Hydrogen Water Baths Help Clear Psoriasis and Reduce Skin Inflammation
Positive effects of hydrogen-water bathing in patients of psoriasis and parapsoriasis en plaques
Research hubs: Skin & Dermatology System
- Evidence type
- Controlled trial (non-randomized) · Human study
- Authors
- Qinyuan Zhu, Yueshen Wu, Yongmei Li, Zihua Chen, Lanting Wang, Hao Xiong, Erhong Dai, Jianhua Wu, Bin Fan, Li Ping, Xiaoqun Luo
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Year
- 2018
- PMID
- 29795283
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 75
- Delivery
- Water (Dissolved)
- Dose
- hydrogen-water bathing for 8 weeks
- H₂ concentration
- 1.0 ppm
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Funding
- HOPE Program launched by the Branch Association of Hydrogen Biomedicine, China-Japan Medical Science and Technology Exchanges Association
- Conflicts of interest
- None declared
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 55 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Bathing in hydrogen water significantly improves skin condition and reduces itching for patients with psoriasis and parapsoriasis en plaques.
Key Finding
After 8 weeks, 24.4% of patients bathing in hydrogen water achieved at least 75% improvement in psoriasis severity compared to only 2.9% in the control group, and 56.1% achieved at least 50% improvement versus 17.7% in controls.
Summary
This study tested whether bathing in hydrogen-enriched water could help people with psoriasis and parapsoriasis en plaques (chronic inflammatory skin conditions). Researchers compared 41 patients who bathed in hydrogen water to 34 control patients over 8 weeks. The hydrogen water group showed greater improvement in skin severity scores and itching compared to the control group, suggesting that hydrogen water's ability to neutralize harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species may help reduce inflammation in these skin diseases.
Practical Takeaway
This small human study suggests hydrogen-water bathing may support improvement in psoriasis and related skin conditions, particularly for itching. However, the study size is modest and longer-term effects are unknown; anyone with psoriasis should discuss hydrogen water as a complementary approach with their dermatologist rather than as a replacement for established treatments.
Abstract (excerpt)
Psoriasis and parapsoriasis en plaques are chronic inflammatory skin diseases, both representing therapeutic challenge in daily practice and adversely affecting the quality of life. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been evidenced to be involved in the pathogenesis of the chronic inflammatory…