So, you settle in for a nice soak, without a care in the world. But is there danger lurking in the water?

Well, we don’t want to be the bearers of bad news, but if that whirlpool or hot tub isn’t properly cleaned or chlorinated, you could end up with a nice body rash. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2004 that “Extensive spa use combined with inadequate maintenance contribute to recreational water illnesses (RWIs) caused by pathogens such as Pseudomonas spp., and Mycobacterium spp.” Yuck.

It’s not as bad as it sounds. Pseudomonas folliculitis (hot tub folliculitis) is a skin infection that can develop within forty-eight hours after a dip in the spa. It is caused by bacteria getting into the hair follicles. You then get red, round, itchy bumps that later can develop into small pus-filled blisters. The rash usually resolves spontaneously within two to ten days.

As for the herpes question, the chlorine in hot tubs should kill the herpes virus. There are reports of people catching herpes skin infections from hot tubs, but these are very rare.