Diaper Rash

Diaper rash (officially called diaper dermatitis), is an extremely common, and usually harmless condition in infants. Diaper rash is particularly common in newborns, and can cause your baby a fair bit of discomfort if left untreated.

There are several causes for diaper rash, the most common being the moisture that is trapped between the diaper and your baby’s skin. This moisture acts as an irritant, and produces red, scaly patches on the skin area covered by the diaper (although usually the folds of skin are left unscathed).

Main Causes of Diaper Rash

• Skin irritation from moisture trapped in diaper (from urine and/or feces, and sometimes even from the glu in the diaper, or from the friction of the diaper against the skin)
• Infection. If the diaper rash persists for more than 3 days, you may be dealing with an infection, and it’s important to see your doctor. Various bacteria may be responsible for diaper rash, including group A streptococci or Candida Albicans. These can usually be easily treated by your physician.

Photos of Diaper Rash

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Regular Diaper Rash

Yeast Infection Diaper Rash

Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash

• Wash your hands before and after diaper change
• Use super-absorbant disposable diapers rather than cloth (try to find the kind that uses a gelling material to absorb moisture)
• Change diaper often; at least every 2 hours, more often if needed.
• Use a gentle cleanser or water to clean diaper area, rather than commercial wipes which often contain harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin. Try using a cotton cloth and water, or if you want to buy wipes, look for ones that contain as few ingredients as possible.
• Use a barrier cream containing zinc oxide. Alternatively you can use something like vaseline, but the ones containing zinc oxide have been shown to be more effective.
• Allow your baby to spend time without a diaper on. This is much easier before your baby is mobile (believe me, I know!), but even once they’re crawling, a little accident on the living room floor never killed anyone!

Ways to Treat Diaper Rash at Home

The best course of treatment is to use all of the above preventative measures vigilantly at the first sign of a rash.

Use a barrier cream; as with wipes, choose one that has as few ingredients as possible. If your baby has diarrhea, using a diaper paste will be more effective.

Some people have even used a liquid antacid on the affected area 4x a day, covered with a barrier cream.

If the rash persists for more than 3 days, your baby is particularly fussy or upset, or seems to be in a lot of pain, see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she will be able to rule out any other conditions, and prescribe an anti-fungal cream or corticosteriods.