Oat Bath Remedy: A Bolivian Tradition for Calming Skin Irritation
- Susann Castro
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Editor’s note: The following article is a personal account from author Susann Castro, blending family history, traditional Bolivian remedies, and intergenerational storytelling. It reflects her lived experience with oat baths as a natural support for sensitive skin. While her story draws on both oral traditions and historical references, it is not intended as medical advice. Readers are encouraged to consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.
A Family History Rooted in Tradition
At the end of December in 1928, my dad’s oldest sister was born. Her name was Irma; in those days, the rural community of “Capinota” was at a distance of around 60 kilometers, by road, from the nearest city. Although her parents had the light brown skin of the Bolivian population, Irma’s skin was so pale that her veins could be easily seen through her skin, and she could barely be in the sunlight, as rashes plagued whatever part of her skin that became exposed to it.
Fearing that Irma might be allergic to sunlight, Julia asked her family for help. Julia received help in the form of oral tradition: herbal medicines that saved Irma and me, as I was born with a similar skin condition forty-nine years later.
Irma’s Childhood and Early Treatments
One cup of rolled oats was ground into a flour-like consistency and added to warm water. The mixture was diluted as much as possible. The mixture was left to cool down a bit. Once it was warm enough, Julia bathed her daughter, Irma, in it. These were the instructions for making an oat bath.
During the first years of Irma’s life, these steps became a daily ritual. Every day, she would spend at least a few minutes outside in the shade, not in the direct sunlight.
Thanks to the oat baths, Irma gradually grew stronger. She transitioned from spending time in the shade to spending time in direct sunlight, and her skin rashes first reduced and then completely disappeared. Eventually, her grandfather started taking her for walks around the family’s cornfields, always making sure she wore a big hat to protect her from the sun.
Life in Capinota: A Snapshot of the Time
At the time these events took place, Capinota was known as the "Granary of Bolivia" because of the variety of cereals, vegetables, and fruits produced in the area. From the 1600s to the 1950s, the mills available to the entire population were one of the main centers of economic development.
These mills attracted farmers and businessmen from the region and beyond. They became places to socialize through the exchange of news and gossip.
Irma’s family were farmers. Their main crop was corn. Some of the corn was sold as is, while the rest was dried and taken to mills to be ground into flour or partially ground for use in making “chicha”, a fermented corn beverage.
At the time, Irma’s skin condition was simply called “sensitive skin.” It could have been a form of dermatitis or something worse, but no additional medical information was available in rural communities.
Most Bolivian families used to rely on oral accounts of traditional herbal medicine. My family did too, until cookbooks with specialized sections became available. One example is Cooking in Bolivia by Aida Gainsborg v. de Aguirre Achá (1956).
Old medicine books from the early 1900s, such as the Dictionary of Practical Medicine by Morris, Langmead, and Holmes, state on pages 418–419 that “the treatment for dermatitis is not very effective and the disease follows its course regardless of how it is treated. No specific agent is known, but starch or bran baths may be helpful."
According to the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology and the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology, oatmeal compounds became available for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions in 1945.
When History Repeats: My Own Diagnosis
Medically speaking, not much had changed by the time I was born in 1977. By then, there were pediatricians and dermatologists. They diagnosed me with atypical dermatitis; they advised my parents to use various lotions and avoid exposing me to sunlight to prevent my condition from worsening.
Mercedes, Irma’s daughter and an avid practitioner of herbal medicine, remembers: “Your parents were frantic. Your skin was so pale that it couldn't tolerate the sun. To make matters worse, you seemed allergic to all creams and lotions.”
Mercedes adds: "Your parents took you to many doctors, including 'yatiris,' or witch doctors." You and your parents went through several types of cleansings, including herbal ones."
Later in life, Irma became a professional nurse and the family’s go-to person for medical issues and questions about herbal and traditional medicines. Her knowledge in these areas made her a walking encyclopedia. She also maintained a garden full of medicinal plants and dedicated half her pantry to herbal medicine.
These credentials earned her the nickname "Guardian Angel of the Family," and she came to our aid, recommending the same advice Irma's mother received: oat baths and gradual sun exposure.
Oat Baths in Practice
My mom used the ready-to-eat oatmeal, which didn't require grinding, and when it was added to hot water, the oatmeal acquired its characteristically soap-like texture. After the bath, she dried me without rubbing my skin.
The treatment worked again! The eczema and rashes that covered my body slowly began to shrink, and then they gradually disappeared.
Some of my earliest memories are of sitting quietly in the sunlight behind the glass windows in my parents’ bedroom. I also remember my mom saying, "Look at your back! There aren’t any dark marks left.” I remember this remark because, at the time, I thought, "How can I look at my back?"
Like my Aunt Irma, my skin remains paler than the rest of my family. Although I no longer get skin rashes from sunlight and my eczema has disappeared, I still have allergies to most lotions and creams.
Fun facts, the last time I tried using an anti-allergic cream, I found out that I was allergic to it, and because I took daily oat baths, it’s not a food I generally like to eat. This is similar to the times I use avocados for hair beauty treatments. "When I use this or that natural remedy on any part of my body, I don't eat it for at least a couple of months afterwards." But that's just me.
From Past to Present: Oats in Modern Skincare
Nowadays, oatmeal can be found as an ingredient in soaps, shampoos, lotions, aftershaves, etc. However, to take full advantage of the oatmeal’s properties, it’s best to use it in its natural form.
Other Herbal Advice I Received
Over the past decade, I have received instructions to perform two of these herbal cleansing rituals. The first Witch advised me to cleanse the energy of the last three generations by adding rose petals, molle seeds, and broom flowers in everyday baths for a week. However, I did not follow these instructions because, when I was a child, my mom told me to stay away from molle seeds. This week, I found out why. Mercedes said that these seeds are a powerful sleeping narcotic.
The second Witch instructed me to use green herbs to cleanse my energy. However, I angered her by asking too many questions, so I did not follow her instructions. Since she almost hexed me at the end of the consultation, she refused even accept my money, my survival instinct told me to burn her instructions and cast a protection spell myself.
Editor's Note: Oat Bath: Step-by-Step
What you need:
1 cup rolled oats (or ready-to-eat oats)
Warm water
How to make it:
Grind rolled oats into a fine, flour-like consistency (skip this step if using ready-to-eat oats).
Add oats to warm water and dilute as much as possible.
Let the mixture cool until comfortably warm.
Bathe in the mixture, soaking affected skin areas.
Gently pat dry — do not rub.
Tip: The author’s family used this daily for skin sensitivity, combined with gradual sun exposure.
About the Author: Susann Castro is a Bolivian writer passionate about history, genealogy, and herbal traditions.
