At this point, I think it is safe to say that I am an expert at all sorts of strange colors, bumps, and textures coming from my son’s groinular area. By far my least favorite version is a yeast diaper rash. Those little red scales just look so painful.
The good news is you can effectively rid your household of yeast diaper rash with home remedies. It does take a few days, but the skin will heal properly with time and a little mommy TLC.
If you are struggling with yeast diaper rash, you will find the three best yeast diaper rash home remedies in this post.
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Causes of yeast diaper rash
Our skin is a diverse ecosystem that is home to a variety of microorganisms, one of which includes fungi (source)
Remember way back to middle school biology?
You may vaguely recollect your teacher talking about symbiotic relationships, which is precisely the role that the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yes, even mites, play in maintaining a perfect balance on the surface of our skin. They help protect our body from invaders. (source)
When this delicate balance gets thrown off, we can see an overgrowth in yeast (also called candida). There are multiple things that can throw off your baby’s skin microbiome and allow yeast diaper rash to take over the healthy skin.
These include:
- Excessive moisture
- A breastfeeding mom on antibiotics
- Baby on antibiotics
- A diet high in sugary foods
- Non-breathable cloth diapers
- Frequent bowel movements
- Reactions to topical irritants
First and foremost, when I see any abnormal color and texture on my son’s skin, I try to make sure I can identify the type of condition I am dealing with.
I love this visual guide to children’s rashes and skin conditions.
I recently read a story where one poor mom went through about every single diaper rash cream and yeast diaper rash home remedy for MONTHS, only to find out her daughter had eczema.
What an expensive way to drive yourself a little crazy! Bless her loving heart.
Before you begin home remedies, you definitely want to make sure you are treating the right skin condition.
Yeast Diaper Rash Home Remedies
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar or ACV is one of those age-old remedies in your great grandmother’s cupboard and probably one of the reasons she lived to a ripe old age of 98.
ACV is a wonderful anti-fungal agent and can be used topically as a yeast diaper rash home remedy.
To use apple cider vinegar to treat yeast diaper rash, mix up a solution of three parts filtered water and one part raw apple cider vinegar. Make sure the stuff you are using is unpasteurized like this one.
With every diaper change use a clean cotton cloth or Q-tip and dab a little of the solution on the area after you have cleaned off all of the dirty bits.
You can also add 1/4 cup of ACV to baths at night.
Air time
Candida thrives in dark, moist environments. Whenever you can, let that cute little tush go bare! We love spending a little time outside each day bare-bottomed. The sunlight really helps make an inhospitable environment for yeast and the extra vitamin D is a total bonus.
I first started noticing yeast diaper rash on my son when we got more serious about cloth diapering. I realized that the cloth diaper shells I had were not breathable. They were locking in a lot of heat and moisture and aggravating the rash.
I bought this wool diaper cover and have been using it instead with my inserts. It definitely helps to keep the yeast diaper rash under better control.
Sometimes I just switch back to eco-disposable diapers for a few changes as well because they have better absorption capacity.
You also want to make sure you are changing your baby’s diaper frequently to prevent rashes. I am semi-guilty of getting caught up and forgetting to change my little man’s diaper.
I always feel so bad when this happens, but he isn’t one that makes a fuss over a dirty diaper, so it can be easy to lose track of time.
Bentonite Clay
I have seen a bunch of advice on the internet that suggest using cornstarch to absorb moisture between skin folds. While in theory, this does seem like a good idea, it is really hard to find non-GMO corn starch.
If you think about this, it means the cornstarch is made from corn with mutated DNA so it can withstand gobs of roundup being sprayed all over it.
That is not really the ideal thing to put on sensitive baby skin especially when it is already compromised by yeast diaper rash.
Also, consider that yeast feeds on sugary things. Corn is a starch (aka SUGAR!).
I am not going to site a reference for this. I’m sorry, but to me it’s common sense and I have no idea how our society has allowed food to become this poisoned and that everyday citizens have to spend a small fortune to buy pure food.
ANYWAYS, that’s my soapbox for this post!
Instead of cornstarch, I decided to go with this clay to absorb the moisture.
Clay has been used for centuries to heal the human body both internally and externally. (source) It is definitely one of mother nature’s gifts to moms for healing yeast diaper rash naturally.
It works well for keeping the skin dry between diaper changes.
In fact, bentonite clay works well for all kinds of childhood skin conditions including heat rash.
Here is a before and after of one day using bentonite clay for yeast diaper rash. I think later on I will write an entire post about the usefulness of bentonite clay.
Coconut oil
In the end, doesn’t it all always seem to come back to coconut oil? Gosh, I just love that stuff!
So the deal with coconut oil is first and foremost, it is a safe moisture barrier for the skin. It is anti-inflammatory, promotes skin healing, and offers some UV protection.
It is also antimicrobial and antifungal (source). All the above makes coconut oil the best for yeast diaper rash home remedies.
I also love that coconut oil is just plain cheap and can be used for so many other things.
You don’t have to go buy an expensive diaper rash cream you may only use a few times. I like using this coconut oil for all my homemade baby products.
I just add it to my subscribe and save every 5 months and get a new big tub of it.
If you are interested in saving a butt-load of money by making your own baby products that are entirely free from harmful chemicals, you might want to try my homemade diaper rash cream recipe and clothe baby wipes.
And guess what…they both have coconut oil in them too!
My grandson had a horrible rash with yeast and bacterial infection, my daughter and I read this article and started putting coconut oil on his rash after every diaper change, which was often, as he had diarrhea. We also gave him a bath twice a day with ACV in the bathwater. The rash totally cleared up after 4 days! He is back to his normal happy self and doesn’t scream at diaper change time! Thank you for sharing this information!
You’re welcome! I am so happy to hear that this method worked for you!
My son is almost 2 months old, has had a diaper rash that cleared up with Boudreaux but then came back after one day as yeast infection. We’ve been applying cjs butter didn’t work, now doing Boudreaux every change for about a week and a half now and not working. He has two sores and i just want to help my little man’s butt heal. I was using gmd cloth diapers cotton, but have been doing bamboo disposables only while he’s had this. I need help. I have the brand “aztec bentonite clay” powder, coconut oil and acv. What do you suggest? If I apply clay powder directly then do I add coconut oil as the barrier on top? Should I wash him with Acv air dry coconut oil air dry then put clay powder as the barrier and that’s it?
I’m a first time mom and I need some advice and help. Been praying for answers and a remedy that will heal him and work for cloth diapers too Thank you for this page and post hope to hear from you soon.
I personally think that Boudreaux is pretty heavy and also contains some irritating ingredients. The best option is to leave the skin clean, dry, and open to air as much as possible. You can use the dry bentonite clay powder as an absorbent. Coconut oil at night can help to make more of a barrier.
My sons seems to have a years infection that doesn’t go aways. I just purchased the clay and acv. How much to I mix together to add in his rash and how long would it need to be on for?
I’ve applied coconut oil right before he went to bed and a standard rash cream since I don’t pick up the clay until tomorrow. Your help would be very appreciated.
Definitely dilute the ACV with water because it will sting if his skin is raw. Then I let that dry and apply the clay. You can also mix oregano essential oil with the coconut oil as well but be sure to dilute it very well.
Could you try this for thrush on your breast?
Yes absolutely! I would also try calendula ointment. I discovered it after I wrote this post. I will update it soon but I actually had a yeast rash under my armpits this summer and alternating calendula with bentonite cleared it up! I would just wipe it off right before if you are nursing.
Making the paste out of clay and coconut oil what would be the ratio?
The easiest way I have done this in the past is to scoop the coconut oil out of the jar with my finger and then use that same finger and dip it in the bentonite clay so it coats the coconut oil. Then I rub my finger and thumb together to mix it and spread it on the area of concern. If you wanted to make a bunch ahead of time, melt 1/4 cup of coconut oil and then add 1 tbs of bentonite clay. After it’s combined, put it in the fridge to cool it down and you should have enough to last you to clear up the rash. It’s best to put on dry at first to pull out the moisture!
Do you just sprinkle the clay powder straight onto it? Or make a paste?
If you are dealing with yeast it is best to sprinkle it on dry because yeast thrives in dark moist environments. The clay powder will help keep the skin dry, especially in the summer when it’s hot and humid. After it starts to heal a bit you could mix the clay with coconut oil to make a paste. They also sell a premade bentonite clay mud that is super handy to keep in your diaper bag when you don’t want to be fumbling around with dry powder.
will the apple cider make his skin burn? The poor boy has a yeast infection on his penis. It is hurting him a lot. He got meds from the doctor today, but would like to do extra to make him feel better.
If you put it on his skin undiluted it would burn. What I would do is add a 1/4 cup of ACV to a tub bath along with 3 drops of organic tea tree essential oil every night. I would then follow it up with a bentonite clay cream. That should clear it up quickly!