Oatmeal Baths for Eczema
Easily one of the most popular types of bath products and treatments for eczema, the famous oatmeal bath soak has been doing the rounds for a very long time.
One of the reasons for its popularity is due to the fact that you can make it from common household rolled oats just thrown into a sock and left to steep in the bath water like a giant tub of oatmeal tea. Another reason it is saluted is due to the oats very gentle soothing effects which don’t strip oils or change the heck out of the skin’s pH, which is especially popular for parents caring for their babies eczema.
Another term floating around the oatmeal circuit is ‘colloidal oatmeal’ which basically just means ‘powdered oatmeal’. Again, this is not something you need to go to the store to buy specially, you just throw your normal dried oats into a food processor and zip it to a fine powder, then there you have it! A fancy word for oat powder!
Taking a bath in this finely ground oats is said to be better received by the body as the oats are more evenly dispersed in the water to create a milky looking bath which coats the body better.
Oatmeal baths and your eczema skin
What oatmeal is said to do is help normalize the skin’s pH, as well as moisturize by helping prevent water from leaving the skin, which is important for the dermatitis prone person. It contains antioxidants and is also a natural cleanser which absorbs dirt, oil and smells as well as containing antibacterial properties, although not as much as say a bleach or peroxide bath. Some components found in oats have the ability to reduce inflammation which is also great for sunburn and insect bites. And due to the delicate nature of these little champions, oat bath treatments can be taken more frequently than that of a bleach bath.
One unfortunate aspect of oatmeal baths is that the majority of oatmeal contains gluten. Gluten intolerance is serious and because many people are now discovering they have this issue, it is wise to source a gluten-free oat product where possible. There is still debate over whether having gluten on the skin will cause any issues, as the problem lies with the reaction between the gluten and the gut, however it is safer to exercise caution until the jury is out.
Said to work wonders on eczema, sunburn, insect bites and the like, oatmeal baths anti-itch properties can potentially tame the nastiest itch.
Here are my picks for the oats with the most:
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain, Rolled Oats
Organic Gluten Free Oats
You may also like to check out my video review of oatmeal baths. Just a warning, it gets a little silly...
