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Best Bet a Bathtub?

Chlorine can cause major follicle fallout, as I experienced in junior high and high school. I was on the swim team, and although I almost always wore a cap, my hair often got wet. I had to use this hardcore swimmer's shampoo every day after practice so it wasn't all crunchy and chlorine-smelling. I'd lather-rinse-repeat so many times with this heavy-duty shampoo that on really bad days, the drain would clog up with my hair.

The pool-friendly alternatives to chlorine are great. But if you're like me and don't own your own pool (the closest thing I have is a bathtub), which do you think is better: chlorine-filled pools or the ocean/lake/river?

In SF, almost no one has a pool, and the beaches are fairly clean (although last year's news of South San Francisco's spillage of 2 million gallons of raw sewage didn't make me run for my board shorts and beach towel), so the answer's easy enough. I plan on making it out to Pacifica Beach at least a couple times over the next few months. Hopefully I'll live to tell some tales.

-Toshio...off to bug my roommate, Corinne, about borrowing her surfboard...

Posted by: tmeronek on 06/07/2007
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Sue  on June 07, 2007 at 05:45 AM 1
Can these Chlorine substitutes be used in jacuzzies and hot tubs? I have been hesitant to get one because of the whole issue of the health effects of Chlorine.
Anna Hackman  on June 07, 2007 at 07:19 AM 2
Hi Sue- We have a superior aqua system 941-923-2221 (sanitation without chlorine) and love it. You can see them on the web at www.superioraqua.com. Our jaccuzzi and pool are together so check if if you can use it in a stand alone hot tub. I can't see why not. With any system, always check your water at a pool store to make sure it has the right chemical balance throughout the season. This is in addtion, to your own testing. Question for Diane if you are reading the blog, how long have you had your system? It is always good to know if there are other systems out there that people like. Diane and Ideal Bite thanks for the tip for aqua pure. I will check that out.
Ken  on June 07, 2007 at 09:27 AM 3
Actually, if you look into this, it's not the chlorine that turns your hair green, it's a side effect of either using copper pipes in your pool's plumbing or copper contained in some algicides. That said, agreed that I'd rather not swim in a chlorine bath, regardless of how my hair turned green
Katie  on June 07, 2007 at 12:55 PM 4
A word of caution about the silver products. One issue to consider is how much silver goes into the sanitary system when you drain the pool (or into whatever area that you drain into). The silver will go with it. With silver being used in a variety of new applications as an anti-bacterial agent, it can have some negative effects, including overloading the sewage treatment facilities. Just a thought to look into it.
Sunshine  on June 08, 2007 at 11:26 AM 5
Hi! I swim quite a bit at the local community college pool (talk about major chlorination). To help my hair, I get it wet in the shower before going into the pool. That way, the hair is saturated with cleaner water and absorbs less of the chlorinated water. I have almost waist-length hair and since I started doing it, I noticed less brittleness and less fall-out. This, of course, is a totally non-scientific result and may only be applicable to me and my hair, but I throw it out there in case it helps others.
Sue  on June 08, 2007 at 08:18 PM 6
Hey all, Thanks for the comments, I'm not at all worried about my hair turning green, more about arterial scaring and the other ill affects of Chlorine. I started using a shower filter and notice a huge difference in my skin and hair. I would commit to a jacuzzi tomorrow if I could be confident about an alternative cleaning system. Is anyone cleaning their hot tub now without the harsh chemicals? Do tell...
Cyndy  on June 11, 2007 at 06:51 PM 7
Okay, I'm expect disappionted looks on this one, but when our family moved into a house that had a pool (our first!) were used the non-chlorine stuff for all the aforementioned reasons. BUT, and I don't know if it was our brand, it was IMPOSSIBLE to keep clear. One day the water would be bluish but mostly clear and totally swim-able, and the very next day it turned jade and opaque. It was like the Venetian Cannals without the rats! I digress. No matter what we did, we couldn't keep it clear. And there was that funky after-taste that would linger in your mouth... So healthy, I'm sure it's not. But if our family ever wanted to use the darn pool, chlorine was the way to go.
Holly  on June 20, 2007 at 09:50 PM 8
Has anyone had any luck getting the AquaPure_ChlorFree link to work? I would like to learn more about their product, but can't access the site.
Anne  on June 21, 2007 at 09:26 AM 9
Speaking of sewage spillage, have you heard of the Red Tide on the East Coast? It may just be in the Gulf... I live in FL and don't have a pool *gasp*, but we live 15 min. from the ocean. My husband and I love to be in the water, even if it's just to float around (we remodeled our shower to have a tub for just that reason). However, the water pollution has led to the bloom of fish-killing algae that reeks and affects your respiratory system. We just haven't been able to go to the ocean as often. :-(
Nanette  on July 26, 2007 at 07:44 AM 10
I just moved into a new condo and the pool appears to be saltwater. Is this a better environmental choice?
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