How To Treat Your Baby’s Diaper Rash

When your baby has diaper rash, you want to do whatever you can to make things better. But how?!

First, take a deep breath: Diaper rash is the most common kind of skin problem that infants can have. And while your baby may seem miserable, this is a solvable problem, and there are a few quick steps you can take to get them on the mend.

Pediatrician Jacqueline Kaari, DO, explains how to treat diaper rash and even prevent it from coming back.

What causes diaper rash?

Diaper rash usually happens when your baby wears a wet diaper for too long.

If you’ve ever gotten soft, white, wrinkled fingertips from staying in a pool for a long time, you know that wet skin can start to break down. When your baby’s diaper gets wet, the same thing starts to happen. Their already-delicate skin rubs up against the diaper, which chafes and ultimately turns into a rash.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says more than half of all babies aged 4 months to 15 months old develop diaper rash at least once in a two-month period. And some kids’ skin is just more prone to it than others.

“Some children tend to have more sensitive skin, which includes the diaper area, and they may have more frequent rashes,” Dr. Kaari says. “But other children hardly ever have them at all.”

Sometimes, switching to a different type of diaper can cause diaper rash, too.

“Babies’ skin can become irritated with a change in diaper types, like if the new ones are made out of different materials or aren’t as absorbent,” she adds.

5 best remedies for diaper rash

Diaper rash can range from mild, with just a little bumpiness and redness, all the way to severe, with open sores that can become infected. Dr. Kaari advises what to try first and when to see a doctor.

1. Keep clean, but don’t wipe

When your baby has diaper rash, using wipes can further irritate this sensitive area.

“It’s best to keep the area clean using plain water and a soft washcloth so you don’t irritate the skin even more,” Dr. Kaari advises.

If you need to clean them better than you can manage with just water and a washcloth, wash their bottom in a tub of warm water.

2. Apply an ointment

In the case of mild diaper rash, simple products are best. Dr. Kaari recommends A&D® ointment or Vaseline® to help protect the area. These products are occlusive, which means they create a barrier on the skin.

“That way, when they have another wet or dirty diaper, the area is protected and won’t get irritated again,” she explains.

3. Try a product with zinc oxide

If a simple ointment doesn’t help, it’s time to scale up your efforts with another over-the-counter product — one that contains zinc oxide. It offers protection and helps promote healing.

“Most of the time, doing that will help, especially if you’re also changing your child’s diaper frequently and switching up some of the products associated with sensitive skin,” Dr. Kaari says. (More on all that in a moment.)

Brands like Desitin®, A&D® and Aquaphor® are just a few of the many that offer this type of product.

4. Air it out

When your baby is dealing with diaper rash, let them go without a diaper at home whenever possible. We know, this can be tricky — but hear us out.

Bacteria love a dark, wet place to grow. And indeed, diapers are dark, wet (and kind of gross) places. Fresh air can help air out your baby’s bum, which can help their diaper rash clear up.

“Allowing the air to reach that area can sometimes be really helpful,” Dr. Kaari notes.

5. Eliminate problem products

Sometimes, a certain brand of disposable diaper or baby wipe could be irritating your baby’s skin, especially if you’ve recently switched.

“Your child may outgrow the irritant, but the best thing to do for now is to try a different product,” Dr. Kaari advises. “The simplest strategy is trial and error. Eliminate one variable at a time.”

And if you’re using cloth diapers, consider that your laundry detergent could be the culprit. Dr. Kaari recommends using detergents labeled scent-free, fragrance-free and dye-free to wash your baby’s diapers and clothes. 

What about natural remedies for diaper rash?

Just as important as knowing what to do is knowing what to avoid. And Dr. Kaari urges skipping the so-called home remedies for diaper rash.

A common internet tip suggests a paste of baking soda and water, which Dr. Kaari says could help keep their skin dry but won’t do much else. Worse are options like witch hazel and apple cider vinegar, which are acidic and can irritate the skin.

“You want to be careful when your baby has broken skin, which can happen with a bad diaper rash,” she urges. “Be really cautious about what you put on there. You don’t want to cause any more irritation or anything that’s going to cause infection.”

There’s one supposed home remedy that can be soothing: aloe vera. But it only works if you use it in its purest form — ideally right from the plant.

“A lot of the preparations of aloe vera you buy for sunburn have other ingredients in them that could be irritating to diaper rash,” Dr. Kaari cautions.

How to prevent it going forward

Once your baby’s bum heals, you’ll feel eager to make sure their diaper rash doesn’t return. Dr. Kaari shares a few tips for keeping it at bay.

• Change their diaper frequently. “That’s the best strategy to prevent diaper rash,” she says. Be extra vigilant if your child has diarrhea or is taking an antibiotic (or if you’re taking an antibiotic while nursing). These medications can cause loose stools and extra irritation.
• Use water-based baby wipes. Standard baby wipes can rub and chafe in a way that contributes to diaper rash, so consider switching to something gentler. “WaterWipes®, for example, are made of 99% water and are a lot less irritating than some other types,” Dr. Kaari offers.
• Dress them for the weather. Hot, humid weather or wearing too many layers of clothing can cause heat rash in the groin area. Dress lightly on warm days, and in cold weather, remove layers as needed so they don’t overheat.
• Go diaperless sometimes. Again, let them air out their bottom every so often to help keep things dry down there. After all, they can’t get diaper rash without a diaper!

Final thoughts

If your baby’s diaper rash isn’t clearing up, they’re probably pretty miserable.

“Every time they fill their diaper, that rash is going to become irritated, which is very uncomfortable for them,” Dr. Kaari says.

If you’re trying all the right remedies, but things just aren’t clearing up, it’s time to bring in reinforcements. Call your pediatrician if the rash:

• Persists for three days or gets worse
• Looks more red-dotted than solid red
• Is causing your child’s skin to break down
• Is accompanied by a fever

Sometimes, diaper rash is something more than it seems. It’s possible, for example, that it’s being made worse by food allergies or that it could be a yeast diaper rash. Your pediatrician can help treat the problem and weigh in on how to prevent it going forward.

“If there’s any question in your mind, bring your child in to see their doctor,” advises Dr. Kaari. “I tell my parents that about anything.”