What Is Hot Tub Rash?

CDC says hot tub rash, or Pseudomonas folliculitis, can occur if contaminated water stays on someone's skin for a long time, and is caused by the germ Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is commonly found in the environment, for example in water or soil.

CDC says it usually appears a few days after sitting in a poorly maintained hot tub, can affect people of all ages, and is often worse in areas where a swimsuit held contaminated water up against the skin. Symptoms include an itchy, red and bumpy rash and pus-filled blisters around hair follicles. It says mild rashes usually clear up in a few days without medical treatment, and to check with a healthcare provider if a rash gets worse or you get it more than once.

To lower the risk, CDC advises removing your swimsuit and showering with soap after getting out of the water, especially hot tubs, and washing your swimsuit after using it. It recommends using test strips to check hot tubs for chlorine of at least 3 parts per million or bromine of 4 to 8 ppm, and pH of 7.0 to 7.8, and to talk to the operator or owner if chlorine reads above 10 ppm. CDC says germs can spread through hot tub water and cause respiratory, skin or gastrointestinal illnesses in people who swallow, touch or breathe in mists or aerosols from contaminated water.