Oats- an easy solution to itchy skin
Debra Hultgren
Oatmeal as a soak or in the tub can sooth irritated skin quickly. Almost any itchy condition can be calmed by a soak in an oatmeal tea. It can also be use to calm the pain of insect stings. It can be as simple as bringing one cup of oatmeal to a boil in five cups of water, turning the stove off, and letting it sit for ten minutes and then straining the liquid into the bathtub or soaking container. The main use of Oats in a bath is to gently clean the surface of the skin, removing any impurities and softly exfoliate and hydrate the skin as well. For an easy, at-home Oat baths, use Colloidal Oatmeal, found at the drug store. This powdered product is designed to dissolve in the tub. Oats protect and help to maintain moisture in the skin and are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant.
An Oat bath can be used for any of the following conditions:
- Dry Skin
- Diaper Rash
- Chicken Pox
- Poison Ivy
- Bug Bites or Stings
- Psoriasis and Eczema
- Acne
- Windburn
- Razor burn
- Shingles
There are many ways to produce a soothing Oatmeal bath. The first way is as stated previously:
Making a cup of Oats in 5 cups of boiling water and straining the excess water into your tub.
Another sufficient way to create a wonderful soothing Oat bath is to blend or grind up Oats until they are extra fine ( Test your oat powder by putting a little in a cup of lukewarm water and mix it together, if you still have powder at the bottom of the cup, you have more grinding to do) then pour the powder in the bath until you get milky looking bath water.
Photo from MyGardenersays.com
Oats (Avena Sativa)
Aveeno is one of many brands, this photo is a sample, not an endorsement.