The Key to Diaper Rash Relief Without Toxic Creams

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Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and therefore cannot prescribe, treat, or diagnose. I'm a mom and holistic health coach sharing my knowledge and experiences for educational purposes. This does not take the place of any professional medical advice.

Contrary to what many may tell you, it's not necessary to use toxic creams to get rid of diaper rash. In this post, we'll talk about causes, types, and my ultimate tip to reverse diaper rash.

Common Causes of Diaper Rash:

• Prolonged exposure to wetness

• Tight-fitting diapers

• Infections, whether bacterial or yeast, can worsen the rash

• Allergic reactions to diaper materials, wipes, soaps, or creams

Diaper rash can vary in appearance depending on cause and severity.

• Mild rashes: red, slightly irritated skin

• Moderate rashes: more redness with raised bumps

• Severe rashes: intense redness, swelling, and potentially open sores or blisters

  
  

The time it takes for diaper rash to heal depends on several factors.

Reasons for Prolonged Healing

Severe rashes take longer to heal than mild ones, and continued irritation, such as an unchanged diaper, can delay recovery. Babies with sensitive skin may also experience prolonged healing times. Additionally, infections like yeast or bacterial infections require specific treatments and can further extend the healing process.

Tips for Managing Diaper Rash at Home

• Frequent diaper changes keep the area dry (We are talking ANNOYINGLY frequent changes. This is my absolute TOP TIP for clearing up diaper rash!)

• Gentle cleaning with water and a soft cloth avoids irritation

• Allow your baby some diaper-free time to let the skin breathe

• Apply a thick layer of zinc oxide* or healing ointment for protection

• Use hypoallergenic, unscented products to avoid irritants (Related: Cloth Diapers)

*Talc, a known carcinogen, is an ingredient in the well-known Desitin Maximum Strength diaper rash cream. No way am I putting that on my baby's delicate skin. Especially on his diaper area. Babo Botanicals is my diaper rash cream of choice since it has clean ingredients and a higher concentration of zinc oxide than normal.

Remember though, keeping baby's diaper area DRY trumps any cream you may choose.

Under normal circumstances and with proper treatment, the diaper rash should clear up within 2-3 days.

While most diaper rashes can be managed at home, there are times when professional help is necessary.

Seek medical attention for:

• a persistent rash that doesn't improve after home treatment

• severe symptoms like intense redness, swelling, or open sores

• signs of infection such as yellow crusting, oozing, or fever

• bright red yeast infections unresponsive to typical treatments

Before I knew about the "annoyingly frequent changes" tip, we struggled with a persistent rash. My baby's doctor said it was yeast and ended up prescribing nystatin. As a holistic pediatrician, he assured me there were no side effects to worry about, and mentioned he'd used it on his own children -- although I wonder if we could have prevented the need for this had I changed his diaper more frequently.

My baby hated getting his diaper changed, and loved to flail around when I tried. Because of this, I resorted to the fastest diaper change possible. All I did was swap out the diaper (as long as there wasn't poop), which was much better than the alternative of letting him sit in a wet diaper for a longer period of time.

Once I started doing this, diaper rash cleared up in a flash.

xo, Mary