pimples from the ocean

I just got back from a cruise and while there we visited an island owned by the cruise line off the bahamas coast. The next day, after being in the ocean my face started to break out on my chin. each day since, it has spread over my entire face and chest into whiteheads. This has never happened before especially since I live at the ocean in my hometown. It has been five days now and it still has not gone away. Underneath my skin it also looks like I have red bumps that's either a rash or pimples that just haven't come up. What could have caused this?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I'm really not sure.  I haven't seen acne caused by exposure to salt water.  Perhaps you have some sort of bacterial infection, though not all whiteheads contain infected pus.  I think you ought to see a doctor to have the rash looked at and the whiteheads cultured for bacteria, if deemed necessary.  I would not, however, be surprised if the rash just ends up going away by itself, as so many strange and unexplainable rashes do.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff