Study on a saline solution from the Dead Sea for atopic eczema

Magnesium salts, the predominant minerals in the Dead Sea, are known for their beneficial effects on inflammatory diseases.

The study conducted by Ehrhardt Proksch et al. investigated the effectiveness of a bath in a magnesium chloride-rich salt solution from the deep layers of the Dead Sea on atopic skin.

Test subjects with atopic dry skin immersed one forearm in a 5% salt solution from the Dead Sea for 15 minutes. The second arm was bathed in tap water as a control. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, skin roughness and skin redness were measured over six weeks.

Particularly in the group with increased TEWL, there was a significant improvement with the salt bath compared to the tap water control. Skin hydration was increased on the arm treated with the saline solution in both groups. Skin roughness and redness as signs of inflammation were significantly reduced by the salt bath.

Bathing in the magnesium-rich salt solution was well tolerated and led to improved skin barrier function, increased moisturization and reduced skin roughness and inflammation. The positive effects are presumably attributed to the high magnesium content, as magnesium binds water, influences epidermal regeneration and repairs the skin barrier.