Treatment For Diaper Rash Plymouth MI

By Heather O’Neill

Experts agree that the best protection against diaper rash is prevention—keeping your baby’s bottom clean and dry with frequent diaper changes. But occasionally even the most fastidious parents will remove their baby’s diaper to find an angry red rash.

Then what? Melody Wong, ND, a naturopath at Natural Health California in Palo Alto, recommends that her clients first try switching diapers. “Plastic diapers trap heat and moisture and become a comfortable environment for bacteria and yeast to grow and irritate the skin,” she says. “Instead, use eco-friendly or biodegradable diapers. They are made of cornstarch, not plastic, and they are not bleached with chlorine, which also can irritate the skin. Using cloth diapers is another option [because they] are more breathable than plastic ones.”

Wong suggests washing and carefully drying your baby’s bottom after each diaper change. She also recommends using a (slightly) larger size diaper for your baby. The extra space will allow the baby’s skin to breathe. And whenever possible, let your baby play au natural. A little naked time will allow more airflow to the area.

If simply changing your brand of diapers isn’t enough, Wong suggests nursing mothers look at their sugar consumption. “If mom has a sweet-tooth and nurses, she should decrease her sugar intake,” Wong says. Kids past nursing should avoid sugar as well. “Babies should eat food with less sugar content, like veggies instead of fruits,” says Wong “Diaper rash can be caused by bacteria or Candida yeast and these organisms feed on sugar.”

Eric Kimbles, a naturopathic doctor in Sonoma, California, believes that the herb calendula offers an effective natural treatment for the rash. “Any cream or ointment that is created homeopathically from calendula is wonderful for diaper rash,” he says. He recommends creams by Boiron, Nelsons, and B&T, while Wong recommends similar creams marketed by Weleda and Burt’s Bees. As the rash heals, an aloe vera lotion can also help soothe the discomfort, Wong says.

For parents with a do-it-yourself bent Wong recommends a lotion that can be made fresh as needed. Mix a few ounces of natural, unscented, water-based lotion (the first ingredient should be water) with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 to 3 drops each of lavender oil, calendula oil, comfrey oil, and chickweed oil, and 1 to 2 drops oregano oil or tea tree oil.

Gregory Manteuffel, MD, who runs a homeopathic family practice in San Francisco, uses homeopathic medicines internally as well as externally to treat diaper rash. He gives his (infant/toddler) clients minerals like sulfur and calcium carbonate to treat chronic recurring diaper rash. “Treatment for diaper rash really begins with keeping the area clean and dry,” Manteuffel stresses. “Making sure your child is not in a wet or dirty diaper is really the best defense.”

Author: Heather O’Neill

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