OATMEAL BATHS AND HOW THEY WORK by Natturly

Oatmeal baths are not just delicious to eat for breakfast! They are also very soothing in a bath especially if you, your child or someone you know has dry, itchy skin. Oatmeal baths are also very comforting and relaxing even on a regular basis if you don’t suffer any dry, or itchy skin.

How Oatmeal Works

Bathing in food may seem strange but oatmeal has soap-like chemical compounds in it called saponins. The saponins found in oatmeal cleanse the skin by soaking up dirt, oil and odor and absorbing them away from the body.

The finely powdered oatmeal functions as a colloid because the molecules spread through the water and permanently change its consistency, meaning that no oatmeal particles should sink to the bottom of the bathtub or be left floating at the top of the water.  An oatmeal bath acts to draw heat away from the top layers of skin while sealing in the skin’s natural oils.

In folk remedies, it is most popularly known for its use to relieve poison ivy. Of course, Western, white supremacists who call themselves doctors don't know why oatmeal is an effective remedy for poison ivy. In the case of a poison ivy rash, the skin reacts to a chemical called urushiol found in the plant. Some studies have shown that it is chemicals in oatmeal called avenanthramides and phenols that reduce the inflammation caused by the skins reaction to urushiol.

Oatmeal is also commonly used for other skin complaints such as insect bites, sunburn, eczema, psoriasis, chicken pox, allergies and dry skin. If you have itchy dry skin, you more than likely have an increased skin pH level. Oatmeal baths will help to balance the pH level of your skin, soothing itchiness and protecting it from further irritation as well. You should notice your skin feeling softer and more moisturized, which is a sign that a moisture barrier has been sealed by the oatmeal.

Common uses for Oatmeal

Oatmeal has long been used in beauty and skin treatments as it is a skin protectant, protecting and soothing the skin of irritations that may be dry and painful. Over-the-counter oatmeal products, commonly used to heal skin conditions such as chicken pox are known as 'colloidal' oatmeal, or known by its Genus Species name, Avena sativa L. While it is known as '(oat) kernel meal' when used in cosmetic and beauty products. Neither of these types of oatmeal are foodgrade and therefore should not be eaten.

What to Expect When Making and Oatmeal Bath

Oatmeal baths are easy to prepare and can be customized to your specific skin condition using essential oils or other natural products.  You can use regular whole oats, but it is preferable to use oatmeal that is ground up into a fine powder. When purchasing oatmeal to make your own colloidal oatmeal, you may want to avoid the type that says ‘instant’ on the package, though they should all work fine.

Grind up 1-2 cups oatmeal for adults or 1/3 a cup for babies in a coffee grinder, blender, food processor, mortar and pestle or a mill to get your desired consistency. You may want to grind up an entire package of oatmeal, store it in an air tight container and keep it in your bathroom to make it more convenient to use.

You can test the colloidal properties of the oatmeal you grinded by stirring 1 tablespoon of the powder into a glass of warm water.  If you’ve powdered it fine enough, the oats should absorb the water and give off a milk-like look and silky feel. Oatmeal that is too coarse and isn’t ground fine enough will sink in the water and not act as a colloid.

You can also purchase oatmeal specifically for bathing under the name colloidal oatmeal, but this will be more expensive, than grinding it yourself using what you have at home. Either way you choose powdered oat meal should stay suspended in the bathwater, coating your skin as you enter and bath, as opposed to whole oats that will sink.

Preparing an Oatmeal Bath

Consider whether you be using essential oils, flowers, herbs or bath salts and have them on hand as anything you add to an oatmeal bath, including the oatmeal should be added while the water is running.

Step 1: To prepare an oatmeal bath, add 1-2 cups of colloidal, or powdered, oatmeal to a bowl. Make sure there are no clumps by pressing down the oatmeal into the bowl with the back of a spoon.  If you do not have anything to grind your oatmeal up with you can still achieve a colloidal bath treatment by pouring the whole oats in the bowl into coffee filter, cheese cloth or piece of muslin. Tie or seal the sachet with an elastic band if you want to avoid having oatmeal left behind in the bath tub.

Step 2: Add any extra ingredients to the oatmeal or you can add it to the water while it is running. You may want to skip adding anything extra if you are suffering from extremely inflamed skin as they may aggravate your skin more.

Step 3: Use tepid water especially for dry skin, chicken pox, poison ivy or allergic reactions. Bathwater that is too hot will draw moisture away from your skin or inflame already irritated skin. Add the oatmeal while the water is flowing to allow even distribution.

Step 4 (Optional): If you haven added any extras to the oatmeal, and you wish to, now is the time to add in a few drops of essential oils, now, that you’ve researched your skin condition, plus any acceptable herbs or bath salts such as ¼ Cup Epsom salt.

Step 5: Soak for 10-20 minutes. BE CAREFUL when entering the bath tub as it may be slippery and do not let it get into your eyes! If you sealed your oatmeal into a sachet, gently squeeze the bag to release oatmeal onto your body and into the bath. Otherwise soak in the oatmeal infused bath and gently massage the oatmeal into your skin if tolerable.

Step 6: Rinse with tepid water if you feel sticky. BE CAREFUL when standing up as the bath tub may be slippery! If you still feel like scratching your skin after drying off, be sure to follow this step and rinse off.

Step 7: Pat yourself dry with a towel—being sure not to rub your skin, which may cause more irritation.

Oatmeal baths can be taken up to three times per day to relive itchy, inflamed, dry skin. Alternatively, you can bath with a bar of oatmeal soap and/or wash your hair with a colloidal shampoo for dry scalp that will provide the similar benefits. Just make sure not to get it in your eyes and that there are no perfumes, dyes, or other harsh chemicals in the bar of oatmeal soap or shampoo.

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