Diaper Rash Cream Comparison

The best diaper rash cream for us, hands down, was a combination our pediatrician's office recommended. Mix some liquid antacid in with some Aquaphor ointment (A&D would work too.) Make a paste out of it and use it liberally. The antacid helps cut the acid and the Aquaphor puts up a protective barrier and helps moisturize. Our diaper rashes always cleared up after a day of using this stuff! LOVE IT!!!

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L.,
The very best thing I have ever used for a diaper rash is plain old corn starch like you keep in the kitchen to thicken sauces and gravies.You just sprinkle it on and it pulls the moisture away from the childs body.It is all natural and doesn't cost much at all and a box of it lasts a very long time.I personally use it every day as a preventive under my breast and in the creases of my legs and it keeps sweat from causing a rash very similar to a diaper rash.
A new Mom was at a pow wow I go to every year and her baby boy was all inflamed with a rash.I told her don't put that diaper cream on him try this instead, she did and by the time the next diaper change came along he was almost completely clear of the rash. That was about 3 1/2 to 4 hours later. And he wasn't fussy either. Try it just don't go crazy with it as you don't want her to breath it in.

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First, any time she's on antibiotics, you should also have her on probiotics. Go to some place like Wholefoods and there is a refrigerator in the vitamin aisle. They have powder you can mix into a drink or some yogurt or food, or they have chewables if you think she can handle them. If she's taking the antis 3 times a day, then she should take the pros inbetween. You just don't want to give them at the same time. If you're nursing, you should be taking them too.

I have found that breastmilk works better than any ointment. Take off the diaper and let her air-dry. Then rub in breastmilk and let that air-dry. If it's sunny, let her crawl around without a diaper on in the sun, it helps a lot as well.

If you aren't nursing, I'd use this recipe:
* Ingredients 3.5 oz olive oil
* 1 oz beeswax
* 0.5 oz zinc oxide

* Directions Combine the olive oil and beeswax in a heatproof container. I prefer either a glass measuring cup or a stainless steel container.
* Heat the oil/wax mixture in a hot-water bath over the stovetop.
* When the mixture has melted, remove the container and whisk in the zinc oxide as it cools.

Did I mention this diaper rash cream is cloth diaper friendly? At least for the cotton diapers like Kissaluvs, it washes right off with any detergent. I don’t have any experience with this cream on polyester microfleece such as Fuzzi Bunz. If you do, post your results here!

A diaper rash ointment is simply a cream with zinc oxide as the active ingredient. Zinc oxide is a naturally ocurring mineral. When used to treat diaper rash, it creates a barrier that keeps moisture and other irritants from your baby’s skin.

Over-the-counter diaper rash creams contain anywhere from 10% to 40% zinc oxide (by weight). They’re not very expensive and for many babies, they work well. But along with the protectant zinc oxide, you’re also getting methylparaben, propylparaben, dimethicone, petrolatum, paraffin, and fragrance to name a few. That’s not what I would choose to slab on my baby’s sensitive skin!

There are all-natural alternatives such as Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment but you’re paying over $7 for a small tube that may last a week. It is a great product so let’s look at its ingredients: several different types of oils and extracts, beeswax, and zinc oxide. That’s all! So forget the extracts and let’s start simple. And cheap.

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Hi L.,

When my daughter was little she used to get diaper rash that was just bright red and looked oh so painful. If she sat in her poo for just 5 minutes she would be red. I used to call her poo 'toxic'. Anyway, the cream that I found worked BEAUTIFULLY for my daughter was the baby cream by Weleda. You can get it at Target. Yes, it is a bit more expensive then other brands. I can't remember how much because it's been more ages since I've had to buy it. BUT, it would clear up the rash within a day. Seriously. Sometimes it took 2 days if the rash was super bad.

It's not really greasy, smells nice, and works wonders. I love love love love love it.

That's my 2 cents. :-)

Good luck!

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If she's getting a diaper rash after antibiotics or while on antibiotics she's most likely getting a yeast infection. The best thing for yeast infections are antifungals and dryness. You're going to want something like Lotrimin or something else for fungal infections. My daughter gets yeast infections when she's on antibiotics and we have prescription antifungals for her.

Now having said that - what has worked amazingly for us regarding diaper rashes and even helped with the yeast infections are products by California Baby. They have a calming powder that doesn't have any talc and this stuff is simply AMAZING!!!!!!! Worth the money!!!!!!!!! We still have it even though my daughter isn't in diapers anymore...we still use it occassionally. They also have a cream - we've used the cream before and it's good - but the powder is AWESOME!!! And no, I don't work for them or sell their product. You can find some of their product in Target and Whole Foods...I bought some stuff from their website.

Whatever you do, be careful because it is most likely a yeast infection...and sometimes those really bad diaper rashes can turn into staph infections - so just be aware of that - that's all.

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I used Balmex for a diaper cream. However, you baby might be having a diaper rash that is a yeast infection - that can happen from antibiotics. You need to get a yeast infection cream and use it like a diaper rash cream. It works well - the yeast infection creams won't be with the baby creams. You need to look in the adult sections for stuff like gynelotrimin (not sure this is spelled correctly).

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The best diaper rash cream I have ever used and one that my ped prescribed is a 50-50 mixture of aquaphor and malox. My first son and I both had thrush and the medication that we were taking caused him to have the worst diaper rash I ever saw. I works like a dream. Cleared it up in a matter of 24 hours.

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Our dr always recommended an Maalox and Aquafor mix. It always worked really well for us. Melting the Aquafor in the microwave for a couple of seconds makes it easier to mix it up.

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We've tried Desitin and some other "butt paste's", but the best thing we've found is "Bag Balm". It comes in a green tin, and is usually near the lotion's. Some Target's have it "behind the counter" (I have no idea why).

If she does end up getting a yeast infection, then get lotrimin (like for athlete's foot) then put the "Bag Balm" on top.

We've taken to calling it "Booty balm" and we've even started using it too! It's really awesome!! It works better than Desitin, Aquafor, whatever. The only thing we've noticed that works better is a prescription called "Riley's butt paste".

For what it's worth...good luck!

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Hands down Pinkxav (Pink Salve) is the best. When my second was in the hospital for Roto Virus and had 15 bouts of diarrhea in a matter of hours we went through a tube of desitin and a tube of A&D with no comfort, the nurse brought us the PinkXav and by the next diaper change you could see improvement. It can be hard to find, you have to ask for it at the pharmacy counter and alot of the time they need to order it in, which usually takes 1 day to get in.

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Weleda products worked best.

http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/categories/baby.aspx

I think a couple of other may have mentioned this, but if your daughter is on antibiotics, she could, quite likely, have a yeast infection. If the diaper creams don't seem to help and she has red a red, bumpy rash, try Lotrimin AF. You should see improvement within 24 hrs. If not, I would take her to the pediatrician, or at least give them a call.

As for your average diaper rash, I like the Desitin. It always seems to work well for me.

Try pink salve. You have to ask the pharmacy for it because they keep it behind the counter. Its about 5.00 at my walmart. It is AMAZING. It will clear up a diaper rash in 1 application. Some friends of mine recommended it when my youngest had a horrible diaper rash and I have never used anything else since then.

The creams all work the "same"- but they each have a specific formula and that may make a difference for your baby's skin. I have used Butt Paste but prefer Balmex for when the rash actually gets blistery. Also, either rinse the soap out of the diaper wipes or use baby washcloths in plain water, it is more comfortable on the sore skin.

L.-

Everyone's going to have a different opinion on what's best. The issue is really going to come down to what is causing the diaper rash - have you called your pediatrician yet to discuss with them what's going on? There's a possibility it could be fungal in which case all the diaper rash stuff in the world isn't going to improve it.

That would be my first step - call your pediatrician.

The whole reason for diaper rash is that their rear end isn't staying dry, and it's allowing something to irritate the skin. A lot of people will say to dry your baby really well at each diaper changing (even with a hair dryer) - the real world doesn't always give us that kind of time.

The ones that have worked well for us are as follows:
Butt Paste, Kiehl's Diaper Cream Ointment ($$$$$ but worth it), Burt's Bees Diaper Rash Ointment, and all the others you've already tried.

There is a Rx prescription your physician can write which is a combination of hydrocortisone, antibacterial, antifungal, and something else. It works great on really bad diaper rash.

Good luck.
Hope it all helps you out.

Hi L.! My daughter used to get the worst diaper rashes! She would turn fire red, and it would even bleed. Wiping was nearly impossible but had to be done. You'll think I'm nuts but we used vasceline or just some kind of petrolium jelly. When we had to wipe her, we used a soft wash cloth & warm water. Doing that keeps the soapy wipes off her (even the sensitive ones would burn her). And the vasceline keeps the moisture off the area but it's easier to cleam off than any of the others. It would clear her up pretty quick.

Good luck!

Hi L.,
Since you have many responses directly addressing your question, I'll go a different direction. Wouldn't you rather her not continuing to need antibiotics? There are other ways to clear up or better yet, prevent ear infections then no antibiotics and hopefully no rash. Let me know if that's something you'd like to learn about.

I have found that the best diaper rash cream by far is A&D I have tried Desitin in the past and it didn't do my son any good at all.

Pink XAV, pronounced pink "salve". It IS pink. You can only buy it at Target (in Ohio), but you have to ask for it from the pharmacy (no prescription needed). It is expensive ($6 for a regular tube). But it is the best. Both of my boys had chronic ear infections for the 1st year, so both were on antibiotics constantly. It works better than anything and I have tried all that you mentioned.

Also, skip the pediatrican and go to an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor (ENT). My ped dr. kept putting them on different antibiotics, but the ear infections wouldn't go away or would return within a week or two. For my first son, after 9 ear infections in 7 months, my ped finally said he needed tubes. For my second son, after the 5th infection in 3 months, I just went to the ENT and didn't even disucss with ped dr who wanted to continue antibiotics. Both of my boys ended up with tubes and it has made a HUGE difference!! They are happy boys and finally pain free and infection free. Go with your gut feeling...mother's instinct is powerful!

Goodluck.

To clear up a rash we use Aquafor Ointment and Maalox, equal parts. That seems to do the best for us, most times overnight. We use Beaudreax's for preventative.

You have a lot of responses and I don't have time to read them all :) I tried Desitin with our son and it caused him to break out really bad. A friend turned us onto the Butt Paste and I swear that stuff works the second you spread it on! Both my kids rarely get a diaper rash but I've used it more on my daughter for chafing from the diaper and it works great. Plus I like the smell!

We use A&D (or the generic equivalent if I can find it in the big tub) Even though the large tub costs about 10 bucks, you are paying less per ounce than if you buy a little tube. Plus it works great!

My 2 cents,

L.

feed your baby some yogurt (with live cultures-- i think dannon activia and stoneyfield yobaby are both good). the acidophilus helps restore the yeast-fighting bacteria that antibiotics wipe out. you could also buy a powdered acidophilus that you can mix with applesauce or baby food-- it is more live cultures than yogurt. that helps cure the diaper rash from the inside out.

as for diaper creams, i don't have any advice... just thought i'd share that tidbit.

I always use PinkXav (pronounced Pink Salve) or Resinol. They are essentially the same thing and whip diaper rash every time. PinkXav can be hard to find, but I think Rite Aid carries it now. Resinol was at Meijer.

The best diaper cream I have found is homemade. Mix 1/4 cup aquaphor to 2 TSBP liquid Maalox. Mix with an electric mixer until creamy. It is the best cream ever to treat and prevent diaper rashes.

Hi L.,

First things first...you need to get to the root of the diaper rash. Here is what happens when your child takes an antibiotic...it kills all the good bacteria that is in the digestive tract and replaces it with yeast. When your daughter has the diaper rash after an antibiotic it is the yeast coming out. Now...she has had multiple ear infections??...that goes hand in hand with this. It sounds like her good bacteria has been wiped out and she needs to build that back up. She need to replace that yeast with the good bacteria (probiotics)Try Shaklee's Citriboost or Optiflora system. Make sure you find a product that guarantees LIVE delivery or you are wasting your money! That will help solve everything. I would love to send you some information if you would like. I am a wellness consultant and it is amazing what a few "Good" vitamins (not all vitamins are created equal so WATCH OUT!) can do for your body. My girlfriend's daughter had ear infection after ear infection from the time she was 6 mos to 10 mos of age (every 3 weeks back to the Dr. for more antibiotics) She started her on a good Shaklee supplement routine and now 11 years later she has never had another ear infection and has only ever been on 1 antibiotic since then. Please stop at my website for more information about Shaklee products (they are the #1 natural nutritional company in the country backed by scientific research) or email me. I would love to talk with you and help you out in this matter. Diaper rashes are no fun...also Shaklee has a wonderful natural baby line including diaper rash cream with 12% zinc oxide (scientific studies show the appropriate amount that should be used) and it is 99% natural and 78% organic.
My website is www.shaklee.net/amy_healthyconcepts
I hope to hear from you soon, I would love to help that little baby of yours!
A.

I am a mom of 7 girls and they all went through having really bad rashes when they were teething, so bad they would lose skin! I finally found that if I used the Destin night-time and Vaseline it worked real well! The Vaseline would help when they would pee to protect and the zinc-oxide would heal. It finally worked real well, also if I noticed within a day it would not heal I would add some monostat (there is a generic cream at Walmart that works) to it because sometimes it would be from yeast! Within a day it would heal it up! Hope this helps!

I know other moms praised Balmex but we were never too pleased with it. I never thought it went on very well. We were a Desitin family for everyday use or when traveling for long trips. However,for really bad diaper rashes we use Resinol which can be found behind the pharmacy counter, although you don't need a prescription. It works wonders and works fast! Good Luck finding one that works for your little ones.

Hi There,
My daughter had a terrible spell of diaper rash lasting for almost five months! After two months we had to see a dermatologist who specializes in pediatrics. She put us on Triple Paste (not the cream) and have been using it ever since. She said she really likes a paste because it's the best at sticking the baby's skin and that Triple Paste has the highest quality ingredients. But it's $$, so we are now only using it if she has a flair up, and using Desitin in-between.
--Good luck!!

Aquaphor is the the only diaper rash cream that works for me. This is also the diaper rash cream that my doctor recommended as being the best.

Since I'm a huge fan of New Orleans, my uncle sent me Beudreax's Butt Paste (sp?) years ago-before it was on the shelves here-and I loved it! I thought it did the trick better than any.
One of the nurses at our pediatrician's office also told me about a special mixture they would use when she was in charge of a floor at Children's. It is supposed to be amazing. I don't remember what it is but maybe you can call Children's or ask your pediatrician's office if they know about it.
Good Luck!

Pitch them all and get Aquafor. It's great for any rash or skin irritation (drool rash, diaper rash, heat rash...my husband's sand abrasion irritation from the beach...!). Several "grandmas" at work told me about it, and we've NEVER had 1 diaper rash on Kaitlin's 2 1/2 yr old behind :)

Well I am suprised I must be the odd one out. We always used bag balm. Green tin kinda expensive bought it at the drug store. We used it everytime we changed my youngest son. Smells a little medicine like but works really well. My brother -in law used it like a hand lotion after he got home from working contruction. I use it on my feet and as a lotion on my hands during the winter. Clears up diaper rash quickly and keeps it away when they are on anti-biotics. A little dab goes a long way. It's an antiseptic cream. I like how it works so quickly. Just my opinion. :)

What a lot of great recommendations in this list. I just wanted to add, I always used the Desitin Creamy (I thought that it went on and wiped off easier than the regular Desitin). However, I used it with EVERY diaper change, not just overnight or when I thought a rash might start. Every single diaper change and coated my daughter's little hiney (and front) with the Desitin and we actually NEVER had a diaper rash. I did change diaper brands one time (went from Huggies to Pampers) and she showed some sensitivity to the Pampers so I immediately changed back. Other than that the Desitin seemed to work excellent for prevention.

Good luck and I am sure with all of the recommendations you will find something to work.

The hospital started us on A&D which works pretty well. You can also use lanolin if u have any from breastfeeding but don't go buy it it's really expensive. A friend gave me pinxav. It's supposed to be really good. It was just ok in my opinion but really thick

We usually use northern essence (search online it's homemade) or A&D

I think I have tried them all. After personally experimenting with my twins when there were still in diapers and on whole milk, we discovered they had an intollerance to milk. This did not show up to doctors testing,because they are not allergic, and can tollerate some milk but beyond that they would get horrible diarrea. When they are just switched over to milk obviously you give them a lot of milk at first and they would have a diaper and before the salve from the last diaper change had a chance to work at all they would have another and you would be wiping it off and cleaning them to add more cream. After a while they would get a nice oozing painful rash. The baby wipes and creams would burn them so badly so diaper changes became torcher for all. What we had to do was first either rinse out the baby wipes with warm water and clean them with that or a washrag as the cleaner on the wipes is irritating. When possible I would let them go diaperless for a while to dry them out really good. When you put the diaper back on start with either A&D clear or Aquafor to put a coating on before you put the irritating stuff on them. Then after a LONG trial, we learned to squeeze a spot of Zinc Oxide (Desitin or Butt Paste were my preference), Lotrimin 1% (generic was fine), and cortisone cream and use all together and that worked wonders. More than likely though for your case it will be a yeast infection since she will be on antibiotics, and you might get by with just the Lotrimin and A&D. Start using the A&D now to help prevent.

Hi L.,

I didn't read through all the responses, but my son had the same thing as your daughter. Ear infection after ear infection with terrible diaper rash. The thing the worked the best for us is mixing Aquaphor and A&D ointment (the clear/original) together. And with both of these items, I would buy the generic brand from WalMart. When the rash was really bad, I would get a prescription from the doctor (Magic Paste) and then I would mix that with the Aquaphor. That worked the best for us. Good luck and hang in there!

We switched from Butt Paste, Destin, Aquafor, etc to Pink Save...it is avaialbe at most pharmacies, not just Target. Goodluck. Sorry for the spelling!

We have always preffered Balmex. It got rid of the rashes quick and seemed more soothing.

I raised 3 babies in a row, and granted, they didn't have very many severe rashes, Desitin ALWAYS won with me, for prevention (overnight when it seemed like a rash may begin) and for healing. ...and not the creamy version of Desitin I must add, which Target came up with as a generic as well. It did almost nothing. If the Kroger brand you speak of works as well or better than Desitin, I'd go with that one for cost savings.

I have to pay the extra for triple paste because that is all that works for my sons bad rashes! I lather than on thick then put vasaline on top. That has been the trick for me. also the purple desitin works much better than the blue creamy kind for him.

I have three children - ages 4, 23 months and 4 weeks. With all of them, I found that PINXAV worked the best. It's pronounced Pink Salve, and can be purchased at the pharmacy counter at Walgreen's. A little bit goes a long way - I had tried the others you have mentioned, but none cleared up the rash as quickly as the PINXAV

Hi L.. I went through two days of very painful diaper rash with my daughter. I stood in the aisle and bought every different tube I could find and tried them all. She developed sores that started bleeding and at that point I broke down and got the Lotrimin cream for athlete's foot that was recommended by my sister. By the end of the day (one day!)the diaper rash was almost completely gone and not painful in the least. I just couldn't believe it. I'm sure it only works for a specific type of rash and not just chaffing in general, but if there are red, raised bumps then this stuff should work.

Hi L.,
I know you have gotten lots of responses to this already, but trust me on this one NIVEA CREME (not the lotion)is the best thing you can use for diaper rash. It is awesome!! I have used it on my kids and also my grandkids.

L.

With my daughter I always used just plain zinc oxide- now you have to get it behind the pharmacy counter because of people making bombs or something else like that- anyway it is super cheap- under $2 for a large tube and it works great! Desitin always broke my daughter out worse. If her rash doesn't go away, have her checked for a yeast rash, she'll need a prescrption cream to get rid of it. Good luck!

I agree with Cathy F. that your daughter may have a yeast infection from the antibiotics. My doctor told me to get Lotrimin AF (for athlete's foot) and not the Gyne-Lotrimin. I would put a thin coating of the Lotrimin on and then Pinxav over that. After a couple applications, the diaper rash would be almost completely gone.

Didn't have time to read the other posts, but we mix 3 parts Triple Paste with 1 part Aquaphor and it was the only thing that worked on my baby when he had the mother of all rashes. Also, we didn't use wipes or rub when his rash flared up becuase it hurts. You can rinse out the wipes in warm water (the alcohol in them can really sting raw skin) or just use a wet paper towel..just pat and then air dry before applying more cream.

Well, I have a solution that sounds crazy but it works. Pepto Bismol!! It seems to take the acid out of the urine and yet it gives the baby a soothing sensation on their bottom and at the same time you don't have to rub. Just pour! The only downfall is next time you change a diaper you will find a bright pink mess! LOL!

Pink Sav is the best! It is only available behind the pharmacy counter. You do not need a prescription. It's been around since we were babies. It works better than any other brand out there...and trust me, I tried them all!

We tested about 5 different kinds (Balmex, Butt Paste, AD&D, Desitin blue and Desitin purple) when my son was an infant and the hands down winner was the Desitin (purple, not blue). It is thicker and smells more like medicine but it worked everytime. Do you use wipes when she has a bad rash? We found that those stung (even the gentle ones) so we cleaned his bottom with water and washcloths which is much gentler.

I used Caldascene Powder. You used to be able to find it everywhere but I think Wal-Greens is the one place you can find it now. I have also gotten a prescription from my Pediatrician for Prescription Strength Butt-Paste. It works like a charm. I like the corn starch idea and if you look at some of the powders - that is a big ingredient.

Good luck,

L. (mom of 4 boys - 2 still not fully potty trained)

My child had the same trouble with the diaper rashes because of medicine due to ear infections. I used the Corona animal ointment, because the pharmacist suggested it. It works wonders! I would put it on and in a couple hrs the rash was completely gone! I hope this helps.

As far as I'm concerned you can't beat a pinxav. It's pronounce Pink Salve. It has 30% zink oxide in it. I've found it to work better than any diaper creams that you've listed. I actually give it to everyone that I know having a baby shower or a new baby. You can only buy it at drug stores, not a wal-mart or k-mart or something like that. It's a little pricey but it is so worth it, clears rash up really fast!!!!

In my experience, the Butt Paste works best for getting rid of a serious diaper rash; Balmex and desitin are good for preventing. Butt Paste was recommended to me by our pediatrician when my oldest was an infant, and it has worked well for all three kids. I never tried the Comforts for baby brand tough - it does sound good too.

Good luck.

This is a kind of a combo between 2 of the answers I read (I didn't read all of them, just a few). I've used balmex for healing and a&d ointment for proctective barrier. And used either a warm washcloth or warm papertowel (something softer like bounty) wet of course when wiping. I actually used to make my own wipes. You take so much water and boil it with a bit of mild baby soap ( I always used natural soaps). When it's cooled you can use papertowels, preferably bounty. Cut the roll in half and keep in a container. Pour the solution over the towels. You can use whatever amounts of water and soap depending on how wet you want the wipes to be. If you did like 1 1/2 cups of water, the soap would be only like 1/4 tsp or so. Maybe even less. It's been awhile since I made them. I just think it's nice when you don't have to use harsh chemicals on baby's skin.