Baking soda is used for countless purposes—from cleaning floors, clothes, appliances, treating insect bites, as a deodorant, teeth whitening to flushing UTIs among other uses.
However, one purpose of baking soda that is rarely spoken of is its skin-soothing benefits, which Eczema patients are now utilizing as a treatment option.
Although many people suffering from Eczema has used baking soda successfully, it is still not as popular as other treatment options. This could be due to the fact it is a considerably lesser known form of treatment.
What is Eczema?
For starters, Eczema is a recurring skin inflammation that is caused by a wide range of factors—skin sensitivity, allergies, stress, dry and itchy skin, poor diet, hormonal changes, stress, and genetics among others—that may damage the skin and create rough and red patches.
The flakes are often visible in places like the face, scalp, behind the ears, hands and feet, wrists, and sometimes all over the body.
Generally, there is no cure for Eczema but its symptoms can be managed with the help of some natural remedies as well as proper skin care.
Can baking soda help with Eczema?
Before answering this question, let’s ensure that one thing is clear: baking soda and baking powder are two different things. If you are going to implement whatever we suggest in this article, ensure that you are using all-natural baking soda.
This is because unlike baking soda (which a natural salt-like mineral), baking powder contains metal and other materials, which may be harmful to your skin.
Without further ado, here are some of the most important properties of baking soda that can help you get rid of Eczema symptoms on your skin:
- It has antiseptic properties and can help you cleanse and eradicate bacteria and other germs on your skin thereby reducing eczema symptoms.
- It balances your skin pH levels by alkalizing your body. This can go a long way in preventing eczema related flare-ups
- It has great soothing properties and can help reduce rashes and inflammation on the irritated parts of the skin
- It strengthens and detoxifies the skin, preventing further flare-ups
- It exfoliates the skin by getting rid of dead cells on the skin. This reduces irritation and itching of Eczema affected skin areas.
- Lastly, the gentle foaming action of sodium bicarbonate helps in deep cleansing of sensitive Eczema spots
Summary
Whether you are struggling with eczema or a skin rash of unknown cause, baking soda might be a potential solution. If taken regularly (though in limited quantities), baking soda can help get rid of Eczema—and it is safe even for children.
Note that we are not suggesting that baking soda is a CURE for Eczema as there is no cure for the condition at the moment; we advocating for the potential of the product to help relieve eczema symptoms such as itchiness, irritation, and pain of dry and inflamed skin.
Finally, strive to do a patch test before you dive into the ‘baking soda for eczema treatment’ idea fully.