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Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection is a common complication of atopic dermatitis (AD), due in part to defective epidermal barrier function and decreased antimicrobial peptides. In turn, S. aureus superantigens worsen the inflammation of AD. Dilute bleach baths are sometimes recommended to decrease bacterial colonization, but formal studies have been lacking. These authors performed a randomized, controlled study to determine whether bleach baths decrease eczema severity.
Thirty-one children (age range, 6 months–17 years) with moderate-to-severe AD and clinical signs of bacterial skin infection received 2 weeks of oral cephalexin before randomization. The treatment group bathed twice weekly in dilute bleach (0.5 cup of bleach to…