For patients with eczema (atopic dermatitis), dermatologists sometimes recommend whitening baths to lessen the bacterial infection and reduce the symptoms. But a new Northwestern Medicine study found no difference in the effectiveness of a bleach bath compared to regular water baths. In addition, bleach baths can cause burns and tingling on the skin, and even sometimes trigger asthma outbreaks in patients.
"I do not know if it throws the baby with bath water, but the whitening baths lack evidence to support the frequency of their recommendation," said Dr. Jonathan Silverberg, lead author. "The water baths seem to be doing most of the lifting work, but if the bleach is beneficial, it's rather modest."
Silverberg is an assistant professor of dermatology at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, a dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine, and director of the Northwestern Medicine's Multidisciplinary Center of Eczema.
The study was published in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Nov. 13
The results should encourage patients with eczema to bathe regularly, said Silverberg. Many hesitate to bathe, fearing that it will dry out their skin, he noted.
A bath of bleach is a bath of hot or cold water mixed with a small amount of bleach. Patients are advised to dive in the neck bath down and avoid exposure of bleach near the eyes. The water baths contain only hot or cold water, and patients can use a washcloth without bleach to wash their face.
Soap may not be needed during water baths, as it can be hard on sensitive skin, and Silverberg says that soaking for 10 minutes in water will only clear most germs and raw of your skin. After the bath is over, patients are encouraged to apply a good moisturizer.
The study, a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available studies comparing bleach and water baths (four in total), shows that the baths are the most common. Water is as effective as bleach baths. and a bacterial infection.
Bleach is an extra expense for patients, another reason why water baths are a better alternative. Bleach can also stain towels, sheets and other clothing, sting or burn eyes and open sores on the skin, and Silverberg has seen some patients suffer from asthma outbreaks caused by fumes of bleach.
"Patients with eczema have much higher asthma rates than non-eczema patients," said Silverberg. "Everyone's house is going to be different, and a lot of bathrooms do not have good ventilation, so a hot bath that causes bleach can be the perfect setup for potentially having a push d & # 39; asthma. "
The study also highlights flaws and inconsistencies in current studies on the whitening bath. Most of the studies reviewed did not control whether patients were immediately hydrated after bathing to avoid drying out. They also did not consider whether patients were using soap or the types of soap they used in the water baths.
"This study provides a blueprint for improving future studies on the bleach bath," Silverberg said.
Source:
https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2017/november/bleach-baths-eczema/
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