What Is Colloidal Oatmeal?
Colloidal oatmeal is a product that consists of oats that have been ground very fine for use as a home remedy for itchy or dry skin. People with eczema, chicken pox, bug bites, or poison ivy may find some relief from the itching and dryness with colloidal oatmeal home remedies. It has also been used by people who have rosacea.
The ingredients in colloidal oatmeal may help in many ways. It contains avenacins compounds, which have antifungal properties; saponins, which can help in cleansing; and flavanoids, which may help with UVA absorption. It also includes vitamin E, which is an anti-inflammatory, along with phenols and starches to help in moisturizing.
Colloidal oatmeal is usually added to warm bath water. The oats do not sink due to the colloid action of the particles of grain dispersing through the water. This helps make it more effective against dry itchy skin and a good homemade remedy to any skin irritations or allergies.
To make colloidal oatmeal, the oats are finely ground so that they can absorb water. If it is made at home, the oats will need to be processed in a blender or coffee grinder, then tested to determine how fine the particles need to be before they stop sinking in the water. The oatmeal should absorb water quickly and give it a milky look.
What makes colloidal oatmeal effective in the skin soothing department is the cellulose and fiber from the oats. These make a skin softening emollient that is very effective against irritation and redness that comes from conditions like eczema and rosacea. When skin is soothed, the itching is also usually relieved.
For an oatmeal bath, the tub should be filled with lukewarm water, not cool or hot. Several cups of the colloidal oatmeal should be added to the water. Bathers should soak in the water for at least 10 minutes, and then get out and pat the skin dry without rubbing it. An oatmeal bath may be taken three times a day to achieve optimum results. If the skin is too sticky, the bather may choose rinse off with clean, lukewarm water.
Colloidal oatmeal can generally be used without worry because there is no known drug interaction with oatmeal. There is also no known nutrient interaction, so holistic or homeopathic remedies should also not interact with it. Oatmeal is generally considered very safe to use. Bathers should avoid getting colloidal oatmeal in the eyes, as it can be irritating.
Written by Tina Samuels
