Chlorine Allergy - Are you Allergic to your Shower

Have you ever stepped into your morning shower and smelled the high levels of chlorine in the water. Sometimes the odor is so strong that it makes you want to gag while taking a shower. Did you ever think how much of the chlorine you are absorbing into your body and its effect upon your health?

According to Wikipedia: Chlorine is a powerful oxidant and is used in bleaching and disinfectants. As a common disinfectant, chlorine compounds are used in swimming pools to keep them clean and sanitary. In the upper atmosphere, chlorine-containing molecules have been implicated, but not proven to cause damage to the ozone layer. Basically, it is an oxidizing agent used to disinfect drinking water to reduce or eliminate microorganisms such as bacteria, algae, and viruses.

We have several clients who are highly allergic to chlorine. One of them is so allergic that she has such a severe reaction that she ends up in the emergency room seeking treatment. If someone is allergic to chlorine, they cannot go into swimming pools and must use a whole house water filtration system. I have one in my house made by Aquathin. The small shower filtration systems that many companies sell remove some chlorine but to be totally honest I feel they are a waste of money.

Chlorine by-products are the main culprit in causing side effects. It has been linked to arteriosclerosis. When chlorine is introduced into your body, it migrates its way into the bloodstream. After that, it damages the arterial walls. The body then repairs it. Its repair causes a slow narrowing of the arteries.

The thing to remember is each time you take a shower, your body is exposed to chlorine and you can absorb it right into your body. I cannot tell you how much you absorb, there is a lot of data on the Internet, but no real studies by individuals with credentials. This does not really matter because, as always we think on the conservative side and tell everyone to err on the level of caution regarding chlorine.

Chlorine does serve a useful function of disinfecting the water supplies and swimming pools. It is also used for emergency super-chlorination of the water supplies when there is a water pipe break to prevent any type of bacterial or viral spread through the contaminated water supplies. It is inexpensive compared to other methods of disinfecting. Ozone can also be used in disinfecting swimming pools on a limited basis. You still have to use chlorine to get rid of certain species of algae that do not respond to ozone.

In conclusion, we recommend everyone install the whole house water filtration system from Aquathin. They do a great job, and it is fairly maintenance free. You need to change the carbon bed once a year. I am very happy with mine but it does have a side effect. Remember, everything you do has a hidden side effect. The toilet will start to grow algae in the tank. I put a little Clorox in the tank once a month to prevent this. I guess I cannot get away from chlorine.

If you are under a Doctors care, be sure to ask him or her if it is alright before you do anything that might affect you or your health. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or visit our website.

Article contributed by Mr. Artemiss of Safe-Homes

Mr. ARTEMISS, the founder of SAFE-HOMES, was an Engineer with Southern Bell and Bellsouth until he became ill from pesticide poisoning. It is his mission to help solve the air pollution problems in our homes or businesses so we can all lead a safe and happy life. His goal is to educate all people about the dangers of poor Indoor Air Quality, contaminated water, chemicals and mold in our homes. SAFE-HOMES was established in North Miami Beach, Florida in 1991.