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The same ingredients in soap that break apart dirt and oils can also strip moisture and softness from your skin. To restore moisture, dairy ingredients like cow’s milk are sometimes added to the mix of your favorite bar soaps. Goat’s milk soap is simply a bar soap that has goat’s milk in the formula instead of cow’s milk.

Like other natural soaps, goat’s milk soap is made from lye that’s mixed with fats and oils. In this case, the fats in the soap come at least in part from goat’s milk.

Since goat’s milk has a different molecular structure than cow’s milk, some people with a cow’s milk sensitivity prefer it. Goat’s milk may have some immune-boosting and other benefits if you drink it, and some people believe that using it topically in the form of soap can provide the same benefits for skin conditions like eczema.

There’s little research that proves goat’s milk soap will work to treat eczema.

Here’s what we do know about using goat’s milk soap, including whether it’s a safe home remedy for children and adults with eczema.

Goat’s milk soap hasn’t been extensively tested for use as an eczema treatment. Here are the proven benefits of goat’s milk soap and how they might play into eczema treatment.

Goat’s milk soap is a natural exfoliant

Goat’s milk contains lactic acid, a naturally occurring and gentle alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Lactic acid is even in some commercial-grade skin peels because of how effective it is at exfoliating and encouraging cell turnover. Cleansing your skin with goat milk soap may help dissolve dead skin cells, revealing healthy, younger skin cells underneath.

Goat’s milk soap contains probiotics

Lactic acid from goat milk also contains probiotics. Oral probiotics using lactic acid bacteria have been shown to help treat eczema in infants. Since these probiotics found in the lactic acid found in goat milk was an effective topical treatment in infants, it might be worth a try.

Goat’s milk soap keeps skin moisturized

Lactic acid doesn’t just add probiotics and exfoliate your skin. Lactic acid in goat’s milk, combined with the natural fats and oils in the milk, are a natural humectant. That means that goat’s milk soap may strengthen your skin barrier and seal moisture in. Skin that’s well-hydrated may be more resistant to eczema flareups.

Goat’s milk soap is generally considered safe for everyone. That includes the soft, extra-sensitive skin of babies and children.

You’ll also want to look at the other ingredients. If you have eczema, you may be all too familiar with cosmetics, soaps, and beauty products that claim to be “all natural” but trigger your symptoms and inflame your skin. Also be aware of what type of oils are contained in the soap. At least one study indicates that olive oil can make eczema symptoms worse for babies.

If you’re considering bathing your little one with goat’s milk soap, run it by their pediatrician, especially if your baby is less than 1 year old. Also, keep in mind that goat’s milk soap is not a replacement for any skincare product a doctor has prescribed for your baby to treat eczema or psoriasis.

Some kids might have sensitivity to goat’s milk soap, so use a small amount the first time to test it out.

Goat’s milk soap works great for some people, but it isn’t for everyone. A study published in 2017 noted that using goat’s milk soap for inflammatory skin conditions, such as eczema, may increase your likelihood of developing an allergic reaction to consuming goat’s milk and goat’s milk products. Research also suggests that absorbing certain ingredients through a compromised skin barrier can lead to food allergies later on.

If you’re interested in using goat’s milk soap for eczema, you have a couple of options.

First, you need to find the right products. Goat’s milk soap can be made from a powder base, or from fresh goat’s milk. Anecdotally, people who swear by goat’s milk for eczema prefer fresh goat’s milk for maximum benefits.

If you’d rather test your skin’s reaction to goat’s milk soap (or if you’re trying it out on an infant), you can simply add a little bit of the soap to warm water in the tub to create a soothing bath. Just make sure to keep it away from infants’ eyes.

Goat’s milk soap is more readily available in the United States than it’s ever been.

You can buy goat’s milk soap at health food stores, natural beauty suppliers, organic supermarkets, and some pharmacies.

Shop for goat milk soap online.

The evidence we have to support using goat’s milk soap for eczema is mainly anecdotal. However, there’s research to support other benefits of goat’s milk soap for your skin, some of which are linked to eczema management.

For most people, there’s little harm in giving goat’s milk soap a try to treat eczema symptoms. If you have a goat’s milk allergy, you may want to steer clear. Consult your child’s pediatrician if you have questions about trying goat’s milk soap to help treat eczema for your child.