Is an Oatmeal Bath Good for Babies With Eczema?

Oatmeal doesn’t just make a healthy, delicious breakfast it also has some astonishing benefits for the baby’s skin. Even though babies are known for their soft, smooth skin, there are times when they might experience certain skin conditions, and their skin might turn red, itchy, irritated, and rough.

Then the first thing you would want to do is soothe the baby’s condition and make them feel comfortable. Oatmeal bath for babies is one option you can go for. It has been used for ages and is known to be effective in soothing different skin conditions like eczema, diaper rash, and chickenpox.

Read this blog to discover how homemade oatmeal baths can help your baby’s skin.

What is an Oatmeal (Avena Sativa) Bath?

It is just like having a bubble bath; instead of using soap or shampoo to make bubbles, you put oatmeal in the bath. However, it doesn’t mean a tub full of warm breakfast food. The oatmeal used in skincare is colloidal oatmeal, which has been ground into a fine powder so it stays suspended in the water and won’t sink to the bottom of the tub. 

Colloidal oatmeal is an FDA-approved ingredient that is often added to shampoo, body wash, and moisturizers to soothe redness and irritated skin, especially for those who are experiencing eczema.

Benefits of Oatmeal Bath for Babies

Oatmeal has been used for ages as a home remedy for better hair and skin. According to research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, moisturizing creams containing colloidal oatmeal as an ingredient were as effective at repairing the skin barrier function as prescription medications and were more efficient in providing skin moisturization.

Another study in the National Library of Medicine shows that creams with oatmeal have a significant moisturizing effect on dry skin, which remains for two weeks even after discontinuing its use. 

Oats or oatmeal extract contain anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-itch, and antioxidant properties. These properties have proven great benefits for the skin. Babies have sensitive skin, which makes them more prone to dryness and irritation. 

However, using oatmeal for an oatmeal bath and moisturizers can be very beneficial for the baby’s delicate skin. Here is how it helps.

• It helps repair the skin barrier.
• Helps lock moisture in the skin and keep it hydrated.
• Prevents the skin from drying out quickly.
• Soothes skin redness and itching. 
• Protects the skin against outside irritants.

Skin Conditions It Works for?

Now that we have discovered how good oatmeal can be for your baby’s skin, let’s take a closer look at some common skin conditions it can help with. In the US, colloidal baths are available OTC, if your skin is not improving then consult your doctor. 

Diaper Rash:

Diaper rash is very common in babies, especially those with hypersensitive skin. An oatmeal bath can work as a soothing bath for diaper rash in babies. It helps soothe and relieve redness, irritation, and soreness around the baby’s diaper area. 

Dry Skin:

Oatmeal baths for kids can also help soothe their dry, cracked, rough skin. Oats have natural properties that can help soften rough skin, hydrate dry skin, and reduce redness. Regular use of oatmeal in your baby’s skincare routine can help prevent their skin from becoming dry. 

Chickenpox (also known as Varicella):

Not very common anymore–thank you vaccines! This is a skin condition that people used to go through once in their life. It can cause bumps on the skin that can be very itchy, making it hard for your little one to resist the itch.  

However, an oatmeal bath can help relive their itching and soothe their skin for some time. This can be very beneficial at night because the itching becomes worse during the night. 

Hives:

Hives can also cause itchy, red rashes and bumps on the skin. These can even cause a burning or stinging sensation. Giving an oat bath to your baby can help soothe the burning, itching, and redness on the skin.

Some other conditions it can help soothe your baby’s skin for are:

• Sunburn
• Heat rash
• Bug bites
• Cracked skin
• Poison ivy rash 

Oatmeal baths are often used to soothe eczema flare-ups in babies. Let’s take a look at their benefits for eczema or atopic dermatitis.

Oatmeal Bath for Baby Eczema?

Eczema is a condition that causes the skin to become red, inflamed, and itchy. There is no cure for eczema, but many treatments are effective at relieving symptoms, like oatmeal baths.

Oatmeal baths are great for babies with eczema. A 2012 study published in the US National Library of Medicine’s National Institutes of Health found that colloidal oatmeal can soothe eczema itching and irritation, act as a buffer to help balance pH, and protect sensitive eczema-prone skin.

Oatmeal contains a compound called avenanthramides, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. When oatmeal is ground down into colloidal form, it binds to the skin and allows the avenanthramides to get to work, helping to:

• Form a protective barrier to prevent irritants from harming the skin
• Bring moisture to the topmost layers of skin
• Ease inflammation
• Lock in moisture

There is so much evidence that colloidal oatmeal helps skin that the FDA officially classified it as a skin protectant. An oatmeal bath for babies’ eczema can be very helpful; however, you must consult a doctor before doing it to avoid any complications. 

How to Make an Oatmeal Bath for Baby?

Here is your ultimate oatmeal bath recipe to help soothe your baby’s irritated, itchy skin. 

• Fill a clean bathtub with warm water, not hot, as heat can irritate skin.
• Pour about one cup of colloidal oatmeal into the water right under the tap to mix it with the water.
• Pour a little at a time. This helps it dissolve faster. 
• Use your hand to spread the oatmeal throughout the tub so the water looks milky and feels soft.
• Put your baby into the bathtub, let them play, and spend some time in the oat bath. 
• Soak for about 10 minutes, or the length your doctor recommends, or on the colloidal oatmeal package.
• If desired, rinse off with fresh water, then use a soft, dry towel to pat dry.
• Apply a hypoallergenic fragrance-free baby moisturizing cream within three minutes after the bath to moisturize your baby’s body.

Can You Use Regular Oatmeal for an Oatmeal Bath?

You can buy packages of pre-made colloidal oatmeal, or If you are thinking of doing a DIY oatmeal bath for baby but don’t have colloidal oatmeal, then you can make your own.

Put one cup of raw oats into a clean blender, food processor, or coffee grinder and grind it into a fine powder. 

Test your powder to ensure it’s fine enough by dissolving one tablespoon into one cup of water. If it doesn’t dissolve easily, keep grinding.

Possible Risks of Oat Bath for Babies

Even though oats are something that is pure and natural, they can still pose some side effects for some people. It is rare, but there is always a possibility that your baby might be allergic to oatmeal.

If your baby has a gluten or wheat allergy, then there is a chance that their skin might react negatively towards oats, especially if the oats are grown near wheat and other grains or are processed in the same factory. 

If your baby is experiencing any of the following symptoms after taking an oatmeal bath, then immediately consult a doctor. They may be allergic to oats. 

• Skin rash
• Redness 
• Hives
• Nausea
• Runny nose
• Eye irritation
• Swelling in the throat, mouth, or face
• Difficulty in breathing

Consult a physician if skin manifestations occur. Swelling in mouth, throat, or face or difficulty breathing is a ife threatening emergency and in the USA, call 911. 

Happy Cappy and Oatmeal Extract

You can also enjoy the benefits of oatmeal for baby eczema by using Happy Cappy Eczema Shampoo and Body Wash, which is specially formulated for babies’ sensitive eczema-prone skin.

This baby eczema body wash is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, dye-free, phthalates-free, and has a low pH level. Made with oatmeal extract and other soothing ingredients like licorice root extract and hyaluronic acid that help moisturize skin and hair it is a safe and easy way to help soothe your baby’s eczema symptoms.

Conclusion

Oatmeal has been used for years for skin and hair due to its anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing properties. Oatmeal baths are a great natural way to soothe your baby’s itchy, irritated skin by common skin conditions like eczema, dry skin, chickenpox, heat rash, and sunburn. 

Oatmeal baths for babies can help soothe eczema symptoms during a flare-up. Colloidal oatmeal, which is a fine powdered form of oatmeal extracts, is used to prepare the bath.

Add the powder into the bath tub until the water turns milky, then soak your baby in that water for 10-15 minutes. Afterwards pat dry their skin and moisturize it with a baby eczema cream. 

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Dr. Eddie Valenzuela

Dr. Eddie Valenzuela is an award winning pediatrician and the founder and CEO of Pediatric Solutions, LLC.

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