Diaper rash: what to do?

What should you do if your baby has diaper rash? What are the recommended products to prevent and treat it? You are not the only parents with these questions: more than 50% of babies will be affected.

Focussing on solutions, this article about diaper rash was prepared in collaboration with Marie Fortier, a nurse who specializes in pre- and post-natal care.

What are the causes of diaper rash?

As is the case with other skin conditions, many factors may be considered:

• Humidity of the diaper area;

• Exposure to irritants present in urine and faeces;

• Friction (diaper and skin folds);

• Presence of chemical components in diapers, wipes and creams;

• Seborrheic dermatitis that might already be present.

PREVENTION :

• After the bath, moisturize your baby’s bottom with a hypoallergenic cream in order to keep the skin barrier intact.

We recommend: Cutibase, Cerave, Exomega, Uriage, Glaxal-Base.

• Change diapers often to prevent humidity and minimise the contact of the skin with urine and faeces.

• When changing diapers, do not overwash. For instance, when there is only a little pee, we’ll prefer to simply wipe with a clean damp cloth.

• Avoid commercial wipes.

WHEN A RASH APPEARS:

• For disposable diapers, test by switching brands: your baby may react to certain components contained in one brand of diapers and not in others.

• Dry the diaper area and apply a thick cream or paste that will act as a protective barrier.

We recommend Zinc paste, Ihle’s paste or Vaseline.

• Leave baby’s bum diaper free for short periods throughout the day.

WHAT IF IT DOESN’T GO AWAY:

• Consult with a family doctor or dermatologist who can prescribe a low-dose cortisone cream (to be applied 2x/day until symptoms go away).

• Cortisone cream is very efficient when the diaper rash is persistent or recurrent. In these cases, it is better to apply cream on a small area as soon as rough red patches appear rather than wait too long and then have a bigger area to treat.

For any questions related to your personal situation, you can ask advice from our certified dermatologists at dermago.ca.

This article is adapted from a post written in collaboration with Marie Fortier (FRENCH ONLY).