About 1 in 5 children suffer from eczema, the condition causing red flaky, itchy patches of skin. While frustrating and unsightly, children occasionally suffer from skin infections as a result of constant itching. And treatment normally requires expensive topical antibiotics and anti-itch creams. However, adding half a cup of 6% bleach to the bathwater showed significant decreases in eczema and bacterial infections:

Children in the study who took the bleach baths had a reduction in eczema severity that was five times greater than the children who took the placebo baths after three months.

The results were so dramatic that researchers stopped the three-month study early so that all the children could benefit from the bleach baths

-Web MD, “Bleach Baths May Help Kids With Eczema”

The results are promising and tempt emulation at home, but it is important to consult with a physician before trying any experimental home treatments

The study was published in Pediatrics Vol. 123 No. 5 (May 2009)