Is Your Oatmeal Bath Calming or a Hidden Allergy Risk?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReasons to UseWhen to Avoid OatmealWhen to Contact a Healthcare ProviderHow to Draw an Oatmeal BathOther Options

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Reasons to Use

When to Avoid Oatmeal

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

How to Draw an Oatmeal Bath

Other Options

Oatmeal baths deliver results because oatmeal has proven anti-inflammatory and moisturizing qualities. Finely ground oat grain (Avena sativa) applied topically acts as a skin protectant. It has proven to improve skin dryness, roughness, scaling, and itch intensity.However, sometimes oatmeal baths may increase irritation.

Reasons to Take an Oatmeal Bath

There are many reasons to take a warm oatmeal bath.Colloidaloats have been used for centuries to treat symptoms of skin conditions such aseczema, dry skin, and skin rashes, although their properties have not been well understood.

Oats improve skin problems because they are rich in phytochemicals. Plant chemical compounds have valuable anti-itch,antioxidant, anti-inflammatory,antifungal, andprebioticproperties that are beneficial to your skin and help in the following ways.

Prevent Scratching of Itchy Skin

Taking an oatmeal bath can relieve itchy skin. It is most effective in treating skin conditions such aschicken pox,urticaria(hives),sunburn, orpoison ivythat involve oozing skin andblisters. The itch-soothing properties of oatmeal can help prevent scratching in these conditions long after a bath. Research has documented sustained skin-moisturizing properties that lasted up to two weeks after people discontinued the use of products that contained oatmeal.

Reduce Inflammation and Promote Anti-Oxidant Effect

Research supports the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of oatmeal. In one study, proinflammatorycytokines(molecules that promote inflammation) were reduced in people who were treated with colloidal oatmeal. The ability of colloidal oatmeal to reduce cytokines was reinforced when results from a test tube were compared to results on people whose skin was treated with colloidal oatmeal.

Add a Protective Barrier to Skin

Oatmeal baths and the topical application of colloidal oatmeal in personal care products may help protect dry skin from irritants and reduce its symptoms. Research indicates that oatmeal can significantly improve the skin barrier, moisturize the skin, and prevent dryness.

A major part of your skin’s ability to provide a protective barrier involves maintaining a constant pH (potential hydrogen level, or measuring how acidic or basic something is) of between 4 and 7. People with compromised skin or skin conditions often have high pH levels. Research indicates that oatmeal can act as a buffering agent to help maintain yourskin’s ideal pH.

Manage Red, Itchy Skin Safely

The anti-itch and anti-inflammatory properties of oatmeal can benefit people dealing with red, itchy, inflamed skin common in conditions likeatopic dermatitis. Research has consistently shown that products that contain colloidal oatmeal can help manage these conditions. Oatmeal baths can soothe symptoms ofitchingand inflammation in adults, children, and babies under 2 years of age with a low risk of adverse effects.

When Would an Oatmeal Bath Make Symptoms Worse?

While an oatmeal bath has many benefits, it may not be the best therapy for every skin condition. Consider treatments with other active ingredients for the following conditions:

Heat Rash

Heat rash, also calledmiliariaor prickly heat, occurs when sweat glands become blocked or inflamed and cannot release sweat through the skin. The sweat gets trapped under the skin, causing a rash.

The recommended treatment for a heat rash is to keep the affected skin cool and dry. Cool compresses can help lower the temperature of the affected skin to relieve inflamed sweat glands. The warm water required to produce an oatmeal bath could aggravate or worsen symptoms.

Oat Allergies

Whileoat allergiesare not very common, they can occur. Anyone who has demonstrated signs of an allergy, such as a new rash, hives, digestive upset, or breathing problems when consuming oats or using products with colloidal oatmeal should not use an oatmeal bath.

If you or your child experiences signs of a severe oat allergy oranaphylaxis—a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction—call911and get emergency treatment as soon as possible. Signs of anaphylaxis can include;

Ingredients and Irritation

Prepackaged oatmeal bath products and other items that contain colloidal oatmeal can sometimes contain ingredients that can irritate an existing rash. If you are using an oatmeal-based product to treat a rash or other skin condition, avoid products with the following known irritants:

While an oatmeal bath can relieve symptoms of inflammation and irritation in certain skin conditions, there are many options for treating irritated skin.

Contact your healthcare provider for a diagnosis and advice on stronger treatments if you have the following symptoms that do not improve with nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) treatments or oatmeal baths:

You can use ready-to-use packets or homemade preparations to draw anoatmeal bath.

Making ingredients for your oatmeal bath is quick and easy. It also gives you control over the contents so you can ensure it is free of irritants. As an added benefit, a DIY oatmeal bath may be more economical than using prepared products.

Preparing Oats

Soaking Time

Additional Options for Eczema Flares and Chronic Rash

You can experience the benefits of colloidal oatmeal without needing an oatmeal bath. Topical products like lotions, creams, and cleansers can deliver the same soothing and moisturizing effects, and they may be easy to incorporate into your skincare routine.

Remember to read the labels of any prepared oatmeal bath products and look for additives such as perfumes that might cause irritation and offset the therapeutic value of the colloidal oatmeal.

Products with Colloidal Oatmeal

The amount of colloidal oatmeal can vary among products, and there is little evidence of the value of one formulation over another. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it for use as an active ingredient in OTC skin products at a minimum concentration of 0.007% or 0.003% when used in combination with mineral oil.

Research indicates that 1% colloidal oat creams significantly improved skin conditions, such as rashes, after using this formulation.

In addition to preparations intended for oatmeal baths, you can find colloidal oatmeal in the following forms for infants and adults:

Prescription and OTC Treatments for Eczema

For many people, oatmeal baths or other products with colloidal oatmeal can be used to complement prescribed treatments or other OTC treatments for eczema. These treatments can include:

Summary

Oatmeal baths can relieve some skin problems. However, contact your healthcare provider if your skin problem does not improve with oatmeal baths and other home treatments. They can provide a diagnosis and treatment plan that’s right for your condition.

17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Reynertson KA, Garay M, Nebus J, et al.Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin.J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(1):43-48.Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: History, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19:10(Suppl):s4-7.Sobhan M, Hojati M, Vafaie SY, Ahmadimoghaddam D, Mohammadi Y, Mehrpooya M.The efficacy of colloidal oatmeal cream 1% as add-on therapy in the management of chronic irritant hand eczema: a double-blind study.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2020;13:241-251. doi:10.2147/CCID.S246021Ilnytska O, Kaur S, Chon S, et al.Colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) improves skin barrier through multi-therapy activity.J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(6):684-690.Fowler JF.Colloidal oatmeal formulations and the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(10):1180-1183.American Academy of Family Physicians.Heat rash.Seattle Children’s.Heat rash.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergies: What you need to know.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergens in cosmetics.Health Direct. Itchy skin.National Eczema Association.Eczema and bathing.Pediatric Health Network/Children’s National.Bleach baths, oatmeal baths, and wet wraps for eczema.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR – code of federal regulations title 21.Capone K, Kirchner F, Klein SL, Tierney NK.Effects of colloidal oatmeal topical atopic dermatitis cream on skin microbiome and skin barrier properties.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology: JDD.May 2020;19(5):524-531.Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: history, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. October 2020;19(10).National Eczema Association.Available eczema treatments.

17 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Reynertson KA, Garay M, Nebus J, et al.Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin.J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(1):43-48.Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: History, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19:10(Suppl):s4-7.Sobhan M, Hojati M, Vafaie SY, Ahmadimoghaddam D, Mohammadi Y, Mehrpooya M.The efficacy of colloidal oatmeal cream 1% as add-on therapy in the management of chronic irritant hand eczema: a double-blind study.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2020;13:241-251. doi:10.2147/CCID.S246021Ilnytska O, Kaur S, Chon S, et al.Colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) improves skin barrier through multi-therapy activity.J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(6):684-690.Fowler JF.Colloidal oatmeal formulations and the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(10):1180-1183.American Academy of Family Physicians.Heat rash.Seattle Children’s.Heat rash.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergies: What you need to know.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergens in cosmetics.Health Direct. Itchy skin.National Eczema Association.Eczema and bathing.Pediatric Health Network/Children’s National.Bleach baths, oatmeal baths, and wet wraps for eczema.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR – code of federal regulations title 21.Capone K, Kirchner F, Klein SL, Tierney NK.Effects of colloidal oatmeal topical atopic dermatitis cream on skin microbiome and skin barrier properties.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology: JDD.May 2020;19(5):524-531.Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: history, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. October 2020;19(10).National Eczema Association.Available eczema treatments.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Reynertson KA, Garay M, Nebus J, et al.Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin.J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(1):43-48.Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: History, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19:10(Suppl):s4-7.Sobhan M, Hojati M, Vafaie SY, Ahmadimoghaddam D, Mohammadi Y, Mehrpooya M.The efficacy of colloidal oatmeal cream 1% as add-on therapy in the management of chronic irritant hand eczema: a double-blind study.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2020;13:241-251. doi:10.2147/CCID.S246021Ilnytska O, Kaur S, Chon S, et al.Colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) improves skin barrier through multi-therapy activity.J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(6):684-690.Fowler JF.Colloidal oatmeal formulations and the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(10):1180-1183.American Academy of Family Physicians.Heat rash.Seattle Children’s.Heat rash.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergies: What you need to know.American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergens in cosmetics.Health Direct. Itchy skin.National Eczema Association.Eczema and bathing.Pediatric Health Network/Children’s National.Bleach baths, oatmeal baths, and wet wraps for eczema.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR – code of federal regulations title 21.Capone K, Kirchner F, Klein SL, Tierney NK.Effects of colloidal oatmeal topical atopic dermatitis cream on skin microbiome and skin barrier properties.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology: JDD.May 2020;19(5):524-531.Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: history, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. October 2020;19(10).National Eczema Association.Available eczema treatments.

Reynertson KA, Garay M, Nebus J, et al.Anti-inflammatory activities of colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) contribute to the effectiveness of oats in treatment of itch associated with dry, irritated skin.J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;14(1):43-48.

Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: History, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19:10(Suppl):s4-7.

Sobhan M, Hojati M, Vafaie SY, Ahmadimoghaddam D, Mohammadi Y, Mehrpooya M.The efficacy of colloidal oatmeal cream 1% as add-on therapy in the management of chronic irritant hand eczema: a double-blind study.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2020;13:241-251. doi:10.2147/CCID.S246021

Ilnytska O, Kaur S, Chon S, et al.Colloidal oatmeal (Avena sativa) improves skin barrier through multi-therapy activity.J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(6):684-690.

Fowler JF.Colloidal oatmeal formulations and the treatment of atopic dermatitis.J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(10):1180-1183.

American Academy of Family Physicians.Heat rash.

Seattle Children’s.Heat rash.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Food allergies: What you need to know.

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Allergens in cosmetics.

Health Direct. Itchy skin.

National Eczema Association.Eczema and bathing.

Pediatric Health Network/Children’s National.Bleach baths, oatmeal baths, and wet wraps for eczema.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CFR – code of federal regulations title 21.

Capone K, Kirchner F, Klein SL, Tierney NK.Effects of colloidal oatmeal topical atopic dermatitis cream on skin microbiome and skin barrier properties.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology: JDD.May 2020;19(5):524-531.

Allais B, Friedman A.Colloidal oatmeal part I: history, basic science, mechanism of action, and clinical efficacy in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. October 2020;19(10).

National Eczema Association.Available eczema treatments.

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