Here’s exactly how to run your own oatmeal bath for dry, cracked skin, plus some modern spins on the age-old brew. “Extracts of oatmeal have been shown to lessen inflammatory mediators in the skin, giving significant clinical improvements in skin dryness, scaling, roughness, and itch intensity,” board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo M.D., FAAD, once told us about using oatmeal in skin care. And while there’s a plethora of products that contain oatmeal—cleansers, moisturizers, and body lotions, to name a select few—there’s something to be said about dunking yourself into an entire bath of the stuff. By soaking in an oatmeal bath, you’re also getting double the hydration; Ciraldo mentions that bathwater can rehydrate the skin, especially for those who suffer from conditions like atopic dermatitis (which is why a lukewarm bath feels so soothing when those individuals have flare-ups). Add oatmeal into the mix, and the anti-inflammatory benefits work twofold. In fact, research shows colloidal oatmeal aided genes related to skin barrier and resulted in recovery of barrier damage1 in an in vitro model of atopic dermatitis. “Moisturizing and protecting the barrier of the skin is paramount in dry skin conditions like eczema (atopic dermatitis) and psoriasis,” says board-certified dermatologist Zenovia Gabriel, M.D., FAAD. And there’s research to back it up, too: Clinical trials have shown that a 1% colloidal oatmeal cream alone was enough to calm symptoms of atopic dermatitis2. However, we must note here, these will not “cure” or “treat” your conditions alone. These are complex issues that require holistic methods—however adding in an oatmeal bath can make for a complementary ritual.
