Can Milk Baths Help Your Skin? with Alok Vij, MD

Podcast Transcript

John Horton:

Hello, and welcome to another Health Essentials Podcast. I'm John Horton, your host.

We've talked about milk and its status as a nutritional powerhouse on this podcast before. As they say, “Milk does a body good,” right? But that well-known phrase is tied to drinking milk. As it turns out, some people use that dairy goodness a little differently to help their body. Milk baths are a thing, and people have been using them since ancient times to give their skin a boost. But here's the question. Does this sort of tub time really work, or are you just wasting a healthy drink? We've got dermatologist Alok Vij with us today to break it down. Dr. Vij is one of the many experts at Cleveland Clinic who visit our weekly podcast to look at different ways we can improve our health. So with that, let's see whether you're better off dunking cookies or yourself in milk.

Dr. Vij, great to see you again. Thanks for stopping by to chat.

Dr. Alok Vij:

John, thanks so much for having me. It's my pleasure.

John Horton:

So, I have to tell you, if they're doing some research on milk baths, I'm convinced people will try anything to help their skin. My favorite tidbit, I learned that Cleopatra supposedly bathed in sour goat milk to help keep her skin looking radiant, but that she also used powdered crocodile poop to help her complexion. Maybe that could be a future topic for the podcast.

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, let's not delve into that second topic too much today, but you're absolutely right, John. The average American spends over a thousand dollars a year on skin care alone.

John Horton:

Wow.

Dr. Alok Vij:

Consumers are increasingly sensitive to the perception of ultra-processed foods and ultra-processed skin care ingredients. And so everyone's going back to what's old. So think about African black soap coming back into the limelight, Ayurvedic ingredients and skin care products. So why not look to the OG of beauty, Cleopatra and milk baths?

John Horton:

And that's exactly what we're going to do today. So let's just dive right into this idea of taking a milk bath. And I have to be honest, it just does not sound very inviting to me. So what, if anything, would convince someone to take a dip in milk?

Dr. Alok Vij:

So first and foremost, it's not like dunking an Oreo into milk. It's not pure milk that you're getting in. It's basically a luxurious bath, a hot bath, similar to a bath bomb or an Epsom salt soap, but you're just using a couple cups of milk in the water.

John Horton:

Well, that's good news. That'll definitely save on the ... that would be a lot of cartons if you were filling the whole thing up.

Dr. Alok Vij:

Absolutely. Milk baths can be moisturizing, exfoliating and can leave you with a really nice, soft, smooth, silky skin afterward, so I can understand why someone might want to try it.

John Horton:

What is it about milk, then, that has that exfoliating property?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, there are a few things that help contribute to that glossy, silky feeling after a bath. So first and foremost, milk has lactic acid in it. Lactic acid is one of the hydroxy acids that helps to exfoliate your skin. So it gets rid of the dead skin cells that can accumulate on your skin, giving it a rough texture. And so that lactic acid is a great natural exfoliant.

John Horton:

Is there something, too, with ... I thought I read, with the milk fats that that helps your skin, too?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, you're absolutely right. So our outer layer of skin is composed of proteins that hold onto oil and water. And the milk fat in the milk bath can actually seep into your skin, providing you with a little bit more hydration. And again, that smooth, silky feeling.

John Horton:

Well, to be honest, I could probably use that because I'm out in the sun a little too much. My arms are looking a little dry. I'm glad we're on video here, you'd be giving me some advice here on what to do.

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, absolutely. Whole milk has a lot of good milk fat in it, but it also has vitamin A, which helps regulate skin cell turnover. Vitamin A is one of the common ingredients in anti-acne products, as well as in products that can help with psoriasis. So for your dry skin after a sunburn, there may be some benefit because of the vitamin A, too.

John Horton:

Well, and that's what I was going to ask, whether or not milk baths are good for particular health issues if you have … and eczema and psoriasis, I know, are two big ones that people deal with.

Dr. Alok Vij:

There's not a lot of great research on this. We do know that a good moisturizer helps your skin for almost any chronic inflammatory skin disease like atopic dermatitis or eczema and psoriasis. Milk does have calcium and zinc, which are two minerals that are helpful to regulate your skin, both by reducing the amount of inflammation in your skin. And then vitamin D is that holy grail of inflammatory modulation. People take mega doses of vitamin D to try to reduce their systemic immune system, so why not try a little bit of topical vitamin D also?

John Horton:

It makes sense, I guess. Instead of taking it, you just let it soak in a little bit.

Dr. Alok Vij:

Exactly. Hopefully not to the point where you completely prune up.

John Horton:

You had mentioned sunburn. So I take it, milk baths can maybe relieve itchiness from that, or could even help with poison ivy or something like that?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Milk baths can be soothing after a sunburn or after a poison ivy exposure. Definitely for poison ivy. We know that washing that toxic oil off of your skin within an hour of exposure can reduce the rash that you get. So a milk bath would be helpful for both a cleansing property, as well as that soothing property. But there's not enough anti-inflammatory property that would substitute for a dermatologist's advice and prescriptions.

John Horton:

And you read some things, and people talk about milk, like it's just got magical properties. I even saw where it was touted as being able to help heal wounds. I take it, some of that is just wishful thinking?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, probably wishful thinking. There may be some benefit, again, with calcium helping to regulate the skin cells, some of the vitamin D helping to modulate the amount of inflammation in the skin. But realistically, to heal a wound, you just need good hygiene, soap and water to keep it clean, and good moisturizer. So milk's probably not the panacea there.

John Horton:

It sounds like a lot of this … there's theories around it and connections, but it just hasn't been proven with mass study.

Dr. Alok Vij:

You're absolutely right. There's a lot of anecdotal experience. It definitely sounds like something that's luxurious, that might feel good, but it's not something that's gotten a lot of study.

John Horton:

Well, let's dive into some of the specifics of this, too. Does it matter what type of milk that you use? Is whole milk better than 2% or skim? Or can you start getting into some of those milk alternatives, like your soy milks and your almond milks?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, those are great questions. Definitely whole milk is going to have more milk fat, and therefore, a better moisturizing content than skim milk or 2%. So if you had a choice, I'd go for whole milk there. Whether you're comparing cow's milk to goat's milk, it's hard to really say. Goat's milk does have a little bit more lactic acid. That's what Cleopatra used. So if you're going really traditional, go for the goat's milk.

John Horton:

There you go. Who can argue with Cleopatra?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Nobody can. Alternative milks like almond milk and coconut milk can definitely make your skin feel smooth. Almond oil, coconut oil are commonly used in moisturizers, but there's probably not enough of those oils in the almond milk, coconut milk to really make it that beneficial, compared to the percentage of fat in milk fat.

John Horton:

And I also read — and everything's online — but I saw where, sometimes, breast milk is added to baths for babies. Is there something to that?

Dr. Alok Vij:

I've read that, too. Breast milk is a precious commodity. I know a lot of women struggle with lactating and having enough supply, but if you do have extra, you can use it in your baby's skin care. I know a lot of celebrities use breast milk for treating their psoriasis for its anti-inflammatory effect. It does have a lot of vitamin D, and it has a high percentage of fat, so it can be a good moisturizer. But you can probably find — even with inflation as it is now — a cheaper alternative over the counter.

John Horton:

And what about dried milk? That seems like it would be the easiest thing to maybe sprinkle in a tub, but is that going to give you any sort of benefit?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Dried milk can be helpful, actually. It's definitely more shelf-stable, so you can use about a third of the volume of dried milk compared to what you would use of unprocessed or wet milk.

John Horton:

Well, you're selling this pretty well, so it looks like there's the potential for some benefits. So if somebody wants to try this, what are the steps to draw yourself a milk bath?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, so start with how you would imagine your most luxurious after-work bath. Draw a nice full tub of warm water, not too hot so you're going to scald yourself, and then add a cup or two of milk, just enough to get it cloudy. Not so much that it's going to get completely opaque. You can add things, too. So you can add oats. Oats, definitely have an anti-inflammatory property. You can add some scents. Those would be fine. Just be careful if you're sensitive to anything like rose petals, lavender, Epsom salts, Domeboro ® soaks, or other salts that you can use to help moisturize your skin. And some people say it can give you a nice soothing effect for your aching muscles at the end of the day. And some people even add honey because it gives you a nice, soft scent at the end of the bath.

John Horton:

That seems like it could be a little sticky.

Dr. Alok Vij:

Just a little bit. Not too much that you're going to get sticky or smell like cheese when you get out. That would not be approved by Cleopatra.

John Horton:

So once you have your milk bath, how long should you sit in here? Until you prune or is it just, you go a couple minutes and that's enough?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah. So generally, my advice for taking a bath is you shouldn't be in it any longer than it takes to prune up your skin. So anywhere from five, 10 minutes, maybe 20 minutes at the most until you get out. If you read online, some people say you don't need to rinse off, but I think it's probably a good idea. Otherwise, you could get some cheese curds in skin folds. You might not smell the best the next morning.

John Horton:

You might spoil if you don't rinse off a little bit. Can you even soap up in this milk bath, too?

Dr. Alok Vij:

You can, absolutely. So remember, you're just adding a small amount of milk to the bath, so using a soap is totally fine. Some people might say that the calcium and the magnesium, and zinc and the milk will help get a better lather, and it's going to help keep you clean.

John Horton:

Wow. All right. Are there any reasons why someone should avoid taking a milk bath? I don't know, if you're lactose intolerant, should you stay away from this?

Dr. Alok Vij:

You probably wouldn't have a reaction if you were lactose intolerant, but if you do have a very severe milk allergy, I would avoid. But you could try using a nut milk. Conversely, if you're allergic to almonds, you wouldn't want to take an almond milk bath, maybe stick to the whole stuff.

John Horton:

Is there any reports of this just causing skin irritation? It just seems like when you're adding something into a bath, there's always that possibility.

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, definitely, you always have to be careful about what you're adding in. So common things that cause sensitivities are fragrances, preservatives and dyes. Milk is probably going to be safe for all of those additives. But everything else that you put in — rose petals, lavender, essential oils — those things can definitely trigger irritation.

John Horton:

OK, well, I got to say, it's all sounding very relaxing as you start talking about putting all that in. And I'm just looking at milk in a completely different way now. So I guess — but before we say our goodbyes — is there anything else that folks should know before they consider taking a dip in a dairy product?

Dr. Alok Vij:

Yeah, don't eat or drink anything from that same bath.

John Horton:

That makes a lot of sense. Yeah, probably not good to sip while you soak.

Dr. Alok Vij:

That's it. Thank you very much, John.

John Horton:

All right, thanks a lot, Dr. Vij.

It's hard to say why someone thousands of years ago decided to try a milk bath to help their skin, but the idea has stuck around. Anecdotally, the concept gets a lot of praise. There's just not much signs proving the effectiveness of milk baths. There's no harm in trying it, though, just don't drink the milk you're soaking in.

If you liked what you heard today, please hit the subscribe button and leave a comment to share your thoughts. Until next time, be well.

Speaker 3:

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