My baby has a diaper rash, what is it?
Diaper dermatitis, or diaper rash, is an irritation of the skin covering the groin, lower stomach, upper thighs, and buttocks. The term diaper rash includes a variety of disorders of the skin that occur in infants, young children, and incontinent or paralyzed individuals. This condition is seen more commonly in infants and early childhood prior to 2 years of age. Diaper dermatitis usually occurs between one and two months of age and may continue until the child no longer wears diapers. Diaper dermatitis may become irritated or difficult to treat if the area becomes infected or the patient becomes allergic to one of the medications applied to the area.

Why does my baby have it?
We all have a natural protective film of oil on our skin. If this oil is removed, the skin becomes red, irritated, cracked, and inflamed. When a persons skin is exposed to urine or feces for prolonged periods, the natural skin oil is removed causing diaper dermatitis. After the skin becomes red and inflamed, the skin becomes predisposed to infection. Both bacteria and yeast can infect the inflamed, cracked skin making the diaper rash worse. Antibiotic treatment for unrelated conditions can cause yeast overgrowth making diaper dermatitis worse.

We want to keep your baby happy, so the best treatment for diaper dermatitis is to prevent it from starting. This is easiest done by using absorbent disposable diapers. These do not allow urine to come into contact with the skin. Modern, absorbent, disposable diapers can hold large amounts of urine and keep it away from the skin. For all practical purposes, these diapers only need to be changed when they become soiled with feces or they get so heavy that they are down near the child's ankles. If you plan to use reusable diapers, they must be changed each time after they become wet or every one-to-two hours. When using disposable diapers, it is important to prevent tape from adhering to the infant's skin. The adhesive can lead to skin break down. Contrary to popular belief, powder is not needed to keep the baby dry or to prevent diaper rash - in fact it may cause diaper rash to become inflamed, particularly in the creases of the legs.

Keep the diaper area as dry as possible by using absorbent disposable diapers or by frequent changes of conventional diapers. Triple paste is an ointment that can be applied to the diapered area with every diaper change. Lotrimin cream can be used for diaper rash and can be purchased without a prescription. Do not use a medication named Lotrisone. This medication can do irreversible harm if applied to the groin area of a child. Often diaper rash is worsened by infection or an allergy to a medication. This is best sorted out by your doctor. If your doctor finds infection or an allergy, other medications will be prescribed. As the child becomes potty trained, the diaper dermatitis will disappear. If not, a biopsy should be taken.