Rashes from hot tubs are being diagnosed now and you can see some pictures in the video here. Fortunately, the chemical that causes reactions has alternatives, though it takes a few more steps to set up your hot tub properly. If you are going to a public facility, it can take a little work to find out what chemical they use to treat their hot tub water to be sure you aren’t going to have an allergic reaction.

They suggested in the news clip to test your feet first in the water for five to ten minutes to see if you are getting an allergic reaction to the hot tub chemical called potassium peroxymonosulfate. However, not everyone will have an immediate reaction, even if they are allergic. A hot tub reaction can occur a few days later. It is always tough to diagnose something when the causality isn’t immediate. Some people get prickly heat sun rash or an allergic reaction to sun tan oils. When you are outside plus in water, you need to diagnose the reason that underlies the rash condition. This isn’t always easy.

Contact dermatitis doesn’t have to show up right away or even with the first contact with the substance causing the allergic response. In the video, the patient’s rash was described as red, flaky skin that itched and which he scratched so much that it resulted in bleeding. A hot tub rash is often attributed to a different cause like dry, itchy skin or food allergies.

The Ohio doctor, Zirwas, reported seeing more people having an allergic reaction to the common chemical used for cleaning the hot tubs and advised alternatives to those with this medical reaction. Some other terms for this you may hear are hot tub folliculitis and Pseudomonas folliculitis. Obviously, it is trickier to deal with this if you go to a facility outside your home as you do not have control over the chemicals used, but your input may be important to be others in the community.