Francesca Newton says she was unable to go out for two weeks with skin like a ‘horrible disease’
Francesca says she had to stay at home for two weeks(Image: Kennedy News and Media)
A mum claims a ‘dirty’ hot tub on her 40th birthday getaway caused her to erupt in a ‘gruesome’ rash – leaving her housebound for two weeks. Francesca Newton visited Wales with two friends to celebrate her landmark birthday.
The trio sipped champagne and chatted as they took a 30-minute dip in the lodge’s ‘strong chemical-smelling’ tub. But 24 hours later the copywriter noticed some small pimples dotted around her upper body before they erupted into an ‘absolutely wild’ itchy rash that ravaged her chest, neck and back.
A trip to the GP saw Francesca reportedly diagnosed with bacterial infection folliculitis or ‘hot tub rash’ and prescribed a course of antibiotics and antihistamines to tackle it. The mum-of-one says she was forced to skip the gym and hide away at home for two weeks, for fear people would think she had a ‘horrific disease’.
The lodge said despite hot tubs being cleaned prior to guest use, ‘failure to follow basic hygiene instructions can introduce bacteria directly into the water via the user’s own skin’. However Francesca insists she showered before entering the hot tub, as per their instructions.
Francesca, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, said: “The main appeal of the place was the hot tub because there isn’t anything else there really. I’ve been in loads of hot tubs and never had an issue before. It smelled very strongly of chemicals when we got in it.
Francesca says she had to stay at home for two weeks(Image: Kennedy News and Media)
“We only spent about half an hour in it, we just went in it the once. The next day there were sporadic dots and the next day it just went absolutely wild, it was unbearably itchy.
“I went to the doctor and she diagnosed it straight away as folliculitis and she gave me some antibiotics, antihistamines and cream to try and soothe the itching. Looking in the mirror and seeing all of these lumps was really depressing and upsetting. I felt really gruesome and ugly and diseased.
“It was difficult to sleep and I couldn’t go to the gym for a couple of weeks because it was so hideous looking. [I thought] ‘if I go to the gym people are going to be horrified’.
“I had to cover myself as high up on the neck as possible [because] I looked like I had some horrific disease, it was really gross. It was impossible not to scratch it because it was so itchy, apparently it can scar.
“I was trying to scratch it a bit through my clothes and slapping my skin instead of scratching it, which was really embarrassing. I mainly just stayed at home and tried to keep out of public view.”
Francesca Newton, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, went away with two pals to Wales to celebrate her landmark birthday on March 9th. (Image: Kennedy News and Media)
Francesca says she contacted the lodge the following day to flag she was suffering with skin issues and then followed up twice more when it worsened, but never received a reply. One friend also suffered with a similar-looking rash. Francesca said: “From what I gather it [folliculitis] is caused by bacteria. From what I’ve read it’s not about putting in all the chemicals, it’s about cleaning it properly.
“I can only think it’s nothing to do with the chemicals, therefore it’s something else – it’s a bacteria. [I was told] ‘we’ve raised your complaint with the general manager who will get back to you within 10 days’ [but] I didn’t get any sort of response.
“Another friend got the rash too, it was confined to the underarm area. I’ve never had an experience like this before. I was on antibiotics for five days and continued with the creams for two weeks and after that it started to go down, then it was another week to go fully. It wasn’t a long-lasting thing thank God because it really did look gruesome.”
Francesca’s rash
A spokesman for the Herons Lake Retreat in North Wales said: “We welcome [thousands of] guests each year and pride ourselves on delivering a safe, relaxing, and high-quality experience. Across this volume of visitors, we receive approximately 10-15 hot tub-related issues annually, the vast majority of which based on our detailed investigations are associated with guests not showering before entering the hot tub.
“Despite every hot tub being freshly cleaned, flushed, and chemically balanced prior to guest use, failure to follow basic hygiene instructions such as showering before and after use can introduce bacteria directly into the water via the user’s own skin. This, we’ve found, is the primary cause (in 99% of reported cases) of irritation or suspected folliculitis.
“We provide clear guest guidelines, both on our website and at check-in, which advise showering before and after use, not spending longer than 20 minutes in the hot tub at a time, avoiding food, alcohol, and smoking while in the tub, keeping the lid on and off the ground when not in use. Unfortunately, these instructions are not always followed, and in nearly all the rare cases we’ve reviewed, prolonged usage (often 1-3 hours) and lack of pre-use hygiene have been contributing factors.
“While no leisure facility is entirely immune to isolated incidents, our systems, training, and attention to detail reflect our commitment to maintaining the highest operational standards. We remain transparent, proactive, and open to discussion, and we continue to provide the peaceful, high-standard retreat experience that so many of our guests return for, year after year.”