How (and When!) to Take a Bleach Bath to Soothe Itchy Skin – Self

Like so many people with eczema, Monica Ramos, a 32-year-old from Sacramento, California, is always super diligent about skin care when she has a flare-up. But she found that her dry, inflamed hands would still crack despite layering cotton gloves over fragrance-free cream and petroleum jelly several times a day. It was in a moment of desperation that she finally found a solution, she tells SELF. She tried a home remedy shed come across online: bleach baths.

If the idea of soaking your itchy, sore body in a household cleaner sounds less than appealing, we get it, but its not as extreme as it sounds. The chemical is thought to calm skin inflammation and get rid of bacteriasort of a cheaper, easier-to-obtain alternative to antibioticsfor people with this chronic skin condition, who are prone to infections. Dilution is the key here: Picture a tubful of water with just a half-cup of bleach added (which is about the same concentration as a swimming pool).

Heres what researchers know about bleach baths for eczema, their safety, and how to do them correctly to really help your skin.

While bleach has been used as a disinfectant for years, researchers have only studied its eczema-soothing potential relatively recently. Their verdict: Yes, they do work a little better than water baths alone. In a study conducted by Derek Chu, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at McMaster University, in Ontario, and colleagues, 32% of people who used bleach baths for about six weeks had a 50% improvement in their eczema symptoms compared with 22% of those who took water-only baths.1

Thats not exactly a home run, Dr. Chu tells SELF. But it does make bleach baths something to consider if you have fairly severe symptoms. He says that they can be an option for people like Ramosbut only in addition to their existing treatment. If your eczema isnt that bad, they may be more of a hassle than a help. If you have mild eczema, Dr. Chu says, its likely you wont see much benefit.

People who have skin infections in addition to the condition may also see a benefit, Latanay Benjamin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Coral Springs, Florida, tells SELF. Ive seen it work wonderfully when used in between flares, she says.

You should definitely talk with your health care provider before taking the plunge. Dilute bleach bath is a treatment that requires specific instructions from your doctor to ensure that the correct type of bleach is used in the proper proportion, Dr. Benjamin says.

Plus, she says, other detailslike exactly what parts of your body to submerge (everything from the neck down? Just your legs?)can vary. So the safest recommendation will come from your doctor rather than online, Dr. Benjamin says.

If you feel ready to try one, here are some tips for doing it correctly.

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How (and When!) to Take a Bleach Bath to Soothe Itchy Skin - Self