10 Best Home Remedies For Treating Diaper Rash

What Is Diaper Rash?

What Causes Diaper Rash? 

The most common cause for diaper rash is contact dermatitis and it can range from mild redness to sever skin peeling. Usually contact dermatitis is caused when the skin is in contact with soiled diapers for long duration’s of time.

The second reason is bacterial or fungal infection, diaper rash can be secondarily infected with bacteria or fungi too which can lead to very sever diaper rash.

The third reason is allergies, some of the common allergens are perfumes present in some of the creams used for babies and even soaps used for washing diapers can cause allergies.

Diaper Rash Symptoms:

Some of the common symptoms of diaper rash are redness in the affected area. In some severe cases, pustules and small blisters can form in the area and it can be accompanied by fever and swelling too.

If secondary infection sets in, the symptoms can be very severe. If the secondary infection has set in, pain and inflammation will be very very severe. I would suggest consulting a paediatrician immediately.

How To Prevent Diaper Rash:

Try to change soiled diapers immediately, this one single tip alone will go a long way in preventing diaper rash. Also make sure the diapers are not too tight.

If you are using cloth diapers, try to wash them in mild detergents that does not have strong fragrances or color. the best natural option is to use soap nut liquid for washing the cloth diapers and also sun dry the cloth diapers after washing.

Try to avoid baby powders that are highly fragrantTry to avoid baby powders that are highly fragrant as the synthetic fragrance also can irritate the delicate skin. I would also suggest not using chemical based creams instead opt for natural plant based oils like unrefined coconut oil.

Best Way To Treat Diaper Rash:

If you are not using cloth diapers, I would suggest giving a break and not using diapers at least for some time during the day. Also I wanted to mention about two common remedies used for treating diaper rash, one is baking soda and the other is petroleum jelly.

I don’t prefer them because baking soda is drying on the skin and petroleum jelly like the name mentions is a petroleum by product which is not advisable for anyone let alone babies.

But if you plan on using them, please research well before using them on babies skin. If the diaper rash is not severe, you can easily treat it with anyone of the home remedies given below…..

 10 Best Home Remedies For Diaper Rash:

1. Coconut Oil For Diaper Rash:

Coconut oil is one of the best home remedies for diaper rash. Since it has got anti bacterial and anti fungal properties, if you apply coconut oil immediately once the symptoms start, it will greatly prevent secondary infection along with treating it.

To use, after bath, pat dry and apply a thin layer of coconut oil all over the affected area but try to use only virgin coconut oil for best results.

2. Breast Milk For Diaper Rash:

If you are breast feeding your child, it is really great because breast milk can work wonders in treating diaper rash. It helps fight off the infection quickly and it is also very soothing.

To treat diaper rash, extract some breast milk and using a piece of cotton apply on the affected area, wait for it dry completely before using diaper again.

3. Oatmeal Bath For Diaper Rash:

Oatmeal bath is one of the best home remedies for diaper rash as it has wonderful anti inflammatory properties and it is also very soothing on the skin.

For the oatmeal bath, take a handful of oatmeal in a thin muslin cloth and tie it into a bundle and drop it a wide basin and fill it with hot water.

Once the water has turned milky and also has come to lukewarm temperature, make the baby sit it in this bath for 10 minutes.

4. Aloe Vera Gel For Diaper Rash:

Aloe vera gel has wonderful healing and anti inflammatory properties making it one of the best ingredients to use for diaper rash.

For using it for treating diaper rash, I would suggest using fresh aloe vera gel as it always best to use fresh herbal extracts.

If you want to use store bought gel use one without any color or perfume. To use, apply the fresh gel all over the affected area twice a day.

5. Epsom Salt Bath For Diaper Rash:

Like oatmeal bath, Epsom salt bath is also very effective for treating diaper rash. Epsom salt which is nothing but magnesium sulfate has amazing healing properties and also helps reduce the inflammation.

For the bath, fill a wide basin with warm water and add a handful of Epsom salt to it and make the baby sit in this bath for 10 minutes. You can also add some healing herbs and fresh fruit extracts to the bath too…

6. Lavender Essential Oil For Diaper Rash:

Lavender essential oil has soothing, calming properties and greatly helps soothe irritated skin. Never use any essential oil directly on the skin.

Mix 2 drops in a tbsp of coconut oil and use it apply on the affected area. If the diaper rash is due to yeast infection, tea tree essential oil will greatly help treat it very quickly.

7. Bentonite Clay For Diaper Rash:

Another ingredient that has amazing healing properties and is wonderful for treating diaper rash is bentonite clay. It also has been proven through research too.

In fact it is more effective than calendula in treating diaper rash. The reason bentonite clay is so effective is because it has amazing water absorbing, anti inflammatory, skin protecting and anti bacterial properties.

All we have to do is mix bentonite clay with fresh aloe vera juice and apply as a diaper rash cream every 4 hours. This cream will not spoil for 3 days at room temperature.

8. Homemade Yogurt For Diaper Rash:

Homemade yogurt is wonderful for applying on irritated skin as it is very soothing and it also helps heal the infection quickly. To use, apply yogurt on the infected area liberally.

It will greatly reduce the irritation and will help heal the skin as well. Try to use only homemade yogurt for best results.

9. Herbal Bath Powder For Diaper Rash:

We call herbal bath powders, nalangu maavu in Tamil, it is blend of wonderful herbs that have amazing anti bacterial properties. Traditionally we bathe the babies only using this powder instead of soap.

Using herbal bath powder greatly prevents diaper rash in the first place. You can find how to make herbal bath powder here.

10.  Corn Starch For Diaper Rash:

One common thing many people do is use store bought baby powders before using the diaper to keep the area dry. This can cause more harm than good as most baby powders contain synthetic fragrances which can worsen the infection.

Instead, just apply corn starch on the affected area, it will absorb excess moisture without causing any harm. You can also add in few drops of lavender essential oil to make it smell good.