Your baby is so soft and delicate that even a good quality diaper can give him a rash! If your baby is suffering from diaper rash, you may be able to see such signs as inflamed skin and a rash in the area that comes in contact with diaper. Not only does a diaper rash irritates your child but can also lead to bacterial or yeast infection, particularly if these rashes are not treated in time and are allowed to grow. While there are various natural remedies for diaper rash including some severe diaper rash remedies, it is advisable to see the doctor if these diaper rash remedies do not seem to work in a couple of days. Before knowing all these diaper rash natural remedies, lets know about the causes of diaper rash so that you may prevent them from occurring at the first place.
Causes of Diaper Rash
While poor hygiene and improper ways of using diaper are some causes of diaper rash, they are not the only causes. Sometimes, even when you take utmost care regarding diaper cleanliness and hygiene, your baby may get diaper rash due to one of the many causes as listed below.
- Prolonged exposure to urine or stool, such as when your baby gets frequent bowel movements.
- Food allergy or intolerance. It may be when you make your baby eat something new to him or when you yourself eat something and which gets into the body of your baby through breast milk.
- Chemicals in the diapers or laundering products. If you have started using some new disposable wipes or have changed the brand of diapers, or even the detergent, bleach or fabric softener used to clean the diapers, it may cause diaper rash. The obvious reason is that baby’s skin doesn’t accept the new chemicals in such products. Sometimes even the baby oils, powders and creams that you apply to your baby’s skin, may give him a diaper rash.
- Yeast or bacterial infection. As the area covered by a diaper (the buttocks, thighs and genitals) usually remain warm and moist, your baby is most likely to get bacterial or yeast diaper rash. Such a warm and moist environment is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and yeast.
- Tight fit diapers or clothing’s. The tight fitting clothing’s or diapers rub against the skin of your baby and give him a diaper rash.
- Antibiotics. If the mother or the baby is having antibiotics for any reason, it will kill the good bacteria along with bad ones. This may lead to yeast infection resulting into yeast diaper rash.
Knowing the causes will make you extra cautious about preventing diaper rash. The upcoming natural remedies for diaper rashes will also give you certain tips for treating and preventing diaper rashes caused by these factors.
How to Get Rid of Diaper Rash
To get rid of a diaper rash, usually home treatment is all you need. Let’s know how to treat diaper rash at home as described in the below steps.
- Properly clean the diaper area which includes buttocks, thighs and genital area. For this, you should gently wash the diaper area using warm water and a soft cloth. Wash it off well and dry the area completely.
- It is better if you don’t use soap to clean diaper area. However, you will need to use soap when this area is soiled. At such times, use a mild soap.
- Always keep your baby’s skin dry. Also ensure that skin does not come in contact with urine and stool. As soon as your baby urinates or passes stool, clean it up immediately and make the skin dry.
- Do not use a diaper for prolonged hours. Continuously check your baby’s diaper, in about every 3 hours. If it is wet or soiled, change it immediately and do not wait for three hours to pass. If it’s a severe diaper rash, change diapers at night too.
- Leave your baby without diaper for sometime during the day. Fresh air is also needed to heal the diaper rash faster.
- If you don’t leave your baby without diaper, better use a brand that gives you super absorbent disposable diapers. However, its good if you don’t use diapers for sometime in the day.
- Sometimes using clothes instead of diapers may also make you get rid of diaper rashes. So, if you have been using a disposable diaper, switch to a cloth diaper. This may suit your baby’s skin. Alternatively if you have been using cloth diapers, switch to disposable diapers as the detergents or other products that you use to clean the cloth diapers may be causing the rashes.
- You may also change the detergent, bleach or other laundry products that you are using to clean the baby’s diapers. They may be causing rashes and once you eliminate them, the rashes may go to never come again. While washing, take utmost care to clean the diapers properly. Rinse them twice or thrice so that no residue of detergent etc. Is left in them.
- Never use such baby wipes that contain alcohol or propylene glycol, particularly when there is a diaper rash present in the area. These components irritate and burn your baby’s skin apart from spreading bacteria.
- Make your baby have more water and fluids. This makes the urine less concentrated.
If the above steps doesn’t fully treat diaper rash, use the following home remedies for diaper rash to get rid of them.
Home Remedies for Diaper Rash
1. Warm Bath Helps Get Rid of Diaper Rash Fast
As fast as within 24 hours! Yes, this is perhaps the best remedy for diaper rash and also the most under rated one. Just because it uses warm water to treat diaper rash, this remedy cannot be any less important. You would be amazed to see the big difference warm water brings to literally make the rashes disappear, sometimes within a day!
Get this:
• Warm water
• Basin or a baby bath tub
Do this:
• Fill the basin or the baby bath tub with warm water enough to soak the bottom of your baby.
• Now let your baby sit in this warm water for about 10-15 minutes.
• Soak in a warm bath for 10 minutes thrice a day, especially if the skin is very raw.
• You may also let your baby’s bottom soak in warm bath every time you change the diaper.
• After the warm bath, do not forget to completely dry the diaper area.
2. Baking Soda for Diaper Rash
This is one of the very popular and effective home remedy for diaper rash. Baking soda is alkalizing agent and this property of baking soda helps treat diaper rash effectively. This remedy is also useful for treating yeast diaper rash as it helps balance the pH levels which in turn combats and prevents bacteria and yeast from growing in the diaper area. Baking soda also helps neutralize the acids in the stool and urine that may be causing the diaper rash. Here are some ways in which you can use baking soda for diaper rash.
A. Baking soda in warm bath for diaper rash
Get this:
• Baking soda- 2 tbsp
• Warm water
• basin or baby bath tub
Do this:
• Add baking soda to the warm water in the tub or basin.
• Soak baby’s bottom in this warm bath for 10 minutes.
• Completely dry the area.
• Repeat 2-3 times a day.
B. Baking Soda Wipe for Diaper Rash
Get this:
• Baking soda- 2 tbsp
• Water- 1 bowl
• Sponge or a clean cloth-diapering
Do this:
• Mix the baking soda into the water.
• Soak the sponge or the cloth in this water.
• Wring out the excessive solution.
• Wipe your baby’s bottom or the whole diaper area with this cloth gently.
• Let the area dry completely before you make your child wear a diaper.
C. Use Baking Soda with Lard for Diaper Rash
Get this:
• Baking soda- 1-2 tsp
• Lard- 2 tbsp
• Aloe vera gel- 1/2 tsp
• Vitamin E oil (if not using aloe vera gel)- 1-2 drops
Do this:
• Add aloe vera gel or vitamin E oil whatever you are using to the lard.
• Mix them well.
• Wash your baby’s diaper area with warm water and dry it completely.
• Apply the lard mixture in thin layer to the diaper area.
• Now apply some baking powder over this.
• You may now make the baby wear a diaper or let fresh air heal the area for some time.
D. Use Baking Soda with Yogurt and Olive Oil
Get this:
• Yogurt (plain)- 1-2 tbsp
• Baking soda- 1-2 tsp
• Olive oil- few drops
Do this:
• Take the yogurt and apply this to your baby’s diaper area with rashes. Do this gently and leave it for a couple of minutes.
• Now wash the area with water.
• Dry it completely.
• Then apply some baking powder to the area.
• After an hour or so, apply olive oil to the diaper area. This will form a barrier between the sensitive skin of your baby and the acidic waste.
E. Baking Soda and Oatmeal Milk Bath for Diaper Rash
Get this:
• Oatmeal- 1/4 cup
• Milk powder- 1 tbsp
• Baking soda- 2 tsp
• Jar or container with a lid
Do this:
• Grind the oatmeal to get its fine powder.
• To this oatmeal powder, add the milk powder and baking soda.
• Mix them well and store them in a container with a lid.
• To use this, add 1-2 tsp of this powder in the warm bath water of your baby.
• Let your baby sit in this warm bath for about 10-15 minutes.
• Then dry the area completely.
• Use this diaper rash home remedy 2-3 times a day.
F. Use Baking Soda with Epsom Salt or Colloidal Oatmeal for Yeast Diaper Rash
If your child suffers from yeast infection in the diaper area, use baking soda along with either Epsom salt or Colloidal oatmeal to treat it. Colloidal Oatmeal simply is the very finely ground oatmeal. You can even make colloidal oatmeal at home by grinding oatmeal with the help of something like kitchen mill, food processor, or coffee grinder, anything that will grind it into very fine powder.
Get this:
• Baking Soda- 1-2 tbsp
• Epsom Salt OR Colloidal Oatmeal- 1 tbsp
• Warm bath water
Do this:
• Place warm water in tub or basin.
• Add baking soda and Epsom salt or Colloidal oatmeal to this.
• Mix well.
• Let your baby sit in this warm bath for about 10 minutes.
• Dry completely.
• Repeat 2-3 times a day.
Precautions: While baking soda is a very good remedy for diaper rash, you must take certain precautions too while using it for diaper rash on your baby’s skin.
• Do not use baking soda if your baby’s skin is broken.
• Use only one of the methods mentioned above with baking soda. Don’t use all of them or multiple baking soda remedies. It may seriously harm your baby’s skin.
• Never over use baking soda. I may cause itching and irritation to your baby’s sensitive skin.
• Don’t forget to dry completely and to clean your baby’s skin after using baking soda.
• If you see any signs of increased irritation, consult a pediatrician.
• You should not bathe a baby until the umbilical cord has fallen off. Also never leave your baby alone while he or she is in the bath.
3. Coconut Oil for Diaper Rash
As your baby’s skin can absorb almost anything, it is important to use safe natural ingredients even when you are using them for treating a diaper rash. Pure coconut oil is one such natural ingredient that may work wonders and do everything for your child’s skin- cleaning, moisturizing and yes treating diaper rash. The anti-fungal properties of coconut oil are also beneficial to treat yeast diaper rash. Additionally, the soothing nature of coconut oil keeps the skin of your baby ever protected. The lauric acid present in coconut oil has all types of anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and that’s why it can so effectively treat diaper rash. You can either use coconut oil alone to treat diaper rash or use it with other natural ingredients or even make a diaper cream by mixing it with some herbs. Here are some ways to use coconut oil for diaper rash.
A. Use Pure Coconut Oil
Get this:
• Coconut oil- few drops
Do this:
• Wash the diaper area of your baby with warm water and dry it completely.
• Now take some coconut oil and apply this to the diaper area. Apply a very thin layer and do this gently.
• Now leave it for some time, few minutes so that it get absorbed into the skin.
• Then make your baby wear a diaper.
• Repeat this every time you change the diaper of your baby. This way coconut oil acts an emollient and keeps the skin soft while creating a barrier between the skin and the feces or urine. This prevents rashes as well as cures them. Plain coconut oil is also useful for yeast diaper rash problem.
B. Use Coconut Oil with Lavender Oil
Get this:
• Coconut oil- 1/4 cup
• Lavender essential oil- few drops
• Water
• Saucepan
• Glass jar
Do this:
• Place the coconut oil into the glass jar.
• Take some water in the saucepan and bring this to a boil.
• Put off the flame and place the glass jar with coconut oil into the pan. It should get merged into the water but should be able to stand into the pan. If needed, discard some water.
• The oil will melt down.
• Remove it from the water and let it stand for a few minutes.
• Now add lavender oil to this.
• Mix it properly by stirring it well.
• Cover the jar.
• Whenever you change the diaper of your baby, wash the diaper area, dry it and apply this oil. If it gets into solid state then also you will be able to apply it comfortable. As soon as you take some of this solid oil onto the palm of your hand, it will melt due to body heat.
C. Make Herbal Diaper Cream with Coconut Oil
Get this:
• Coconut oil- 1/2 cup
• Shea Butter- 1/4 cup
• Calendula flowers (dried)- 1 tbsp
• Chamomile flowers (dried)- 1 tbsp
• Arrowroot powder (optional)- 1 tsp
• Water
• Double boiler or saucepan
• Strainer or cheesecloth
Do this:
• Take some water over (1-2 inch from the bottom of pan) in the double boiler or sauce pan.
• Melt your coconut oil by placing it in a glass bowl or double boiler top above the boiling water.
• Add calendula and chamomile flowers to the oil while heating it on low or medium flame.
• You may need to pour more water in the pan if it gets evaporated during the process.
• Heat it for an hour or till the coconut oil start looking yellow and you get the smell of chamomile and calendula coming out of its fume.
• Now put off the flame and using the strainer or cheesecloth, strain the coconut oil to discard the flower residue.
• Now add Shea butter and arrowroot powder, if using, to the infused herbal coconut oil. Keep on stirring while mixing them. You can use a blender or a fork for the purpose. You need to make a thick paste out of it.
• Once you get the cream in paste like consistency, store it in a glass jar and use to treat diaper rash.
• To use, apply this cream to diaper area after washing and drying whenever you change diaper.
D. Make a Spray with Coconut Oil and Grapeseed Extract
Get this:
• Coconut oil- 1/4 cup
• Grape seed extract- 2-3 drops
• Distilled water- 2 tbsp
• Spray bottle
Do this:
• Add grape seed extract to the coconut oil and dilute the solution with distilled water.
• Mix them well.
• Pour it in the spray bottle and use when ever required.
• Whenever you change the diaper, Wash and dry the diaper area. Then spray some solution from the spray bottle onto this area.
• Leave it for sometime to be absorbed by the skin before your baby wears a diaper.
E. Coconut Oil with Tea Tree Oil for Yeast Diaper Rash:
The fungus Candida allbicians when overgrown can give your baby an yeast diaper rash. If your baby’s rash looks like pimples or open chicken pox, use tea tree oil with coconut oil to treat it. Both these oils have excellent anti-fungal properties and will treat yeast diaper rash effectively.
Get this:
• Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
• Tea tree oil- 3-5 drops
Do this:
• Mix both the oils.
• After washing and drying the diaper area, apply some of this mixture.
• Leave it for sometime and then make the baby wear diaper.
• You may repeat this 2-3 times a day or whenever you change the diaper.
• Do not ever use tea tree oil undiluted. This may burn the skin of your baby.
4. Cornstarch for Diaper Rash
If your baby’s diaper rash is due to moisture and friction, this home remedy is for you. Cornstarch when sprinkled over clean, dry, unbroken skin can effectively reduce diaper friction and thus prevent diaper rash. However, if it is an yeast diaper rash, never use cornstarch as it will feed the fungi and increase the problem.
Get this:
• Cornstarch
Do this:
• Wash and dry the diaper area.
• Sprinkle a little cornstarch over the area.
• Now make the baby wear diaper.
Warning: If you have even slightest doubt of it being yeast rash, DON’T use cornstarch as it will aggravate the infection by feeding the yeast. Sometimes, cornstarch also gives rise to respiratory problems so use it carefully so that your baby doesn’t have any breathing problem. If your baby often suffers from respiratory issues, don’t use cornstarch, go for some other diaper rash remedy.
5. Olive Oil for Diaper Rash
When you apply olive oil to the diaper area, it creates a barrier between the skin and the feces or urine. This prevents your baby’s skin from getting diaper rash. This also keeps moisture and other irritants away from the skin. Olive oil is natural and thus completely safe to be used on baby’s sensitive skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties soothe the skin and reduce redness and itching your baby has due to rashes. Not only this, olive oil also has fine anti-microbial properties and thus is strongly recommended for treating microbial skin infections like eczema, psoriasis and not to forget, diaper dermatitis or the diaper rash.
Get this:
• Olive oil- 1-2 tsp
• Water- 1 tsp
Do this:
• Mix olive oil and water and stir them continuously so that they form a white milky emulsion.
• Wash and dry the diaper area.
• Take this emulsion made with olive oil and water and apply to the diaper rash.
• Place a new clean diaper.
6. Lanolin for Diaper Rash
Lanolin, the wool wax derived from the wool bearing animals like sheep has excellent waterproofing property. It has a great role to play to protect the animal’s skin from outer environment. This benefit is available to human beings too as lanolin derived from these animals are used extensively in products made for protecting, treating and making the human skin beautiful. It is also widely used in protective baby skin treatment as well as for treatment of sore nipples in breastfeeding mothers. In fact they are used in cloth diaper covers too. Thus you can safely use it to treat diaper rash. It is excellent for soothing sore bottoms of your baby.
Get this:
• Lanolin
Do this:
• Wash and dry the diaper area.
• Take dime sized lanolin onto your fingers.
• Rub it into your palm or finger to make it a little soft.
• Apply it to the skin of your baby.
• It will sooth and protect her skin.
• Repeat whenever you feel your baby needs some comfort from rashes. Don’t forget to apply at night before baby goes to sleep.
7. Shea Butter for Diaper Rash
Shea butter is soft and it is a fine moisturizing agent, that’s known. But did you know that Shea butter also has anti fungal and anti-inflammatory properties that can fight off yeast! This not only gets your baby rid of diaper rash but also helps future occurrence. Additionally, Shea butter contains good vegetable fats that help improve blood circulation which in turn promotes cell regeneration. High in Vitamins A and E, Shea butter also helps improve collagen production in baby’s skin. Cell regeneration and collagen production, both are crucial in healing the diaper rashes quickly.
A. Apply Pure Shea Butter on Diaper Rash
Get this:
• Shea Butter
Do this:
• Clean the diaper area properly with warm water and if needed with a gentle soap.
• Dry it completely.
• Take some Shea butter onto your palms and rub as it gets melted.
• Apply this to your baby’s skin suffering from rashes.
• Leave it for few minutes before you place a new diaper.
B. Shea Butter Balm for Diaper Rash
Get this:
• Shea butter- 1/2 cup
• Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
• Lavender essential oil (optional)- 4-5 drops
• Chamomile/ tea tree oil- 4-6 drops
Do this:
• With the help of a double boiler or a saucepan, gently melt Shea butter. Do this over low heat.
• When the butter almost gets melted, stir in the coconut oil.
• Continue to heat till the things get fully melted.
• Add the oils if using and mix well.
• Now remove it from heat and let it cool down a little. It will become semi-solid.
• Store it in a jar covered with lid.
• Whenever needed, take out a little and apply to your baby’s diaper rash.
8. Bentonite Clay for Diaper Rash
If you baby has a lots of creases and folds in his diaper area, these can hold too much moisture and lead to frequent rashes. If so, clay remedy for diaper rash is perhaps the best one for you. Clay not only absorbs excessive moisture out of the skin but also helps draw out the toxins. This helps in preventing any kind of bacterial and yeast infection too. You can use bentonite clay (or any other clay like French green clay) if your baby already has existent diaper rash. You can also use these clays to prevent future rashes. While you can always use clay mixed with water to apply on diaper rashes, here is an excellent baby cream recipe for diaper rash that not only uses bentonite clay but some other beneficial ingredients like coconut oil and certain essential oils that we had discussed earlier. It also uses zinc oxide which is a natural mineral extensively used in not only commercial diaper creams but also sunscreens for its amazing properties of safeguarding from UV rays. When used in diaper cream, it coats the skin of your baby and protects against wetness. Just ensure that you buy a non-nano zinc oxide as its nano particles have considerable health risks.
Make Bentonite Clay Diaper Rash Cream at Home
Get this:
• Bentonite clay- 3 tbsp
• Grated beeswax- 20 g (or about 2 tbsp of beeswax pastilles)
• Coconut oil- 1/2 cup
• Cocoa butter- 1/4 cup
• Olive oil- 1 tsp
• Lanolin (optional)- 1 tsp
• Zinc Oxide- 2 tbsp
Do this:
• Gently melt the beeswax over very low heat. You may use a double boiler for the purpose.
• When it almost gets melted, stir in the coconut oil as well as cocoa butter, olive oil, and lanolin.
• Keep on heating it gently until it melts fully and converts into a liquid.
• Take a bowl and place this mixture into it.
• Add zinc oxide and bentonite clay to this and stir well to mix them well.
• Keep the mixture in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
• Now whip this mixture using a whisk attachment of electric mixer or a hand-held mixer for about 10 minutes on medium-high speed. Do this till you get stiff peaks in the mixture.
• You will get a lotion type mixture with a firm texture.
• Store it in a glass jar. Never store anything having bentonite clay into a metal container.
• Apply to your baby’s diaper rash whenever needed.
9. Plantain for Diaper Rash
Plantain is the very commonly available herb but with extraordinary properties. It has high content of beta carotene and calcium. It also contains ascorbic acid and vitamin K. Other chemicals present in plantain include allantion, apigenin, aucubin, baicalein, linoleic acid, oleanolic acid, sorbitol, and tannin. All these components of the herb make plantain a fine anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti hemorrhagic and expectorant agent. It also has anti-toxin effects apart from being able to promote wound healing and cell regeneration. As if it was not all, it also helps your baby’s skin become ultra soft. You can easily get plantain oil that you may apply to your baby’s diaper rash affected skin but if you are up to putting some more efforts, you can make a baby ointment with plantain herb.
Make Plantain Ointment for Diaper Rash
You need to first infuse the herb to get its oil and then make the ointment using this oil.
Get this:
• Plantain herb
• Olive Oil
• Jar with lid
• Beeswax- 1 tbsp per 1-3 ounce of oil (depending upon the consistency you want)
Do this:
• Chop the plantain coarsely. The leaves should be first cleaned properly and dried and then chopped.
• Fill the jar loosely to the top with the chopped plantain.
• Now pour olive oil until the jar is about 3/4 full
• Use a spoon or something else to push in the leaves so that they get merged into the oil and the air bubbles too are removed.
• Cover the jar with lid and let it sit for about 6 weeks.
• After that, strain out the herb and pour the infused oil in another jar.
• To make the ointment, heat the oil on low heat. You may use double boiler.
• Stir in the beeswax.
• Once melt, let it cool down.
• Store it in a container and apply to rashes whenever needed.
10. Breast Milk for Diaper Rash
What else can be more natural and safe than breast milk for a baby! A recent article published in the journal ‘Pediatric Dermatology’ talks about a clinical trial that had compared the effectiveness of human breast milk with over-the-counter 1% hydro cortisone ointment used for treating diaper rash. It found out that breast milk is just as effective as hydro cortisone ointment without any potential side effects. Just that you have to apply breast milk several times to the rashes during the day. Breast milk has anti-inflammatory properties and it has proteins that fight off a number of bacteria and viruses. So, if you are a breastfeeding mother to a baby having diaper rash, you can effectively use your own milk to treat diaper rash! You just need to rub a little breast milk on the baby’s skin several times a day. Let the diaper area dry off completely before you place a fresh diaper on baby.
All these home remedies for diaper rash teach the basic mantra- keep the baby’s skin dry so that warmth and moisture do not produce rashes and bacteria, virus etc. If you do this, your baby will fast get rid of diaper rash and would not get it again!
Vaseline is also very good.