortisone. But this was getting BAD, so i brought him to the doctor. the doc said the lube up with Aquaphor BEFORE swimming, not just after.

now ordinarily slathering yourself with something oily before getting in a pool is a no-no, but this is kind of a deal breaker, so we do it. It works, too. On days that I have run out of Aquaphor, we have used 100% Shea Butter, which I like better b/c it is not petroleum based. I guess it's just the concept of a barrier.

HTH -- so just think you will have something in common with the great channel swimmers ;-)
Good luck

well I can tell you what NOT to do for racoon eyes. DONT use anything strong. I thought I'd be a smarty pants and use some Elizabeth Arden prevage on that area. it became VERY inflamed, VERY quickly. it's been 3 weeks of pampering that area and treating it with Neosporin, that I am finally back to regular racoon eyes, and not bright red almost raw ones. ==:-O

I also have a pair of Barracuda Medalist goggles. the traditional barracudas' don't fit me, but the medalists are smaller and they fit OK. They take some patience but they do prevent the marks. I use them for w/u and for long sets when I swim masters. For short sets when I will have to dice, or keep looking at the white board or the clock...I do switch back to traditional goggles. I've been semi OK with TRY Vanquishers, they have foam + silicone gasket....

I will try the Swedish too!

Have you seen this product? http://www.dermaswimpro.com My daughter (11) has problems with eczema and has had periodic bouts of molluscum (the dermatologist said that the virus entered through dried, cracked skin), so we use the dermaswim on her. It works very well for her, and she swims 4 times per week. It has a silicone as opposed to a petroleum base, and it's not supposed to mess up pool filtration systems.

I too have had some success with the Women's Vanquishers for raccoon eyes. Thanks for the warning -- I've been looking at eye products a lot lately, and will definitely be careful now! I used to wear the Barracuda Ultimates, but they actually left more of a mark than the Vanquishers. I don't think the seal mask would be a good idea at my masters practice. :-) I actually think it's more my 42-year old skin -- my kids wear their Vanquishers super tight with bungees, and their marks disappear within 5 minutes. They don't know how lucky they are. :-)

It's funny because I was just thinking last night that I would try applying the lotion before swimming and see if it helps any. It's hard for me to understand as I have been in the pool mulitple times per week for the past 9 years and have never had this issue until about a month ago - not sure why it would immerge now??? Thanks again for the tip.

Hey Ladies, and a few gents ;-)

THis is very cool having a forum just for us.

Anyhow, I usually dont' swim before work, don't want to scare my patients, buuut I've been contemplating it recently. Here is what I use: Triswim shampoo...amazing! If you have color treated hair it won't strip the color like other higher end products (Have tried almost all of them). I also use the shampoo as body wash, no chlorine smell...nada. I use the triswim lotion, best body lotion for after a swim. I also try to always get my hair wet and slap on some conditioner and wear a cap for every swim. Pain in the butt, but I find my hair doesn't get as strawlike. Face lotions, I sometimes mix it up. I use Kiehls lotion, then slap on sunscreen. If I'm going back to work, I just use waterproof mascara, a little concealer, lipstick and I'm off. My hair is mid-length, so I usually pull it back or up. The rocky racoon effect...well, I haven't quite figured out how to get around that one. I do switch out my goggles and have 2 pairs of swedish, but they have to suck my eyeballs out (super tight) or they just don't fit my face right. :-(

N~

i've been in and out of pools for most of my life and have tried the gamut of products out there. in addition i've got fine hair that tends to frizz and chlorine and multiple daily showers do not help. a few things that i've tried and stuck with are the aveda detox shampoo, neutragena triple creme conditioner, and alba's kukui nut cream for the body. i also really like cetaphil cream but the alba stuff smells really yummy so on swim days i treat myself by smelling like a nut all day! origins 'a perfect world' goes on my face. still searching for the best eye cream.

halliet

Maybe I won't fit in with the womens forum --My post swim routine is:
1. Wash hair with whatever product is in dispenser in locker room
2. comb my hair (if I remembered comb)
3. Put on deodorant
4. Go

The added bonus of this routine, aside from the obvious time and $ savings, is that your friends and co-workers get used to it, and, when you do style your hair and/or wear any sort of cosmetic products, people can't believe how good you look.

Seriously, don't triathletes already look better than average?

You'll fit in here just fine! My co-workers have gotten used to me coming in to work with wet hair as well. I don't know what they'd do if I actually put some effort into my appearance. I'd probably get ousted by security... :-)

M

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The beatings will continue until morale improves

LOVE that stuff!!!! got it with my pool toys and triswim products - absolutely works!!!!

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cat
Sponsored by Suntheanine, Lycored and Celadrin
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The ONLY drawback is that during pull sets, the pull buoy never stays put! :-)

For soap I recommend Soap+. If I use that soap and a loofah I can actually get the chlorine smell off my arms and legs. Otherwise I smell horrid for the rest of the day. Funny I swam 2x per day all high school and college and the smell never bothered me then...

Lots of great advice in this thread. My skin gets so dry after swimming that I deal with a red face the rest of the day. I haven't found a lotion that works, but some of the above are ones I haven't tried before :). Those rare instances in which I am out of the water for 2-3 days does wonders for my skin.

I too used to have excema very severely on the tops of my feet for several years. I did manage to get rid of it. Basically, whenever possible I would take my shoes and socks off for several months. I absolutely stopped scratching COMPLETELY!!! and it thankfully left eventually following a week-long beach holiday. I definitely find that being on the beach and in the sea all day helps - but you may have to go to work :)

Anyway, so there is hope - but you will never get rid of it unless you manage not to itch at all - so avoid things that make your feet itchy, change socks frequently, don't wear socks if possible, don't take long hot baths etc. For me anyway, it was a simple HTFU issue. I tried all sorts of creams from the doctor, and they really didn't help.

Good luck!

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Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.

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