97 answers

Help with Diaper Rash.

My 5 month old daughter has a horrible diaper rash. It is blood red and has what looks to be blisters that bleed. I have done everything I know to treat it, I have used vaseline, diaper rash cream, cream for a yeast infection everything I could think of. The only other thing I could think of is maybe she's allergice to the diapers. Any suggestions. I am going to take her to the dr on Monday but I was wondering if there was anything else I could do in the meantime.

1 mom found this helpful

What can I do next?

So What Happened?™

Thanks to everyone who responded. I finally narrowed Emily's rash down to the diapers. I used Triple Paste and cornstarch which worked perfect. The rash went away, and the other day my husband put one of the old diapers on by mistake and there is was again(not as bad though). So no more Huggies for her.. Thanks again for all the responses.

Featured Answers

I have a great remedy. Mix equal parts of mylanta, hydrocortisone cream(1%), aquaphor or eucerin lotion, and lotromin. Apply to diaper rash frequently. After 3 days, remix without the hydrocortisone. I know this sounds weird, but the mylanta and lotromin help to dry everything up, the aquaphor or eucerin lotion soothe, and the hydocortisone heals. It has worked for me for years. I am a mother of two girls (ages 6 and 2).

1 mom found this helpful

hello. i went through this when my daughter was in diapers and tried everything i knew to do. I felt so bad for her because i couldnt make it go away. Someone told my mom to mix vaseline and corn starch together to make a paste. This was the best advice that i have ever received. It worked like magic, clearing up the rash very quickly. Let me know if you try it and if it works for her. hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

I actually had to call my son's dr last week about a horrible rash! They said mix equal parts of desitin/zinc cream, nystatin (RX) and cortizone - make a paste and put it on. It works wonders!
A. D

More Answers

Resinol diaper rash medicine super thick works for us. It is a behind the counter product w/o perscription needed. We were given a perscription for something when my daughter was in diapers which was so expensive and the pharmisist recommended this.
It does not have the sting that the other store stuff has which made me kids scream and cry and of course gave me as a mother the total helpless feeling. Try it and put in on real thick!!!

1 mom found this helpful

I have a great remedy. Mix equal parts of mylanta, hydrocortisone cream(1%), aquaphor or eucerin lotion, and lotromin. Apply to diaper rash frequently. After 3 days, remix without the hydrocortisone. I know this sounds weird, but the mylanta and lotromin help to dry everything up, the aquaphor or eucerin lotion soothe, and the hydocortisone heals. It has worked for me for years. I am a mother of two girls (ages 6 and 2).

1 mom found this helpful

hello. i went through this when my daughter was in diapers and tried everything i knew to do. I felt so bad for her because i couldnt make it go away. Someone told my mom to mix vaseline and corn starch together to make a paste. This was the best advice that i have ever received. It worked like magic, clearing up the rash very quickly. Let me know if you try it and if it works for her. hope this helps.

1 mom found this helpful

If the diaper rash is that bad, maybe you should consider taking your child to a minor med clinic. In the meantime, try using a soft paper towel or wash cloth wet with cool water to wash baby's bottom. Baby Wipes, even the gentle ones, seem to hurt a bottom that has diaper rash. Also, Over the Counter Aquaphor Ointment is very healing to skin. I have used it on myself after a laser peel on my face, as well on my baby's bottom. When you see the doctor, ask for a prescription of Nystatin so that you can prevent the diaper rash from getting this bad in the future. Also, after the rash clears, try using the Lanolin wipes, found in the section for nursing mothers and not in the baby wipe section. It is very gentle for baby's skin. They come in a purple container. In the meantime, below is some additional info that you may find helpful. Good Luck!

DIAPER RASH
When your beautiful baby is born, her skin is often perfect in every way. It is softer and smoother than it will ever be again. You are dismayed when she wakes up and her bottom is red and irritated when you change her diaper. What happened! What did you do wrong? Absolutely nothing!

ALL BABIES HAVE DIAPER RASH!
There are many misconceptions about a baby's bottom:

It is supposed to be perfectly smooth and rash-free
Diaper rash is abnormal
Diaper rash is a sign of food or formula allergies
Diaper rash means the baby has bad diarrhea or a yeast infection
Having a diaper rash is a normal part of being a baby. There are many ways you can limit the amount of rash, but from time to time it will flare up again.

WHY BABIES GET DIAPER RASH
Start with ultra sensitive skin, add the chemicals and moisture of urine and stools, cover the area with a diaper that rubs back and forth, and you have diaper rash. This damaged skin is susceptible to the invasion of bacteria and yeast, which can make the rash worse.

SEVEN WAYS TO PREVENT OR MINIMIZE DIAPER RASH
If your baby does not have a problem with diaper rash, then you don't need to be too strict with these preventative measures. However, if you are constantly battling rash, here are some helpful hints to minimize it:

Change diapers frequently - at least every two hours in newborns. You can space this out as baby starts to urinate less often.
Change poopy diapers right away - this is a lot of trouble at first since newborns often have small, frequent stools. This will slow down as baby grows.
Try different brands - if using disposables, another brand may fit a little better and cause less friction.
Rinse cloth diapers - add a half-cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. This helps remove alkaline irritants. Your diaper service can also do this.
Wipe well - be sure to wipe all the stool and urine away.
Use unscented wipes or just plain water - these are less irritating. You can even rinse out the wipes with water, although this takes more time.
Diaper rash cream - some lucky babies don't need any. More sensitive bottoms need cream with each new diaper. There are two basic types of barrier creams:
Petroleum ointment (Original A & D ointment) - this is an excellent preventative every-day ointment. It's less sticky and less messy.
White zinc oxide - this is thicker and may be better for babies who are more prone to rash.
FOUR WAYS TO TREAT DIAPER RASH FLARE-UPS
No matter how diligent you are with the above measures, your baby will still have a rash from time to time. Here are some tips to treating those rough spots:

Wash off bottom with water - don't wipe the sore areas. Instead, use a bulb syringe to gently wash baby's diaper area.
Gently dab or pat away any remaining stool. Blot baby's bottom dry.
Let it air out - leave the diaper off for a while, with no diaper cream on. Lay baby on a towel (with a waterproof pad underneath to catch accidents) with her bottom up. Do this as often as you can. This will help dry out the rash, which is important for the healing process.
Diaper cream - when you do put the diaper back on, use generous amounts of cream. Here are some suggestions:

Zinc oxide - for the moderate rash.
Acid mantle - this is a brand name sold in stores. It is outstanding for moderate diaper rashes. Can be used with zinc oxide over it.
Butt paste or Triple paste - there are a variety of creams that a pharmacist can mix up for you that contain a variety of ingredients. These are good for severe rashes. One brand that is already mixed is called Triple Paste. Ask your pharmacist for some. It is non-prescription. This cream may be difficult to find, but most pharmacies can order it from Summers Laboratories (1-800- 533-SKIN).
Clotrimazole anti-fungal cream - for stubborn rashes, yeast may be involved (see below). You can add this over-the-counter cream to help.
Hydrocortisone 1% cream - you can put this over-the-counter cream on twice a day beneath any of the other creams to help with severe rashes. It will help with the inflammation. Don't use this for more than several days at a time as long-term use can damage the sensitive skin in the diaper area.
Soothe and heal by Lansinoh. This pure lanolin ointment is excellent for soothing sore bottoms.
Mix your own - if you can't get a prescription, try mixing these together in the palm of your hand, then apply to baby's bottom:
Zinc oxide
White petroleum ointment
Acid mantle
Aluminum acetate (Burrow's solution)
If you cant find Acid Mantle, then use Lansinoh (a lanolin ointment). It is available in the diaper cream section of drug stores.
IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC DIAPER RASHES
Here are a few diaper rashes that can be more than just irritation from the stool, urine, and diaper. They usually require more specific therapy:

Contact diaper rash - this is simply the regular rash as discussed above.
Appearance - flat, red, irritated skin. When severe, skin will peel or blister and slough off.
Treatment - as described above.
Intertrigo - this is a specific rash that occurs within the skin folds and creases around the diaper area where the skin rubs together.
Appearance - Heat and moisture mixed with urine cause a red, burn-like appearance.
Treatment - regular white petroleum diaper ointment.
Yeast rash - when the skin is damaged, yeast from the intestines can invade the skin. This especially occurs with antibiotic use or prolonged rash.
Appearance - it is a red, raised, patchy rash with sharp borders, mostly over the genitalia but with satellite spots sprinkled around the diaper area. Click here to view a picture of a yeast diaper rash.
Treatment - in addition to the above measures, there are two commonly used anti-fungal creams:
Clotrimazole - over-the-counter. Apply 2 - 3 times a days beneath the other creams.
Nystatin - prescription. Not necessarily better, just different.
Acidophilus - this is a natural bacterial powder that fights off yeast. Click on it to learn more.
Impetigo - this occurs when bacteria invade the damaged skin.
Appearance - coin-sized blisters or red raised patches that ooze a honey-colored crust.
Treatment - prescription antibiotic ointment as well as the above general measures.
Seborrhea - an inflammatory condition that can affect different parts of the body, but can be especially severe in the diaper area.
Appearance - a big, red, sharply demarcated patch over the groin, genitalia, and lower abdomen. It can be more raised, rough, thick, and greasy than the other rashes.
Treatment - hydrocortisone 1% cream (over-the-counter) 2 - 3 times a day. Don't use more than a week unless directed by your doctor.
Allergy ring - a variety of foods can irritate baby's bottom, especially acidic foods such as citrus and tomato-based sauces.
Appearance - a red ring around baby's anus.
Treatment - discontinue suspected foods. Breastfeeding moms may need to eliminate foods from their diet.

Ouch! That must really hurt for your little baby...In the first place, never use vaseline as it is oil base and the skin is not able to breathe.

What you can do now is to 'air' her bottom..ie, let her go bottomless for a while; say perhaps 15 mins before putting her back in diapers or preferrably just wear a panty for her. It would allow the sore to dry up and heal. In fact, even she is better, you can also 'air' her bottom for a few minutes before diapering her as it will help to keep the area dry and prevent rash from developing.

When my daughter was little, I used a medicated nappy rash cream for her when it is bad. I think you may be able to find one in the pharmacy to apply for her after 'airing'.

A little about myself: I'm a 42yo stay home mum with a 15 year old daughter and 2 boys age 13 and 11.

I have used neosporin (sp??) and that stuff that keeps nipples from cracking when breastfeeding. You also should try to keep the baby as dry as possible (which means changing lots of diapers sometimes) Good luck!

We recently had to deal with a bad diaper rash on our 15 month old (not to the extent that you are decscribing). One of the things that really helped was to let her go without a diaper and to use cloth diapers and change them frequently. I put our daughter to sleep with out a diaper and placed a cloth diaper under her and padded the bed well. One night of getting air to her bottom helped a lot. Good luck!

I just came across your problem. I hope it is nothing other than an allergy but I wanted to give you my thoughts. My daughter never could wear Luv's. They always made her bottom red. I had a family member who had a daughter that was having some sort of allergy when she started drinking apple juice and it came out on her bottom in red bumps that looked very scary. Once they stopped giving her juice it went away. My daughter has now been able to wear all other brands of diapers but Luv's, but a good one to try is White Cloud. They do not have a strong scent that sometimes seems to make a bad diaper rash worse. Hope all works out!!

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