What to Use for Really Really Bad Diaper Rash?

[happymomma]

DD is 2 1/2 years old and had some diarrhea today. Unfortunately, she's developed a really really bad diaper rash. It's gotten so bad that when she pees she starts to cry from the pain. I've been putting desitin on her but it doesn't seem to be alleviating it. She's still having some diarrhea so it might get worse. Does anyone have any suggestions?

She hates to go bottomless. She insists that I put the diaper on her right away. So going bottomless is not an option.

Thanks so much in advance.

[lisams]

Here's what I've done for really stubborn/painful diaper rash:

Use a light layer cortizone cream 2-3 times/day (but no longer than for a day or two) covered with a barrier (a thick cream or ointment). The thickest diaper cream I've used is Triple Paste, that stuff is amazing!

The diaper cream may be stinging, in that case I'd stick to Lansinoh, Aquaphor or vaseline to protect the area. Apply is super thick.

If it looks kind of pimply it's probably a yeast diaper rash, and want to stay away from any ointment that has cornstarch in it. For a yeast diaper rash Boudreaux's Butt Paste works well, it has an acid mantle in it that helps fight the yeast.

Some other tips:
Avoid baths where she sits in any soap or shampoo. Adding some baking soda to the bath may help.

Do not use any wipes, and do not wipe. Use a squirt bottle (like the one they give you after delivery) to spray the area clean with just water. You can do it with the diaper underneath or with her standing up in the tub. Pat and air dry.

Make sure the area is completely dry before applying any cream or ointment.

Change the diapers more often than normal.

Sunshine and fresh air are good for diaper rashes - if you can have some outside naked time.

Hope this helps a little and that she's feeling better soon.

[Drag0nflygirl]

Excellent advice. I just wanted to stress the "super thick" thing. Someone around here once posted that it should look like frosting on a cake.

[SammyeGail]

We've used Aquaphor healing ointment and its been great. We put lots on. I think there is a more advanced formula that what I have.

Great advice about spraying the area clean, great advice overall lisams!

Can she eat yogart? Thats been suggested to help stop diarrhea, or probiotics, it was recommended by my phrmasist.

Good luck and I hope she feels better, DS had an upset stomach yesterday but luckly no diaper rash.

Samantha

[kedss]

Just wanted to 'ditto' Butt Paste, it really worked for us for our kiddo when she was a couple weeks old. We think it was a yeast rash, and it cleared up in a couple of days.

[bubbaray]

Aquaphor, about 1/4" thick, works for DD#2.

[cvanbrunt]

We've had great success with Triple Paste. Thick is key.

[kdeunc]

DS1 would get terrible diaper rash. The ped recommended a mixture that contained Maalox. We eventually used just plain Maalox and it worked wonders. It was good because we didn't have to rub his raw bottom just pour the Maalox on. Hope you find something that works!

[vludmilla]

My DD had a terrible diaper rash that resulted in about 4 trips to the pediatrician and even a dermatologist. We spent days with her bare-butt and used prescriptions for yeast and bacteria. We tried Triple Paste, Butt Paste... The only thing that worked was using water to clean the area, letting it air dry fully and then using a massive amount of aquaphor. I love aquaphor more than any other diaper ointment or cream.

[August Mom]

DD had horrible diaper rash for a period. We tried a little of everything. Triple Paste was decent, but we had the best luck with Canus Little Goat's Milk 40% Zinc Oxide Diaper Rash Cream (recommended by a ped friend/mother). http://www.amazon.com/Canus-Goats-Milk-Ointment-10-Ounce/dp/B000FKJZP6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1220316708&sr=8-1

I tried the Maalox trick and it didn't seem to do anything for DD.

Also, if she has a find rash that goes up to her tummy, she may have a yeast infection. If so, apply Lotrimin AF (same stuff you could use for athlete's foot) to the area at each diaper change.

We also used a hair dryer to make sure DD was really dry before putting the diaper back on.

[jessicallyn]

If it's not yeast, try Aquaphor blended with plain Maalox. Keep stirring, the Aquaphor will absorb the Maalox so it goes on creamy.

The Aquaphor provides a barrier, and soothes and moisturizes the skin. The Maalax counteracts the acid in the diarrhea.

Poor baby!

[happymomma]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I went to CVS tonight and got the Boudreaux's Butt Paste. They didn't have the triple paste. I didn't know about the Maalox. I will try that tomorrow if it doesn't lighten up. This really sucks because tomorrow was her first day of preschool. And now she's going to miss it. She was crying so badly every time that she had a bowel movement. I feel so bad for her.

I didn't realize that you can use also vaseline or aquaphor. I knew that asking the moms of this great site would always direct me to the right place. Thanks so much! Wish me luck.

[uptooearly]

My daughter had a terrible diaper rash a couple months ago. She had an open sore on her bottom and would cry if her diaper was wet/dirty. Our usual go-to cream, triple paste did not help. My doctor prescribed silvadene cream. Silvadene has been used for many years to treat burns. It worked very well for us.
Hope your little one feels better soon.

[DrSally]

I also second the baking soda baths. That really seems to help DS. He even gets the baking soda and says "soothing bath?"

[carolinamama]

Hope the rash is clearing up for you by now but if not, here's another suggestion. DS always got AWFUL diaper rashes every time he was on antibiotics. Ped recommended Lotrimin AF and hydrocortisone, but I found that by the time I got those on his bottom, the Desitin or Triple Paste wouldn't stick. So I started mixing the Lotimin and hydrocortisone cream with Desitin or Triple Paste in a small bowl before applying it. It works wonders - takes care of inflamation as well as yeast. I'd mix enough for a day at a time and usually rash would be gone within a few days.

As for Desitin vs. Triple Paste - I honestly have no preference. Both work well imo, so I tend to buy Desitin (must be old-fashioned stinky kind though) since it's so much less expensive.

[Twoboos]

I have no experience with this stuff, but just read about it on another site. Might be worth a try? Good luck, hope the bum is better soon!

www.VusionBaby.com

[nrp]

I second the Aquaphor/Maalox combo. I mix up a big batch in a bowl - one part Aquaphor to one part Maalox. I use a whisk and beat it for a few minutes until it makes a really nice cream. You'll think it won't come together at first, but keep beating.

[amldaley]

AIR. In addition to the tips here...let that bottom get some air!!! Get a great waterproof pad, the kind that is soft and fuzzy on top. Lay towels down and the pad on top. Place kiddo on pad sans bottoms and paste free for a nap. Do this periodically. Air heals! Ya gotta get that butt dried out! The pastes work better after this process.

[DrSally]

I know someone who cut the bottom out of her son's diaper to let his bottom breathe at night. He (a toddler) slept on his tummy and aired his bottom out all night.

[dms619]

I have no experience with this stuff, but just read about it on another site. Might be worth a try? Good luck, hope the bum is better soon!

www.VusionBaby.com


I took DD to the ped last year and they gave me Vusion, which starting showing good results in 2 days.

Her infection was yeast, so the triple paste I was using was "feeding" the yeast and making it worse.

Good luck.

[MmeSunny]

You might want to check your health insurance on that Vusion. . mine wouldn't cover it and one tube costs. . . .$276. Yes, for one tube. That stuff is almost more expensive than crack. I felt like a total heel but we couldn't afford that for anything. We just had to use the Lotrimin, Aquaphor and Maalox combo. It cleared up but I think that the pharm company putting out that Vusion at $276/tube should be sued. No yeast cream can possibly cost that much to manufacture.

[vludmilla]

We've had awful diaper rash that involved several visits to derms and the ped. The only thing that works consistently for me is Aquaphor. I tried Triple Paste, pet jelly, Butt Paste, prescription creams...Aquaphor applied very thickly has always cleared up DD's rash.

[longtallsally05]

Lots of good tips from previous posters!

My pediatrician recommended that we mix up a diaper rash cream out of equal amounts of Desitin, A & D ointment, Eucerin cream, and corn starch then liberally "frost" our child's bottom with it, using a tongue depressor to apply. We did (2 ounces of each in a mixing bowl, then transferred to an 8 ounce Avent VIA container), and it worked! I couldn't find tongue depressors at my BX, so I used craft sticks instead (fat popsicle sticks). Use a new applicator with each diaper change and don't double-dip the applicator to reduce risk of cross-contamination in case your child has a yeast infection, so you can save the custom-mix diaper cream for a "big gun" approach to rashes down the road.

Another idea is to try applying purified lanolin (Lansinoh) to your child's bottom. Lanolin is an excellent moisture barrier and that promotes skin healing, which is why breastfeeding mothers use it for sore nipples. FYI: lanolin is super-sticky; you need to warm up with your fingers before you can dab it on/spread it around.

Hope that helps!

[RiaHannam]

My 11wk old started getting a bad rash (she's on nutramigen and wow does it make her go a lot!) It was looking yeasty so I would apply a layer of anti-fungal cream (lotrimin), then a layer of thick desitin, THEN baby powder over that so all the cream does not stick to the diaper.
It really works. Just be careful with the powder application so no one inhales it.
In 2 days her rash was gone.