How does the “soak and smear” technique work?
This treatment is both messy (find an old pair of pajamas!) and time consuming but can lead to a rapid improvement in even a day or two. It works on many types of itchy skin problems such as eczema, poison ivy, and, sometimes, psoriasis.
The soaking allows water to get into the skin and moisturize it. Soaking also allows the anti-inflammatory cortisone ingredient in the ointment to penetrate more deeply into the skin.
The smearing of the ointment traps the water in the skin because water cannot move out through greasy materials.
Usually, do the soaking and smearing for 2 to 3 days. The treatments are best done at night because the greasy ointment applied to the skin gets on pajamas (instead of on daytime clothes), and the ointment is on the skin during sleep. The number of nights of soaking and smearing depends on how severe your (or your child's) skin condition is and how long it takes to get it under control.
Soak in a bathtub using lukewarm, plain water for 20 minutes (use a timer) at night, then, without drying the skin, immediately smear the skin with a thin film of the steroid ointment containing _______________ for _____ days as directed.
If you have no bathtub or are unable to use a tub, take a long shower (again, lukewarm) and follow it by applying the steroid ointment to the wet skin. Then cover the affected area(s) with a cool, water-soaked towel and leave it on the skin for half an hour or so.
In the morning, you can apply ____________________ cream to the most troublesome areas, if necessary.
Soak the affected areas continuously in a pan or basin of lukewarm water for 20 minutes at night and follow with the smearing of the steroid ointment containing _______________ as described above.
After the problem is under control, the soaks at night can be stopped and you can apply ____________________ cream in the morning, if necessary.
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