Are there effective home remedies for diaper rash? Diaper rash is a common problem in babies. These remedies will help to absorb moisture, get rid of bacteria and soothe your babies bum.
Babies are very sensitive to changes and as they grow they are likely to experience skin problems related to diet and other issues.
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Diaper Rash
The rash is a natural occurrence and not only limited to children but it can also appear in adults who are bedridden and paralyzed.
Detectable on the skin around the baby’s bottom and genital area, diaper rash makes the skin highly irritated, bumpy and reddish. It may appear on the skin folds due to leakage or in specific parts of the diaper area such as genitals, thighs, and buttocks.
Symptoms of Diaper Rash
- Red tender skin that appears inflamed
- Blisters that may be pus or blood filled that has a yellowish crust when dry
- Fever and diarrhea
- The rash appears on other parts of the body.
- Skin irritation that occurs when poop and urine are left for long hours creating a different PH that leads to diaper rash.
Causes of diaper rash
Causes of diaper rash include;
Allergic reactions
Diapers are made of cellulose pulp, polypropylene, polyethylene, polymer and polyacrylate granules which can be quite harsh on the baby skin. The lotions, wipes, soaps, as well as the diapers, may contain chemicals that are too harsh for baby’s sensitive skin. Since they are often used on the baby they are very likely to cause a rash.
Urine and feces contain enzymes lipase and protease so when they are trapped in the diaper they may cause skin irritation. The ammonia present in urine reacts with the very sensitive skin causing red, highly irritated skin. The irritation appears on the area around the skin and not on skin folds. Feces also contain acid which burns skin
Friction
During basic movement, there is bound to be friction and when the diaper is very tight it causes a lot of friction. Excessive friction caused by a wet diaper may cause a lot of damage.
Detergents
Diapers come in many forms including re-washable cloth diapers. They are affordable but can, however, cause some serious diaper rash. This occurs when harsh washing detergents are used to clean them and they react with baby skin.
Infrequent diaper changes which mean that the absorbent core of the diaper that is meant to absorb and transfer urine becomes over full causing a leakage.
Weaning
During weaning, there is an introduction of new foods that may contain citrus foods and tomatoes. The change from mother’s milk to solid foods may irritate the stomach linings causing diarrhea. If diarrhea which contains acid is left for long hours in the diaper it causes a lot of irritation around the diaper area.
Diapers are made from different materials including spandex found in the elastic band around the diaper. This spandex may highly react with the skin around the diaper area causing a rash.
Diaper Rash from Excessive use of Antibiotics
Babies are prone to colds, fever that make them frequently use a lot of antibiotics. This excessive use may cause a Fungal/yeast infection and diarrhea. The use of diaper makes the butt area very warm and moist and if the diaper is infrequently changed it encourages the growth of yeast and fungi that cause diaper rash. Here the skin appears very red and bright with small red spots around the edges of the diaper.
Diaper Rash caused by Diarrhea during Teething
When babies start to teeth they usually experience very high fever accompanied by diarrhea. The fever requires antibiotics which may cause yeast infection and subsequently diaper rash. Diarrhea due to its frequency may be left unchanged causing a rash. The issue with antibiotics is that they can also be transferred to the baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The presence of bacteria in the body can be helpful. However, staph bacteria eliminates all the good bacteria in the body. This creates a very acidic environment that affects the skin, especially around the diaper area.
Home Remedies for Diaper Rash
The treatment of diaper rash using over the counter medications is not only expensive but also harmful. The chemicals found in these types of medications can be very harsh for baby skin which is very low on immunity at this stage. It is best to rely on natural treatment methods that can be used by both young and old. These include:
Kefir
Obtained from fermented cow, goat or soy milk. Kefir is rich in probiotics including Lactobacillus Kefir that help to destroy bad bacteria. The presence of folate and biotin nutrients in kefir helps to heal the skin cells that may have been damaged during the rash.
Kefir also contains kefiran very powerful antimicrobial properties that help to fight off the candida or yeast infection and heal the wounds.
Recipe:
Mix two teaspoon of kefir with a few drops of coconut oil and apply on clean air dry affected area. Leave for a few minutes then put new diaper.
Witch hazel
The extract obtained from boiling witch hazel twigs is useful for the treatment of sores and swelling.
Highly rich in saponin it helps to exfoliate the skin damaged by the diaper rash. It also contains tannin, gallic acid, essential oils and flavonoids which help to fasten wound healing
Witch hazel has astringent properties that help to remove excess oils and dirt from the skin thus smoothening it
Recipe: Bring to a steam the witch hazel twigs and allow to cool. Using a cotton ball, apply on affected area and allow to cool.
Apple cider vinegar
Has antimicrobial properties that help to destroy bad bacteria, this is due to the presence of acetic acid. Urine especially when stale contains high ammonia levels which destroy the baby skin due to its alkaline porosity.Acetic acid helps to normalize the PH.
The vinegar also contains minerals, enzymes, and probiotics that help in wound healing vinegar is one of the best ingredients.
Recipe
Mix together 1tsp vinegar to a half cup of water and use it as a wipe during a diaper change to destroy yeast infection.
Recipe 2:
In final rinse add half a cup of vinegar to the water before adding the cloth diapers to rid of yeast infections.
Oatmeal
It is best used in liquid or gel form also known as colloidal oatmeal. Obtained from soaking in water finely milled oats to create a smooth absorbent gel suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin.
Highly rich in polysaccharides and filaggrin, oatmeal helps to form a protective barrier around the diaper area protecting it from yeast infection. It also keeps the diaper area evenly moisturized to avoid excess oil and dirt.
Oatmeal is also known for its antioxidant properties that deal with skin inflammation and irritation. In diaper rash, the skin is highly inflamed and irritated and this is the best remedy.
Highly rich in saponin, oatmeal is able to cleanse by removing excess dirt and oil that may clog the skin around the diaper area. This helps to eradicate bacterial infection and exfoliates the skin giving it a smooth look.
Recipe
Grind oats into powder. Mix with a few drops of water to create a paste and apply using a cotton ball during a diaper change.
Beeswax
Diaper rash causes the skin around the butt, genitals, and thighs to be highly inflamed. Beeswax contains properties that help to soothe and calm the skin while softening it due to the presence of vitamin A which is a great exfoliator.
When applied on the baby skin it forms a protective barrier from the toxins that may be present in the diaper. It is able to destroy the bacteria that cause yeast infection by allowing the skin to breathe thus keeping the area dry.
Beeswax also has anti-allergenic properties that allow it to protect the skin from allergic reactions caused by the diapers, wipes, soaps, and lotions used in diaper change.
Cornstarch for diaper rash
This oil has antimicrobial and antifungal properties which help to fight off yeast infections. It also contains lauric acid which is also antibacterial and keeps skin moisturized to prevent blistering.
The coconut oil also helps to form a protective barrier against urine and feces that tend to burn the skin.
Cornstarch Balm for Diaper Rash
Warm a teaspoon of coconut oil by rubbing on hands and apply on diaper area. Leave for a few minutes that put on a new diaper.
- Mix with 1tsp. corn starch, 1/4 cup Shea butter, 4 drops of lavender oil and ½ cup pure coconut oil. Heat coconut oil and Shea butter and when cool add cornstarch then the lavender oil. Apply on affected area and leave to dry before putting on new diaper
- Heat coconut oil and Shea butter.cool add cornstarch then the lavender oil. Apply on affected area and leave to dry before putting on new diaper
- Allow cooling add cornstarch then the lavender oil.
- Apply on affected area and leave to dry before putting on new diaper
Baking soda for diaper rash
It contains alkaline which helps to fight off the acid that is present in urine and feces left on the diaper area. It also heals the rash by absorbing the moisture around it thus eliminating bacteria growth.
Recipe
Add 2 tbs. Of baking soda to 4 cups water and use as a diaper wipe. Or add 2tbs. of baking powder to a tub of warm water and bathe the baby focusing on affected area for 10 mins. This should be done thrice a day for effective results.
Cod liver oil
Obtained from the livers of cod and contains high levels of Vitamin A and D known for wound healing. It is also a good source of omega 3 fatty acids.
Diaper rash causes the skin to become highly inflamed and may also cause blisters. The application of cod liver oil helps to quicken cell regeneration which heals the wounds faster.
Recipe: Break one capsule and using a cotton ball apply on diaper area during diaper change
Olive oil to get rid of Diaper Rash
Highly rich in anti-inflammatory properties it deals with skin irritation by reducing the itching. This is due to its cell regeneration properties that allow for faster cell creation in inflamed areas.
Olive oil has great antimicrobial properties that prevent skin infections by destroying any bad bacteria present. It also forms a protective barrier around the skin which protects it from urine and feces attack.
Recipe:
In the ratio of 3:2 mix together olive oil and water respectively.Apply on diaper area and leave for ten minutes before putting on new diaper
Recipe 2
Warm two tablespoons of olive oil by rubbing it on hands and apply on diaper area for two minutes. Leave for a few minutes then wash the baby in warm water. This should be repeated at least twice daily.
Recipe 3:
Mix to a paste 2 tablespoons of olive oil and one teaspoon of zinc oxide powder. The zinc oxide contains high absorbent properties that eliminate excessive moisture caused by urine and feces keeping the area reasonably dry. Apply the mixture and leave for five minutes. This procedure should be repeated at least thrice a day for best results.
Apply Aloe Vera to treat Diaper Rash
This plant is rich in antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Not only does it contain a very high percentage of water that helps to moisturize the skin but it is rich in vitamin C, B, E and A, and enzymes.
It contains aloin and emodin which make up its antibacterial properties that help to destroy bad bacteria that causes diaper rash.
It assists in wound healing and reducing inflammation due to the presence of gibberellins and auxins hormone. The presence of very strong enzymes such as Brady kinase helps to eliminate the inflammation that arises from diaper rash.
Contains fatty acids such as lupoel which helps to reduce inflammation and hasten wound healing.
Calendula
Marigold also known as calendula which has soothing properties that can treat the skin infections as well as the wounds.
Recipe: Mix together aloe Vera and Calendula and apply on affected skin. Leave to dry before putting on a new diaper.
Arrowroot
Arrowroot powder rich in absorption properties helps to keep the diaper area dry by eliminating excess moisture. This helps to prevent excess friction that arises from wet diaper thus stopping diaper rash.
Recipe: Dab on affected area some powder during a diaper change. However, this should not be used very frequently as it may end up feeding the rash making it worse.
Honey
Highly rich in antimicrobial properties which help to destroy candida fungus and staph bacteria associated with diaper rash. Upon application, it breaks down to hydrogen peroxide and an acid that is able to counter the alkaline properties of urine and feces that normalize the PH.
Bentonite clay
Has properties that speed up wound healing and exfoliates the skin.
Recipe: Mix to a paste, 2tbsp. olive oil, ¼ cup bentonite clay and add 4 drops of lavender oil for hydration. Apply the mixture and leave for 4 hours before cleaning the area with warm water. Repeat this process for 4 days for effective results.
Yoghurt
Plain unsweetened yogurt that is rich in probiotic that helps to fight off the bad bacteria that is known for yeast infection.
Recipe: Using a cotton ball apply plain yogurt on baby bum during a diaper change.Allow the area to air-dry for minutes to get rid of any moisture.
Lavender oil
Known for its hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties that help to moisturize and soothe skin
Tea tree oil
Has antiseptic and antifungal properties that help to destroy bad bacteria and heal the wounds caused by diaper rash.
Recipe
Mix two tablespoons of honey with a few drops of pure tea tree oil. Apply this paste on the diaper area and leave for a few minutes before putting on the diaper. This helps to fight off any yeast infections. Repear for three days.
Recipe 2
Tea tree oil mixed with coconut oil in 5 drops of tea tree oil to two tablespoons coconut oil and apply on affected area.
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