Post # 1
Member
10635 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I’ve read about them, and decided to finally give one a try. I think it helped, but one day of improvements could just be a coincidence.
Here is an example from the Mayo Clinic:
- Add 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of bleach to a 40-gallon (151-liter) bathtub filled with warm water (measures are for a U.S.-standard-sized tub filled to the overflow drainage holes).
- Soak the limbs and torso or just the affected areas of skin for five to 10 minutes. Do not submerge the head.
- Dry skin thoroughly, and generously apply moisturizer.
- Take a bleach bath no more than twice a week.
Has anyone had luck in the past with these for skin conditions?
Post # 3
Member
11518 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@AB Bride: what’s this supposed to treat (if you don’t mind me asking)?
Sounds intersting, it seems like such a small amount of bleach, I don’t think I’d be worried, I’d just make sure I used old towels and wasn’t wearing any jewellery.
Post # 4
Member
10635 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@MsGinkgo: It’s usually for eczema. I’m using it for intertrigo that recently flared up miserably. A doctor told me that adding something to my bath wouldn’t help, but the topical prescriptions aren’t doing much right now either.
Post # 5
Member
11518 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@AB Bride: I’m generally of the opinion that if it can’t hurt, why not try it! As long as there’s nothing saying that it’s harmful, I figure anything’s worth a shot! You never know what will make you feel better
Post # 6
Member
1310 posts
Bumble bee
I’ve had eczema all my life and I’ve never heard of this! Not sure how comfortable I’d feel doing it though. However, I’ve heard of someone taking a bath with a cap ful of Dettol – not sure if it was for a yeast infection or for her skin…and I remember hearing good things.
Post # 7
Member
158 posts
Blushing bee
@AB Bride: I have used bleach baths for my son and it seemed to work fairly well. He had molloscum and whatever creams he was given weren’t working so the doctor suggested a bleach bath and I think within a week or so it was all gone, even his eczema was pretty much gone. So far neither on has come back and it didn’t do him any harm.
Post # 8
Member
10635 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@MsGinkgo: Yeah, it was also a while ago that I saw him. I probably should have brought it up with another doctor. It can irritate skin, but it’s recommended for babies often and at least I have the ability to decide if it’s stinging or something and do something about it. My hands were definitely dried out afterwards, but other areas that have dry skin seemed no worse off.
Today my hands are fine after moisturizing them last night.
Post # 9
Member
4846 posts
Honey bee
Wouldn’t that just dry out the skin, aka invite infection and further irritate the issue? Seems like a bad idea to bathe skin in a substance with warnings about it. Also skin absorbs things. I would not be okay with the idea of bleach entering the body in this way, diluted or not. There’s a reason it comes with warnings on it to wear gloves and avoid contact.
Post # 10
Member
10635 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@ChicFoodist: I’ve never heard of dettol before, I had to google it. I think the pine oil would aggravate my allergies too much.
@HappySky7: It’s less than what some swimming pools use. There are good scientific studies to show it is helpful for eczema, especially when it becomes infected.
@sparky263: Glad to hear it worked for him!
Post # 11
Member
158 posts
Blushing bee
@AB Bride: I have to say I was really worried about giving him a bleach bath since, well, it’s bleach! but the doctor said it would just kill the virus and not do any harm. He didn’t complain about any stinging or anything, it was just a normal bath for him (except way shorter lol)
Post # 12
Member
4846 posts
Honey bee
@AB Bride: Bleach as in household bleach is not the same thing as chlorine in a pool. I would really caution against putting household bleach on skin. I can’t imagine your derm or doc would think this is a good idea.
Post # 13
Member
10635 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@HappySky7: Like I said, I did bring it up with one (a dermatologist). His feeling was that it wouldn’t make a difference. He wasn’t against me trying it though.
I get the concern about doing it. I think I had tried it quite some time ago, but I was hesistant about it and barely used any bleach.
Post # 14
Member
5398 posts
Bee Keeper
I would not bathe in bleach. Bleach is not nontoxic.