Daily shower or bath does not worsen eczema, finds controlled trial
A large study has found it makes no difference to eczema symptoms if people bathe daily or weekly.
Researchers said the findings from a UK randomised controlled trial meant people with eczema could choose how often they wanted to bathe without worrying it was making their condition worse.
The study published in the British Journal of Dermatology randomly tested daily or weekly bathing – showers or baths – in 438 children and adults with eczema.
Participants continued using their usual treatments during the study and recorded their eczema symptoms each week for a month.
The researchers found no difference in eczema symptoms between the two groups.
How often to best to have a bath or shower is one of the most common questions asked by patients with eczema, the researchers from the University of Nottingham said.
Yet these very practical aspects of care are very rarely looked at in randomised controlled trials, they added.
It has led to inconsistency in different guidelines on the best approach.
But these findings show patients have the freedom to choose the option that suits them best.
It is part of a wider project to answer important questions on how to manage eczema, including another ongoing study on how long to use steroid creams to treat flare-ups.
Dr Matthew Ridd, a GP and professor of primary health care at the University of Bristol, who is involved in the wider project, said: ‘How often to have a bath or shower is such a simple but important issue that people with eczema often ask health care professionals for advice on.
‘The Rapid Eczema Trials project has provided everyone with the best, evidence-based answer to this practical question.’
Lucy Bradshaw, lead author and senior medical statistician at Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, said the research had been designed with people who have eczema to make sure they answered questions that really mattered to them.
‘The findings of our study are great news for people living with eczema.
‘It means they can choose a frequency of bathing that suits them.
‘Together, we’re starting to answer questions about living with eczema that haven’t had enough attention in research until now.’
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