Hot Tub Infections

Episode #212 / Jul 7, 2010
OTHER VERSIONS:
Hot tubs can be incredibly relaxing. But they can also be breeding grounds for infection causing germs and bacteria. In this episode of DermTV, Dr. Schultz explains what type of infections you can get from hot tubs and how to treat them.
adam on July 7, 2010 at 11:55am

Hi doctor. Will you please tell me if this applies to steam room/saunas? Additionally, will you explain the benefits and disadvantages of using a steam room and finally whether you advise it or not, specifically is it good for preventing acne?. Thanks

John on July 12, 2010 at 2:47pm

Pseudomonas is some crazy stuff. For five whole months from august through december of 2009 i had a bacterial infection which was a combination of both staphyloccocus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa at the same time. I had to be hospitalized because the bacteria was resistant to practically all the antibiotics they gave me and your right it did start out looking like little mosquito bites or pimples at first. When the wounds opened up and started oozing orange fluid it was like huge rashes that looked like burns up the length of my entire arms and around my neck/mouth that sweat and crust over. Prior to the incident i never even heard of staph or pseudomonas but now i'll never forget it. Nobody wants to go through that.

Neal Schultz, M.D. on July 12, 2010 at 7:22pm

@Adam: Happily, this does not apply to steam rooms/saunas. Steam rooms help open the pores and feel good but have no sustained benefit for normal skin but may help to reduce clogging of pores in acne prone skin.