There is nothing like swimming in raw sewage to open those pores and help clear up your blemishes. Maybe. But probably not. Still, influencer Michelle Sky Hayward would have you believe otherwise. After she shared a TikTok video in which she swims in what people are calling sewage water, she doubled down on the experience and claimed it was great for her skin.
In her original video, Michelle is alone as she happily jumps into a body of water for her daily swim. Amid the choppy waves, though, is a lot of brown frothy foam on top of the water. It doesn’t bother Michelle, even as some of it gets in her mouth. By the end of the video, she even has small brown bits of an unidentified substance on her face. And people are sure it’s actual sewage.
@michelleskyhayward Go get yourself a @Fahlo bracelet and ignore my swimming conditions 😅🤣 “michelleh20” gets you 20% off, link in bio 🛍️ #coldplunge #capetown #coldwaterswimming #myfahlo #fahlo #fahlodiscountcode ♬ original sound – Michelle Sky 🇿🇦👨👩👧
The influencer still says it wasn’t sewage water that she swam in.
After Michelle posted her first TikTok video about swimming in the water with the suspicious brown foam, users left comments to claim that the water was, in fact, sewage, and not just a refreshing spot for her to jump in and splash around in.
One of Michelle’s fans commented that they are “sorry” about her swim, and added a poop emoji for good measure. Another wrote that the bracelet she promotes in the video can’t be paying enough to swim in what some see as sewage.
To be fair, the foam on top of the waves does look a little suspicious. However, after the video went viral, Michelle spoke with the Daily Mail to clear some things up. According to her, the water she swam in actually did wonders for her skin. It appears the video was taken off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, where Michelle lives.
“It didn’t make me sick at all, which is great,” she told the outlet. “I’ve been feeling really good ever since, which I am very grateful for because I know a lot of people were worried. Some people pointed out that my skin has been glowing ever since, so who knows, maybe it was beneficial to my skin.”
Michelle made a follow-up video to answer some questions.
In a follow-up video on TikTok, Michelle answered some questions about the foam she swam in and in the video, she admitted it was a lot more salty than the typical ocean water she usually encounters. But even under that video, people insisted in the comment section that the water Michelle swam in could have been sewage.
“I’m really curious to know if it really was or not,” someone commented, in reference to what the foam in the water actually was.
Michelle responded to that comment with, “I’m pretty sure it wasn’t lol.”
While it’s still not clear what the foam was, or if we will ever get more information about it, it isn’t unlike sea foam you might have seen on ocean waves as they crash to shore.
According to the National Ocean Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, sea foam forms on the top of water when the ocean and wind work together to mix the microscopic algae, salts, proteins, and other matter. The result is foam that sits on top of the water.
Although it is not harmful, the foam can irritate the eyes or affect those with asthma. If what Michelle swam in was just sea foam though, and not sewage, she has little to worry about.
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
