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.
How to prevent and get rid of diaper rash?
Always make sure to use products that:
- Are clinically approved and specifically made for babies
- Are hypoallergenic
- Don’t contain any perfume, coloring, alcohol or other substances that may irritate the eyes and skin
👍 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).
