Are you preparing to relax after a long day? How about filling the tub with warm water, lighting a few candles, and adding some oatmeal flakes? It may sound a bit strange to bathe in breakfast food, but you might be surprised to learn about the numerous benefits of an oatmeal bath.
Oats have been used for centuries as a topical treatment for a variety of skin conditions, including dry skin, rashes, and eczema.
So, take out your food processor, grind some oats, and take a bath. You will surely love the results of this natural remedy.
Health Benefits
Soothes the Skin
Oatmeal flakes are useful for alleviating itching and irritation of the skin.
If you are dealing with a skin inflammatory issue, a rash, hives, or sunburn, colloidal oatmeal has soothing, nourishing, and moisturizing properties. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, enhancing the skin’s ability to heal from within.
Studies also show that oatmeal flakes play a role in protecting the skin against ultraviolet rays. This is why you sometimes see oatmeal flakes as an ingredient in cosmetic products.
Deeply Hydrates
An oatmeal bath creates a protective barrier on the skin, helping to retain moisture and keep the skin hydrated. It also has healing and moisturizing properties due to its saponins, which have antibacterial and protective effects.
A clinical study evaluated the moisturizing effects of colloidal oatmeal flakes and found significant benefits for cracking, damage, and dryness of the skin.
Reduces Inflammation
Research suggests that oatmeal flakes possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and their administration is effective against several dermatological inflammatory diseases, including atopic dermatitis, pruritus, viral infections, and psoriasis.
Its anti-inflammatory effects are exactly why an oatmeal bath is so effective. It can help reduce swelling, itching, and irritation.
Oatmeal baths can also help relieve sunburn, insect bites, chickenpox, poison ivy, and diaper rash. Thus, it is safe and beneficial for children.
Contains Antioxidants
Scientists have established that avenanthramides found in whole grain oats act to inhibit inflammation and soothe the skin. Avenanthramides are a group of phenolic alkaloids that act as powerful antioxidants.
In addition to their ability to combat damage caused by free radicals that lead to early signs of aging and skin lesions, these compounds are also linked to the anti-itch effects of oats and even potential anti-tumor effects.
Protects the Skin
A study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found that colloidal oatmeal flakes have skin barrier-enhancing activity. When the oatmeal lotion was used topically, it showed significant clinical improvements regarding skin dryness, hydration, and protective barrier.
Colloidal oatmeal powder also provided a pH buffer for the skin and stimulated recovery from barrier damage. This means it can protect the skin from dirt, bacteria, and environmental factors that cause irritation or other damage.
How to Take an Oatmeal Bath
To make your own oatmeal bath, you need to buy colloidal oatmeal flakes or grind a cup of oats without flavor or additives. To do this yourself, use a coffee grinder, blender, or food processor and grind the oats until they become a fine powder.
Now you are ready for your soothing oatmeal bath. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Fill the tub with warm water.
2. Add a cup of finely ground oatmeal.
3. Let the oatmeal absorb for a minute. It should dissolve and appear milky in the water.
4. Get in the tub, relax, and enjoy.
5. When you are done, drain the bathwater, rinse your skin, and be careful. The oatmeal residue should drain easily if it was ground correctly, but you may need to clean the tub afterward to remove any leftovers.
Note: If you are concerned about the oatmeal powder clogging the drain, you can put the oats in a pouch.
More Oatmeal Bath Recipes
You can get creative with oatmeal bath recipes by adding additional beneficial ingredients.
Here are some ideas:
1. Make a Milk Bath: Have you ever tried a milk bath? It soothes and hydrates the skin, reduces inflammation, and promotes healthy aging. Adding 1-2 cups of plant-based milk to your oatmeal bath can enhance the healing effects. Some excellent options are coconut milk, almond milk, goat milk, and breast milk for babies.
2. Add Honey: Raw honey has natural antibacterial and wound-healing effects. It is often used to combat acne, boost hydration, and accelerate healing. It can be combined with oatmeal for relief from inflammatory conditions like eczema.
3. Add Lavender: Not only does lavender oil have calming and relaxing properties, but it is also an antibacterial agent and a powerful antioxidant. Simply add about 5 drops to your oatmeal milk bath.
4. Add Apple Cider Vinegar: The uses of apple cider vinegar for the skin are abundant. It can be added to the oatmeal bath to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of scars, combat bacteria, and improve pigmentation.
5. Sprinkle Epsom Salts: Adding a cup of Epsom salts to your oatmeal bath helps stimulate detoxification, reduce pain, and inflammation.
6. Add Avocado Oil: Avocado oil for the skin has amazing benefits. It acts as an excellent moisturizer, reduces inflammation, combats free radicals, and soothes skin damage caused by sunburn. Add 1-2 tablespoons to your oatmeal bath. If you don’t have avocado oil at home, olive oil, argan oil, and coconut oil are other excellent options.
Risks and Side Effects
Colloidal oatmeal flakes are generally safe and well-tolerated. When the safety of colloidal oatmeal powder in personal care products was evaluated by researchers in France, they found it to have a very low potential for irritation and allergenic sensitization.
In fact, they reported that no allergies were reported by consumers of over 440,000 products sold over a three-year period.
If you experience redness, burning, or irritation during the oatmeal bath, carefully get out of the tub and rinse your skin in the shower. This would be an adverse reaction to oats, and you should avoid oatmeal baths in the future.
When taking an oatmeal bath, do not exceed 15 minutes, as oats can have a drying effect. Also, make sure to use warm water and not hot water, which can cause irritation and damage to the skin.
