Eczema is an irritating, even painful, skin condition that affects millions of people. Typically characterized by rough, dry, red patches of skin that is highly itchy and usually appears on the arms, back or face of people affected, these patches can take on a scaly, highly irritated appearance if proper treatment is not forthcoming. While medicated ointments and creams are available, both through a dermatologist and over the counter, these remedies can often be costly and painful to apply. Nevertheless, there is a particularly effective home treatment available to you in the form of an oatmeal bath that helps alleviate some of eczema’s more disruptive symptoms. Here is a step by step guide for making your own oatmeal bath for eczema treatment.

1. Go to your local grocery store and purchase colloidal or rolled oats, both of which are plentiful and affordable. Refrain from products that are flavored or any forms of instant oatmeal as flavoring is not only unnecessary but can complicate the treatment by causing the sensitive areas affected with eczema to flare up. Instant oatmeal is ineffective in alleviating eczema symptoms.

2. Mill the oats using a coffee grinder or food processor. Make sure the oats are very well milled before continuing. The ideal consistency should be a fine powder that easily dissolves into a glass of water, forming a cloudy liquid that is free of sediment. Make enough powdered oatmeal to dissolve into a bathtub full of water.

3. Once you have enough milled oatmeal, fill your bathtub with cool to lukewarm water. Water that is too hot can dry out your skin and further irritate the eczema. Run the water to a temperature where it is tolerable to endure but not too warm. The cooler the water the better as cold water can help soothe irritation and itchiness.

4. Add the milled oats to the bathwater and stir with your hand to evenly dissolve and distribute any clumps or pockets of oatmeal.

5. Enter the bath. Be careful as the oats can make porcelain surfaces extra slick.

6. Soak in the tub for at least 15 to 20 minutes. While there may be an initial stinging or burning sensation, this should subside quickly.

7. Once enough time has elapsed, remove the water from the tub and clean off remaining oatmeal residue from both the tub and your skin. Be sure to rinse your skin with cool water to prevent irritation.

8. Pat your wet skin dry. Do not run a towel across your skin as this too can irritate the skin and cause itching.

9. Moisturize your skin with a gentle lotion once dry that is unscented and dye free as both attributes can aggravate eczema.

10. Repeat this process twice a day until your eczema symptoms have abated.

While an oatmeal bath for eczema may not be a lasting fix, a timely application of this treatment can help you cope with eczema if lotions and creams are not doing the trick. If using this treatment on a small child be sure to supervise during bath time as the oatmeal bath solution can cause slipping and falling in the bathroom, potentially resulting in injury.