Sea salt has been used for centuries as a remedy for treating several ailments—from sore muscles, flu symptoms to relief from poison ivy and sunburn.
Various studies have also shown that Sea salt can be beneficial for conditions like psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and asthma among others.
But can people with eczema get relief from sea salt?
Before answering this question, it is important to understand what eczema is. Essentially, eczema is a health condition which causes irritation and inflammation of the skin.
The affected areas often look parched, rough, and thickened. It can affect any part of the body through hands, feet, face, back of the knee, and wrists are some of the most affected areas.
Sea Salt for Eczema
By and large, sea salt may be beneficial for eczema, and the following are some of the top reasons that support its effectiveness:
- Sea salt contains magnesium chloride, which has antibacterial effects on the skin. High magnesium content also helps to bind water, boost epidermal differentiation and proliferation, and enhances skin permeability barrier repair.
- It hydrates the body and can eliminate roughness and redness of the skin, and ultimately inflammation. This has been scientifically proven in a few studies:
- In a past study, redness and overall roughness of the skin as a marker of inflammation was greatly reduced after the participants bathed with a salt solution. This implies that salt solution enhanced skin hydration, improved skin barrier function, reduced skin roughness, and inflammation.
- A 2002 study carried in Germany also indicated that patients with eczema benefited significantly from bathing in sea salt solution. The participants soaked one arm in a salt solution and their other arm in normal water for 15 minutes a day for a period of weeks. The salt solution improved hydration, skin barrier function, and reduced inflammation than the normal tap water.
- Since salt has antibacterial properties, bathing with sea salt reduces the number of bacteria in the skin, which further lowers the number of skin infections. The presence of bacteria and virus in the skin is what causes irritation which comes with eczema. Additionally, it is more difficult to control eczema when the skin is infected
- Sea salt not only moisturizes the skin but can also balance the pH level of the skin.
- Sea salt also detoxifies and relaxes muscles by releasing a wide range of minerals (sodium, copper, zinc, calcium, chloride, potassium, and other trace elements) into the skin.
Overall, sea salt can help you get rid of eczema. However, like any other treatment out there, its effectiveness can differ from one individual to another and should be always used on an individual basis.
Moreover, to get the most out of this treatment, it is recommended not to soak your skin for more than 10 to 15 minutes. You should also avoid scrubbing your skin with a washcloth as this may further eradicate your skin.
When you experience bad flare-ups, you should limit the use of cleansers to avoid skin irritation. Lastly, it is crucial to remember that you should use sea salt to treat eczema under the advice and supervision of a qualified health expert.