Yes. Communal use of Jacuzzis may result in what is called Folliculitis i.e. inflammation of hair follicles, eight to forty-eight hours after exposure. The condition can be very painful in people with sensitive skin.
They why these clubs called ‘Health Clubs’?
A health club is so called because it involves activities towards gaining fitness and positive health such as a workout in a gymnasium, an occasional steam or sauna bath, scientific massage, etc.
The health club by no means is a resort of the obese person for shedding extra kilos of fat. In fact indulgence into the activities of the health club may prove unhealthy and dangerous to the obese person. For example, heavy exercise, weight lifting, strenuous workouts etc. at the health club gymnasium may overload and exert an already overburdened heart sometimes proving fatal.
Vigorous massages mechanical vibrators may lead to multiple hemorrhages (bleeding) in fatty tissue and damage to abdominal organs. Steam and sauna as explained do not melt the fat away.
The concept of “The Health Club’ is purely western particularly from countries having extremely cold climate, sometimes touching sub-zero temperatures.
In these countries a Health Club serves two basic functions :
One : The Health Club provides a healthy alternative for indoor physical activity as outdoor activities such as long and brisk walks recommended for the, healthy and the obese alike are severely restricted due to cold climatic conditions. In India no such harsh climatic conditions exist. Outdoor physical activities can be very easily undertaken. The fresh air and sunlight are an additional advantage.
Two : As a result of extreme cold climate, the surface area of skin is much reduced, the skin pores are tightly closed and vital skin functions such as flow from sweat glands and sebum (oil) from sebaceous glands is reduced. We all know that the skin is the largest organ of our body. All organs of the body should be scientifically made to function to their fullest physiological capacity to provide good health. For example, deep breathing is beneficial for lung function, mild to moderate exercise within individual physical capacity is beneficial for the heart function, drinking plenty of water helps to flush the kidneys etc.
Similarly it is important to ensure necessary functioning of the skin. As mentioned earlier in countries with cold climate sometimes touching sub zero temperatures, the pores of the skin require to be opened by subjecting the body to the occasional high temperature of a sauna bath ( upto 200 o F).The skin is thus scientifically assisted to pour out sweat and sebum (oil) as a healthy physiological activity and hence the name “Health Club.”
Now in India, the skin is already functioning optimally in the majority of the population. The skin pores are sufficiently open to allow proper functioning of sweat and sebaceous glands. The extreme heat of the sauna bath would then forcefully overwork the skin functions and may even damage the delicate skin structures, dilating the skin pores beyond repair even if the body is subjected to chilled showers recommended to close the skin pores after a sauna bath.
The overall effect is that there could be premature ageing and sagging and undesired wrinkling of skin and damage to hair.
According to Dr. Sanjeev Mulekar, M.D., D.V.D. (Bom.) practicing Skin specialist, “Obese persons are more susceptible to these particular dangers of steam and sauna baths as their skin pores even under normal circumstances are likely to be dilated more than persons of normal weight : (i) in order to maintain body temperature, through excessive sweating and (ii) due to over stretching of skin caused by excessive fatty tissue present underneath it.”