Epidermolysis bullosa: Bathing recommendations

Your health team may give you special bathing instructions to help care for your child with epidermolysis bullosa. Follow the recommendations selected by your health care provider.

__ Pool salts

Pool salts added to the bath water can make bathing more comfortable.

• You can obtain inexpensive pool salts from, pool stores, hardware stores, or box stores.
• For tub bathing, add one pound, which is two cups of pool salts to 40 gallons of water, which is half of a normal bathtub.
• For baby bath tubs, add 2.5 teaspoons of pool salt to each gallon of water.
• You do not need to rinse skin with warm water after bathing with pool salts but you can if you want.

__ Bleach baths

If bleach baths are recommended, here is how you do a bleach bath:

• Fill a standard tub half full of water and add ¼ cup of standard bleach NOT concentrated and swirl it into the water.
• For baby bath tubs, use two teaspoons of bleach per one gallon of water.
• Rinse skin with warm water after a bleach bath.

__ Vinegar baths

If vinegar (acetic acid) baths are recommended, here is how you do a vinegar bath:

• Fill standard tube half full of water and add 2 gallons of 5% vinegar.
• For a baby bath tub, use one part 3% vinegar to 12 parts water or one part 5% vinegar to 20 parts of water.

Questions?

This information is not specific to your child. If you have questions, contact your clinic or health care provider.

Reviewed by Skin Integrity Team 9/2016

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