Everybody loves hot tubs, but what they don’t know is that the place is apparently filled with tons and tons of germs.
Being in this germ-pool will increase your risk of coming in contact with dangerous bugs, and for the reason that the temperature is so hot, it becomes more difficult to kill those germs. One of the most prevalent of these micro-organisms is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is the scientific name for “hot tub rash.”
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is mostly present on the ground and in water, duplicates in the water when disinfectant levels drop too low. When the levels rise again, the germ doesn’t always disappear.
Instead, it remains in the water and waits for the levels to drop once again so that it can multiply. Since people usually sit in hot tubs for a really long time, they tend to be at risk of heavy exposure.
This results in itchy spots that will develop into a bumpy rash that can cause pus-filled blisters to arise around hair follicles.
These symptoms take a few days to appear, so don’t fool yourselves thinking you’re safe so quickly.
Charles Gerba, PhD, professor of microbiology and environmental studies at The University of Arizona, revealed this:
The average bather has about a tenth of a gram of feces in his gluteal fold, which is a nice way of saying butt crack. That means with five people, you have a tablespoon of poop in the hot tub.
The worst part is that without safe levels of disinfectant, you can transmit diseases from person to person.
Also, when someone urinates in the hot tub and it is mixed with chlorine, an irritant called chloramine is developed. This causes a stinging feeling in your eyes when they come in contact with the water. Additionally, it can also cause irritation to your respiratory tract.
Just like swimming, it is crucial to rinse off before you hop into the hot tub.
Perfumes, makeup, sunscreen and tons of other personal products of that nature absorb the disinfectant in the water, making it less resistant to bugs.
Apparently, you can buy a kit of test strips at the pool supply store to test out the waters before submerging yourself in. You simply dip the stick in the hot tub and wait for the colour to change depending on the level disinfectant present in the water.
But, who wants to be that person who whips out a testing kit on a summer holiday? That’s just social suicide right there.
[Source]
