Hot Pool Days Thrive Guide: Supportive Swimwear & Healthy Habits

Let's be frank, summer in Canada is short and hot. Blink and you'll miss it! Make the most of this limited season by investing in swimwear that supports you all day long and keeping in mind some key hygiene habits.

Supportive swimwear will give you the same benefits as a bra, with the added bonus of being designed for the water. Say bye-bye to a sore back and sag! But, we can't forget that the downstairs department also needs TLC. Read on to learn the simple things you can do to thrive all summer long.

Sit Less When You’re Wet

Bathing suits are designed to be wet. DUH! But your body was not designed to thrive in dampness, especially “below deck.” 

If you sit in a wet bathing suit for a prolonged period, there’s a greater chance you’ll become chafed and itchy and/or develop a bacterial and possibly a fungal infection.

What can you do?

If your suit just won’t dry, you can switch swimsuits or change into clothes. This is why two-piece swimsuits, like tankinis or bikinis, are great because you can just swap out your bottoms for dry ones.

Wash Daily or Rotate Your Supportive Swimwear

A day at the pool is heaven for a lot of us, but it does have some drawbacks. Most of us will spend our pool day in our favourite supportive swimwear, which includes trips to and from the bathroom. Unfortunately, one-piece suits and swim bottoms don’t offer the same protection as underwear.

Underwear helps catch any residual sweat, discharge, or moisture, preventing transferrence to outer layers. Swimsuits, on the other hand, sit directly on the skin, so there’s no barrier to prevent moisture or bacteria from being absorbed into the suit.

For this reason, you MUST wash your bathing suit after each wear or have multiple bottoms and/or one-pieces so you don’t wear the same one twice without washing it first.

[For an effective wash that’s gentle on the fabric of your swimsuit but tough on chlorine, salt, and sunscreen, try the Splash Swimwear Wash from Forever&Ever]

Slather on Sunscreen but Make it Mineral-Based

We’re not here to tell you how important it is to apply sunscreen regularly. We know, you know that. However, liberal application of sun protection can ruin your suit.

Therefore, you should opt for a mineral-based sunscreen that uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as its primary ingredients. These mineral properties are less likely to bond with fabric fibers and tend to sit on the surface of your skin, and are thus unlikely to transfer to your bathing suit.