Dry Skin Dilemma (Pt2 - The Oatmeal Illuminati )

I'm having a heck of a time figuring out Oatmeal Shampoo.
No, really.
It seems 'common knowledge' to the online community of dog groomers that Oatmeal shampoo dries out the skin of dogs, just post a query on any grooming forum or page and watch the litany of responses !  But try as I might, I can't find the science to prove it.  In fact, all I'm finding is a lot of sites insisting that oatmeal is the bomb diggity, no diggty, no doubt.  But there's a twist!  These sites are also claiming that oatmeal shampoo is great to battle yeast and bacteria infections on dogs.

Now stop.

It is not. 

Oatmeal feeds yeast and will exacerbate yeast and bacterial infections in dogs because of the carbohydrates in the oatmeal which equate to  sugars for feeding yeast.. Don't you go feeding me that line, internet, I don't trust you anymore.

Pro Oatmeal:
Here's what I found.  Colloidal oatmeal is a specially prepared form of oatmeal that mixes better with water. Studies have shown that colloidal oatmeal binds to the skin and provides a protective barrier against irritants. It contains water-binding polysaccharides (long chain sugars) and hydrocolloids that hold moisture against the skin allowing it to act as an emollient . The fats contained in oatmeal also add to its emollient activity. 

Con Oatmeal:
So I went to a groomer's board and asked opinions and for more info. Turns out Oatmeal is great for allergies but is an exfoliate and so it WILL dry skin out and will help with itchy skin that is being caused by moist skin conditions only. It has anti-inflammatory properties and will sooth the skin during the groom, but will end up drying the skin out in the long run, making most dogs more itchy and irritated. Oatmeal shampoo will also have a negative effect on dogs who have a sensitivity to grain (about 80% of dogs). If your dog is on a grain free diet, best to stay away from rubbing grains all over their body. Just sayin.
Most groomers will report that oatmeal shampoos dry their hands out worse then the other shampoos in our field.

Here is a great article on itchy dogs that touches on why you should avoid oatmeal written by Dr. Karen Becker

The Bottom Line.

Does your dog have allergic reactions to shampoos? Try an Oatmeal shampoo. 

Does your dog have dry and/or itchy skin?   Avoid Oatmeal shampoos. 

There are a lot of aloe based shampoos out there that will do you better then the oatmeal does. Although oatmeal will provide a temporary fix, ultimately it will WORSEN your problems. 

If you do insist on using an oatmeal shampoo (maybe you just love it, haven't had a problem, vet recomended etc etc. ) make sure to follow up with a good hydrating conditioner afterwords, or coconut oil treatment!  And try to find an oatmeal shampoo that includes Aloe, or essential oils to counter the drying caused by oatmeal alone.

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