Baby Has Diaper Rash? Here’s What Parents Should Do
Diaper rashes are a common skin concern in infants and toddlers. This blog covers the baby’s diaper area, buttocks, genitals, and thighs, with a focus on red splotches and scales. Learn how to treat mild cases with simple home treatment, understand bad diaper rash, and know when medical treatment or a baby’s healthcare provider may be needed.
What Is Diaper Rash?
Diaper rash is a skin condition affecting young infants, often making the baby’s diaper area red and tender. Learn about mild cases, home treatment, and severe diaper rash that may become painful or develop open sores, along with medical treatment for diaper rashes.
What Does Diaper Rash Look Like?
Mild cases may show slightly reddened skin on the baby’s buttocks, genitals, and thighs, with skin that is warm to the touch and a rash with a few spots across the diaper area. More severe cases can be painful, with bright red, swollen skin, open blisters, sores, or infected areas.
Types of Diaper Rash
Diaper rash in babies can cause reddened, inflamed skin in the diaper area. Understanding different types of diaper rashes can help identify, soothe, and prevent them. If medical care is needed, a child’s doctor can help identify the type of diaper rash.
1. Irritant Diaper Rash
Diaper rash, also called irritant dermatitis, can develop in the diaper area from urine, stool, diarrhea, teething, extra saliva, and changes in the gut. Irritant diaper rash may appear as pink or red patches on skin covered by the diaper, while groin folds may be protected from urine and stool.
Developing a diaper rash can make the diaper area uncomfortable and needs attention.
2. Yeast Infection
Yeast infection can cause diaper rash due to an overgrowth of a type of fungus from the digestive tract.
A yeast diaper rash may look shiny and bright red, with pink patches, sharp edges, pink bumps, pimples, sores, cracking skin, oozing, or bleeding.
Unlike irritant diaper rash, yeast diaper rash can affect the groin folds. Antibiotics, regular baby diaper changes, and topical antifungal cream may be part of care, while a pediatrician can help identify a yeast infection. Thrush and other Candida infections can also involve yeast infection.
3. Bacterial Infection
Bacterial infection can cause diaper rash in the diaper area, including impetigo, staph, and strep infection.
Bright red skin around the anus may occur with a strep infection, while yellow crusting, weeping, and pimples may occur with staphylococcus or staph infection. Skin irritation can also be present.
A child’s doctor can help identify a bacterial infection and determine whether an appropriate treatment is needed.
4. Allergy
Allergy in babies with sensitive skin can cause an allergic reaction to a specific ingredient in diapers, wipes, or creams. Common allergens include dyes, elastics, fragrances, and preservatives in diaper wipes.
If a rash develops after exposure to a product, switching brands or types of products for a 2-week period may help identify the product causing the reaction.
How Common Is Diaper Rash?
More than half of babies between 4 and 15 months of age may experience diaper rash at least once during a two-month period.
What Causes Diaper Rash?
- Too much moisture in your baby’s diaper area.
- Chafing or rubbing in the diaper area.
- Pee or poop touching your baby’s skin for long periods of time.
- Yeast infection.
- Bacterial infection.
- Allergic reaction to diaper material.
- Reaction to food.
When skin stays wet for too long, it starts to break down. Rubbing wet skin damages it more easily, while moisture from a soiled diaper can harm your baby’s skin and make it more prone to chafing. When this happens, a diaper rash may develop.
What Increases the Risk for Diaper Rash?
Diaper rash is more likely to occur when your baby:
- Isn’t kept clean and dry.
- Poops frequently, especially when poop stays in their diaper overnight.
- Has diarrhea.
- Starts eating solid foods.
- Is taking antibiotics, or you’re breastfeeding and taking antibiotics.
How Do You Treat Diaper Rash?
There are 5 simple steps you can follow to help prevent diaper rash and keep your baby’s delicate skin clean, dry, and comfortable. From changing diapers regularly to using gentle skincare products, these small daily habits can make a big difference in protecting your baby’s skin.
1. Keep It Clean and Dry
To prevent and treat a rash:
- Keep your baby’s diaper area clean and dry.
- Change the diaper regularly.
- Clean the area with a soft cloth or a squirt of water.
- If you use wipes, avoid rubbing the skin and choose wipes without alcohol.
- Avoid diaper materials or other products that irritate the skin.
- Use towels or disposable waterproof pads during diaper-free time.
2. Change Diapers Often
Change diapers often to prevent trapped moisture that can irritate the skin and cause a rash. Even slightly wet diapers can irritate the skin, especially when your baby already has an active diaper rash.
3. Switch to Disposable Diapers
Cloth diapers have benefits, but super-absorbent disposable diapers can help keep your child dry. Keeping the diaper area dry can help a diaper rash heal and support faster healing.
4. Check the Size of Your Child’s Diaper
A wrong-size diaper can increase the chances of diaper rash, especially with an active rash. A diaper that’s too tight can trap extra moisture and increase irritation, while a diaper that’s too large can rub against the skin and cause friction, making rashes worse.
Check your child’s current diaper size and consider changing to a more suitable size if needed.
5. Apply Soothing Creams
Diaper rash creams, pastes, barrier creams, zinc-based products, and similar products can soothe the skin and help prevent contact with feces and other irritants. A diaper rash lotion may also be recommended depending on the baby’s skin and the cause of the rash.
A cream for infant rash should be appropriate for the baby’s age and used as directed.
- Triple Paste
- A+D
- Docura Rash Cream
Apply a thin layer to the baby’s skin to create a barrier against stool and urine. Petroleum jelly products such as Vaseline are inexpensive options and may contain fewer dyes and perfumes. For cloth diapers, creams can be harder to wash off.
Home Remedies for Diaper Rash
1. Colloidal Oatmeal Baths for Soothing Skin
Colloidal oatmeal contains finely ground oats with soothing properties for sensitive and irritated skin. It may help reduce redness, calm inflammation, and relieve itching from eczema and mild rashes. A protective layer can also help retain moisture and prevent further dryness.
How to Use:
- Grind plain, unflavoured oats into a very fine powder using a blender.
- Add about a quarter cup of this powder to a tub of lukewarm water. Make sure the water is not hot.
- Let your baby soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
- After the bath, gently pat the skin dry with a soft towel.
- Avoid rubbing, as friction may further irritate the rash.
2. Virgin Coconut Oil for Deep Hydration
Coconut oil is a natural remedy sometimes used for baby rashes because of its moisturising properties. Its natural fatty acids may help moisturise dry and irritated skin, while its mild antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties may provide additional support for dry patches, mild diaper rash, and chafing.
How to Use:
- Ensure the skin is clean and completely dry before application.
- Take a small amount of cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil and warm it between your fingertips until it melts.
- Gently apply a thin layer over the affected area using soft, light strokes.
- Avoid rubbing, as this may irritate sensitive skin further.
- Allow the oil to absorb into the skin before dressing your baby.
When Should You See a Doctor for Diaper Rash?
Most mild diaper rashes can improve with proper diaper care and keeping the affected area clean and dry. However, medical advice may be needed if the rash becomes severe or painful, develops open sores or blisters, or shows signs of infection.
If you are unsure about the cause of your baby’s rash or the rash is not improving, speak with your baby’s healthcare provider for appropriate advice and treatment.
Conclusion
Diaper rash is common, but keeping your baby’s diaper area clean, dry, and comfortable can help prevent and manage mild cases. Change diapers often, avoid rubbing irritated skin, and use gentle soothing or barrier products when needed.
If the rash becomes painful, develops open sores, blisters, or signs of infection, speak with your baby’s healthcare provider for appropriate medical treatment. With the right care, many mild diaper rashes can improve with time and attention.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diaper Rash
1. How common is diaper rash in babies?
More than half of babies between 4 and 15 months may experience diaper rash at least once during a two-month period.
2. What is the most common cause of diaper rash?
Prolonged exposure to moisture, urine, stool, and friction can commonly cause diaper rash.
3. Can yeast cause diaper rash?
Yes. A yeast infection can cause a bright red diaper rash that may also affect the groin folds.
4. Can antibiotics increase the risk of diaper rash?
Yes. Taking antibiotics can increase the risk of developing a yeast-related diaper rash.
5. How can diaper rash be prevented?
Keeping the diaper area clean and dry and changing diapers regularly can help prevent diaper rash.
6. When should you see a doctor for diaper rash?
Seek medical advice if the rash becomes severe or painful, develops open sores or blisters, or shows signs of infection.
7. Can coconut oil help diaper rash?
Coconut oil may moisturise and soothe dry or mildly irritated skin, but it should not replace medical treatment when needed.
8. Can colloidal oatmeal soothe diaper rash?
Colloidal oatmeal may help soothe irritated skin, reduce itching, and support moisture retention.
