Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Therapeutic Baths

Definition

Bathing the skin in a variety of preparations in order to remove crusts, scales, and old medications or to relieve inflammation and itching is called a therapeutic bath.

Purpose

Baths or soaks (balneotherapy) are an easy way to treat a variety of skin disorders involving large areas of the skin. They relieve general aches and pains and can ease dry or oily, inflamed or itchy skin. Hot baths are relaxing and stimulating; cool baths can reduce inflammation.

Therapeutic baths are useful for itchy skin, hives, sunburn, chafing, poison ivy and oak, eczema, skin irritation, and dry skin.

Precautions

The temperature of the water should be comfortable. The bath should not last longer than 20–30 minutes because of the tendency of these soaks to soften and wear away the skin.

A bath mat should be used, since medications may cause the floor of the tub to be slippery.

Eczema...