Is an Oatmeal Bath Good for Babies With Eczema?

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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. However, an oatmeal bath for eczema 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.

How Does Oatmeal Help 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.

How to Make an Oatmeal Bath?

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.
Use your hand to spread the oatmeal throughout the tub so the water looks milky and feels soft.
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 moisturizer within three minutes of drying.

How to DIY Colloidal Oatmeal?

You can buy packages of pre-made colloidal oatmeal, or, if you prefer, 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.

Try Happy Cappy Daily Shampoo, Made with Oatmeal Extract

You can also enjoy the benefits of oatmeal for baby eczema by using Happy Cappy Daily Shampoo and Body Wash, an eczema shampoo for babies.

Happy Cappy Daily Shampoo and Body Wash is a baby eczema shampoo that is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and has a low pH. Made with oatmeal extract and other soothing ingredients like aloe vera and licorice root, as well as hyaluronic acid and provitamin B5 to moisturize skin and hair, Happy Cappy Daily Shampoo and Body Wash is a safe and easy way to help relieve your baby’s eczema symptoms.