To protect your skin when swimming outdoors, use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher, reapply it after swimming or toweling off, and cover up with UV-blocking clothing, a hat and sunglasses (CDC, 2026). Swimming before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m., when UV rays are weaker, cuts exposure further.
Swimming is one of the best ways to stay active. Plan for the sun the same way you plan for the water.
Why does swimming outside raise your risk of sunburn and skin cancer?
Swimmers get more sun than most people realize. UV rays reflect off water, so you are exposed from above and below, and sunscreen comes off every time you swim or dry off (CDC, 2026). UV rays also reach you on cloudy and cool days.
Too much UV exposure is the main avoidable cause of skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 112,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026 and about 8,510 people will die of melanoma. Melanoma makes up only about 1% of skin cancers but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths (American Cancer Society, 2026).
What is the best sunscreen for swimming?
Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen (it filters both UVA and UVB rays) with an SPF of 15 or higher, as both CDC and the FDA recommend (CDC, 2026; FDA, 2020). For swimming, pick one labeled water resistant. The label will say whether it stays effective in the water for 40 or 80 minutes.
Put sunscreen on before you go outside and cover all exposed skin, including ears, the back of the neck and the tops of the feet (CDC, 2026).
How often should you reapply sunscreen when swimming?
Reapply when the time on the label runs out (40 or 80 minutes of swimming or sweating), and at least every 2 hours even if you stay dry (FDA, 2020). CDC also says to reapply after swimming, sweating or toweling off, because a towel wipes sunscreen away (CDC, 2026). If you are in and out of the pool all afternoon, reapply each time you get out for a break.
What else protects your skin besides sunscreen?
Sunscreen works best as one layer of several. CDC recommends (CDC, 2026):
- Shade: sit under an umbrella, tree or shelter between swims.
- Clothing: long sleeves and long pants or skirts when possible, in tightly woven fabric. A long-sleeve swim shirt or rash guard covers the shoulders and back, which burn easily while swimming.
- A hat with a brim all the way around to shade the face, ears and neck.
- Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.
What is the best time of day to swim outside?
Early morning and late afternoon. In the continental U.S., UV rays are strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time (CDC, 2026), and the FDA describes 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as the hours when the sun’s rays are most intense (FDA, 2020). If you swim during those hours, use shade and clothing along with sunscreen.
Does pool chlorine break down sunscreen?
Lab research suggests chlorinated pool water can change some sunscreen ingredients over time, but it does not mean sunscreen stops working in the pool. EPA researchers first reported in 2012 (in the Chemical Engineering Journal) that the protective coating on titanium dioxide nanoparticles, a common mineral sunscreen ingredient, was redistributed when the particles were aged in chlorinated water made to simulate pool water. Their 2016 follow-up study found the change became statistically significant after 3 days or more in simulated pool water, and that the aged particles were more phototoxic to cells in the lab than fresh particles, though less than uncoated titanium dioxide (Al-Abed et al., 2016).
These were lab tests over days, not studies of people swimming. EPA’s researchers stressed that these sunscreens still provide important protection against UV radiation (Bergeson & Campbell summary of EPA’s 2016 research update). The practical advice stays the same: keep using sunscreen, and reapply after you swim.
Should you shower before swimming if you are wearing sunscreen?
Yes: rinse off first, then put on sunscreen. CDC says chloramines form when chlorine combines with pee, sweat, dirt, skin cells, deodorant and makeup, and that chloramines can cause red, itchy eyes, skin irritation and rashes (CDC, 2025). Rinsing in the shower for just one minute removes most of the dirt on your body and helps keep chloramines down.
Showering after you apply sunscreen would wash it off, so the order matters: shower, dry off, apply sunscreen, then give it a few minutes before you get in. For more on what causes pool smell and irritation, see What Are Chloramines in Pools? and What Are Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) in Pools?
Is a low-chlorine pool easier on your skin?
A well-run pool with steady chlorine and low chloramines is the most comfortable to swim in, because CDC links red eyes, skin irritation and rashes to chloramines in the water and air (CDC, 2025). In a home pool, a supplemental system can help you run at a lower, steadier chlorine level. With Clear Comfort’s hydroxyl-based AOP, a typical free chlorine range is 0.5 to 1.5 ppm; a low chlorine residual is still needed. For more ways to lower the chlorine your pool needs, see Your Guide to a Low-Chlorine Pool. Lower chlorine does not replace sun protection: the steps above still apply in any outdoor pool.
Frequently asked questions
Does chlorine wash off sunscreen?
Water, sweat and towels remove sunscreen, which is why CDC and the FDA say to reapply after swimming. Lab studies have also found that chlorinated pool water can change the coating on titanium dioxide sunscreen particles after several days, but EPA researchers said these sunscreens still protect against UV.
Can you get sunburned while swimming?
Yes. UV rays reflect off water and reach you on cloudy and cool days, and sunscreen comes off as you swim. Use water-resistant, broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher and reapply after every swim.
How long does water-resistant sunscreen last in the pool?
A water-resistant sunscreen label will say 40 or 80 minutes. The FDA says to reapply when that time runs out, and at least every 2 hours.
Should I shower before or after putting on sunscreen?
Shower first. CDC says a one-minute rinse before swimming removes most of the dirt on your body and helps limit chloramines; apply sunscreen after you dry off so the shower does not wash it away.
What time of day is safest for outdoor swimming?
Before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. CDC says UV rays are strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time in the continental U.S., so use shade and clothing as well as sunscreen if you swim during those hours.
Want a low-chlorine pool at home? See Clear Comfort’s residential AOP systems.
