Confucius said: "The wise find joy in water." People often go in groups of three or five, accompanied by children's laughter and the cries of seagulls, to take a healthy seawater bath that can wash away the summer heat.

Seawater contains large amounts of inorganic salts and organic compounds; through skin contact it can regulate the body's osmotic pressure, promote skin metabolism and systemic blood circulation, and offers many benefits

Benefits of seawater bathing

The Huangdi Neijing mentions: “The meridians are what determine life and death, treat a hundred diseases, and regulate deficiency and excess; they must not be blocked.” In hot weather, the body's yang qi floats to the surface of the skin, with yang qi tending toward the body surface while the viscera are relatively cold and deficient. When taking a seawater bath, the low-temperature stimulus to the skin mobilizes the body's wei qi to actively resist external cold pathogenic factors, thereby stimulating the coordinated action of the ying and wei qi. Heat is a yang pathogen whose nature is rising and dispersing. Upon initially entering the water, the seawater temperature can usually remove surface heat through thermal conduction, quickly alleviating discomfort caused by high temperatures. Activity in seawater can promote the expulsion of internal accumulated heat through sweat, consistent with the health-preserving principle of “venting heat to the outside,” and is especially suitable for individuals with a yang-excess constitution.

In addition, the minerals in seawater may have some alleviating effects for certain skin diseases. For example, some patients with mild psoriasis may experience a reduction in scaling after seawater bathing, with some improvement in skin symptoms; some patients with seborrheic dermatitis or eczema may find that the astringent effect of seawater can reduce skin inflammation and itching. It should be noted that these effects vary between individuals and are not applicable to all patients with skin diseases. Whether patients with skin disease are suitable for seawater bathing or visiting the seaside should be determined after consulting a specialist, taking into account the specific condition, skin status, and other factors.

Water safety and protection at the seaside

Before entering the sea, choose a safe, regulated bathing area; be aware of your own and companions’ physical conditions—for example, people with severe hypertension, heart disease, frequent hypoglycemia, and women during menstruation are not suitable for sea bathing; check weather and tide conditions and choose a time with clear weather and smaller waves for sea bathing, avoiding entering the sea during rapidly falling or rising tides; take sun protection measures, apply high-SPF sunscreen, and bring sunglasses, a sun hat, and sun-protective clothing; prepare appropriate equipment—if not proficient at swimming, it is recommended to use flotation rings, kickboards, or other aids; warm up adequately before entering the sea, such as performing light stretches or jogging to let the body adapt to the upcoming activity.

The following groups are not suitable for sea bathing

People with skin injuries or infections. For example, open wounds, ulcers, or severe eczema with acute exudation—high salinity in seawater can irritate these wounds, increase pain, potentially cause infection, or delay healing.

Patients with severe cardiovascular disease. For example, people with poorly controlled hypertension, heart disease, or arteriosclerosis—if seawater temperature is relatively low, it can induce vasoconstriction, cause blood pressure fluctuations, increase cardiac workload, and raise the risk of adverse events.

Patients in the acute phase of respiratory diseases. For example, acute asthma attacks, pneumonia, severe colds with cough, etc. Being active in seawater may exacerbate shortness of breath, hypoxia, and other symptoms; sea breeze or low-temperature environments may irritate the respiratory tract and trigger discomfort.

Individuals with frailty or intoxication, and those with a history of epilepsy. Bathing in seawater can easily deplete physical strength, potentially causing dizziness, fatigue, or even fainting; intoxicated persons and those with seizures may have impaired consciousness, increasing the risk of drowning.

Women during menstruation or specific stages of pregnancy. Seawater bathing may provoke infection, and cold stimulation may worsen abdominal discomfort; changes in seawater temperature and physical exertion may affect the fetus, increasing the risk of miscarriage or preterm birth.

Health tips

When entering the sea, walk in slowly to acclimate to the water temperature, swim only in areas with operating permits and lifeguard supervision, and do not go far from the shore; if you inhale seawater, get ashore as soon as possible and rinse your mouth with fresh water; avoid jellyfish, sea urchins, etc., and promptly treat stings/ puncture wounds—seek medical care if severe.

After sea bathing, rinse thoroughly with fresh water and use mild cleansing products to remove salt and impurities; drink a moderate amount of warm water to replenish lost fluids, and apply moisturizing lotion to prevent skin dryness.

Skin wrinkling after sea bathing is a normal physiological reaction caused by hyperosmotic seawater leading to dehydration of skin cells; it will improve as cells rehydrate after leaving the water; prolonged immersion may worsen symptoms, so limit time in the water, rinse promptly, and keep the skin moisturized.