What is diaper rash
- Any rash on the skin covered by a diaper.
Causes of diaper rash
- Irritant diaper rash: Mild rashes can be caused by the drying effect of soaps.
- Stool diaper rash: Stool left on the skin can be very irritating because it contains bacteria. Urine alone has no germs in it and usually does not irritate the skin. Stool-related rash is common on the scrotum or anywhere that stool can hide. Small ulcers around the anus are usually from prolonged stool contact.
- Ammonia diaper rash: Stool and urine left in a diaper too long can combine to make ammonia. It can cause a mild chemical burn. The fumes when you change the diaper will smell like ammonia. This is more common with cloth diapers.
- Diarrhea diaper rash: Rashes just found around the anus are common during bouts of diarrhea. Diarrhea stools can contain enzymes that digest food and irritate the skin.
- Yeast diaper rash: Rashes from irritants can get a secondary infection with yeast. Yeast infections are bright red. They can be raw and weepy. The borders are sharp. Small red bumps or even pimples may occur just beyond the border. Treat with an anti-yeast cream.
- Bacterial diaper rash: Bacteria can also cause a secondary infection of irritated skin. This is less common than yeast rashes. Bacteria cause sores, yellow scaps, pimples, or draining pus. They look like impetigo, a local skin bacterial infection. Can also become a painful red lump (boil).
Home care advice
- Change diapers frequently to prevent skin contact with stool. It may be necessary to get up once during the night to change the diaper.
- Rinse the baby's skin with lots of warm water during each diaper change. Wash with a mild soap (such as Dove) only after stools.
- Expose the bottom to air as much as possible. Attach the diaper loosely at the waist to help with air circulation. When napping, take the diaper off and lay your child on a towel.
- If the rash is bright red or does not respond to 3 days of warm water cleansing and air exposure. Apply Lotrimin cream (no prescription needed) 2 times a day.
- If the bottom is very raw, soak in warm water for 10 minutes 2 times per day. Add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of baking soda to the tub of water. Then apply Lotrimin cream.
- If child is older than 3 months. For pain relief, give acetaminophen every 4 hours, or ibuprofen every 6 hours as needed.
When to call the office
- Rash is not much better in 3 days.
- Your child becomes worse.