Motus Aquaticus

Health Risks of Diving in a Rental Wetsuit

Diving in a rental wetsuit can carry potential health risks due to its shared use and the challenges of keeping it fully sanitized. Wetsuits are tight, damp environments that can trap bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens—especially if cleaning between users is inconsistent. Add in the fact that many divers pee in them, and the stakes get a bit higher. Here’s what you’re up against:

Potential Risks

• Skin Infections:
  • Bacterial: Pathogens like Staphylococcus or Streptococcus can hang out in wetsuit seams or fabric, slipping into cuts or scrapes. This might cause rashes, folliculitis (infected hair follicles), or even cellulitis if it gets bad.
  • Fungal: The warm, wet interior is a breeding ground for fungi like ringworm (tinea corporis) or athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), easily passed from a prior user if disinfection is lax.
• Urine-Related Concerns:
  • Rental wetsuits often get urinated in—divers admit it’s common, especially on long dives. While urine is usually sterile when it leaves the body, once it sits in a wetsuit, it can mix with sweat and bacteria, fostering growth of microbes like E. coli or Pseudomonas.
  • This brew can irritate skin, leading to rashes or urinary tract infections (UTIs) if it contacts sensitive areas, especially for those with small cuts or a predisposition to infections. Plus, the ammonia in stale urine might cause chemical irritation over time.
  • The smell? A dead giveaway of poor maintenance, hinting at broader hygiene issues.
• Allergic Reactions:
  • Cleaning agents or detergents used (or overused) on rental suits can leave residues that irritate sensitive skin. Neoprene allergies are rare but possible too, though not rental-specific.
• Parasites or Viruses:
  • Rare, but not impossible: parasites like sea lice or viruses like molluscum contagiosum could transfer via a shared suit, especially in tropical waters with spotty cleaning practices.
• General Hygiene:
  • Beyond infections, a suit reeking of sweat, mildew, or urine reflects neglect. It’s not just gross—it’s a sign the gear mightn’t have been properly disinfected.

How Real Is the Risk?

Dive shops typically rinse rental wetsuits with fresh water, and many use disinfectants, but standards differ widely. Anecdotes on dive forums (e.g., ScubaBoard) mention occasional rashes or funky odors, but hard data—like infection rates tied to rental suits—is scarce. Compare it to shared gym mats or pool decks, where staph cases crop up but aren’t rampant with decent care. Urine adds a wrinkle, though—no studies pin down its exact impact in wetsuits, but it’s a known irritant in prolonged exposure scenarios (think diaper rash).

Reducing the Risks

• Rinse the suit yourself (inside and out) before use.
• Wear a rash guard or thin layer underneath as a barrier.
• Inspect for grime, tears, or whiffs of urine—walk away if it’s nasty.
• Shower with soap right after diving.
• Skip rentals if you’ve got open cuts or a compromised immune system.

Own It, Avoid It

Frequent divers should consider buying a wetsuit—it’s yours, pee-free (well, mostly), and maintained to your standards. For a one-time rental, the risk is low but real—like wearing someone else’s sweaty, possibly peed-in workout gear. You’ll likely be fine, but why gamble if you don’t have to?