What to Do About Rash?

Updated on April 22, 2009
S.W. asks from Houston, TX
32 answers

Hi moms i have a six month old baby girl and she has had a rash(Pamper area)for about three months i have taken her to the doctor and just prescribes more onitment. I have tried different pampers and wipes also used wet clothes so far nothing has worked.Any help

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S.M.

answers from Austin on

Give her some naked time and let the area dry out. I know that is tough this time of year, but you can set her next to a space heater and play with her legs while she lays on a towel. I would do at least 15 minutes at a time several times a day.

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F.E.

answers from San Antonio on

The old remedy of corn starch works wonders. I had a foster baby who would get rashes often. My mother (in her 80's) would tell me to use corn starch. I just thought "right", but finally tried it after another older friend of mine (in her late 60's) also mentioned it. And it worked! This was several years ago and I still use it. If you want to try store bought, my suggestion would be Dr. Smith's.
Good Luck!!
F.

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K.K.

answers from Houston on

I had a similar problem with my grand-daughter, the creams didn't work. It was a yeast rash and someone at the health food store recommended trying gentian violet (topically). This will stain, so I applied with a q-tip being careful not to get it on her clothes. I also gave her pro-biotics (for kids), they are chewable so you might want to see if there is a powder form that can be added to formula or cereal. Remember that if it is yeast, the problem is originating internally and must be addressed in the diet. When I did both together, pro-biotics and gentian violet, it worked!

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C.A.

answers from San Antonio on

It could be a number of things such as diet, but more than likely it is to chemicals or pesticides. I would make sure none of the products have any synthetics or chemicals such as lanolin, petroleum, parabens, dyes, chlorine, lauryl sulfates or propylene glycol. I like to use Avalon & Aubrey(Whole Foods or www.luckyvitamin.com). Jason's and California are ok, you have to read the ingredients. You may also want to make sure you switch diapers to the chlorine free ones like 7th generation or organic cloth. Laundry detergent can be anothe culprit, same there as baby products, use phosphate, scent,dye free ones (I use Melaleuca, but 7th gen has a lavender scent one is ok). They key is to get to the root of it all. As for the wipes, same thing there, my cousin was using wipes that had propylene glycol and alcohol. I asked if she ever read the ingredients, she said she figured they were safe since they were baby products. The USA bans, 5 chemicals used in cosmetics and Europe bans 2000 (for safer products you can look for and E.U. safe label), You still have to look at the label because parabens are still allowed and they will tell you that there is only .01 in it used to preserve the product, but there are pleny of items out there that don't have parabens.
I hope this helps. C

www.biopro.com/claudia13 (learn how to protect your family from cell phone radiation)
P. S. another thing to try is soaking wask cloths in organic Chamomille Tea (very soothing) and applying.

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V.O.

answers from Austin on

Have you tried petroleum jelly? Moms have told me that it isn't natural and just "hides" the symptom...but my son's rash goes away over night...no redness whatsoever.

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L.R.

answers from Sherman on

i would love to send you a free sample of the arbonne diaper rash cream... it is all natural bonical and amazing for rashes, bites ect... alot of people use it for exema too...dont know if i spelled that right but anyway... email me your address and i will put it in the mail ____@____.com

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W.C.

answers from San Antonio on

If the ped has already prescribed ointment for a yeast infection and it has not helped, then kick up the heat a couple of degrees and let her go bare bottomed as often as possible for a day or two while you're at home. Keep an eye on her and some absorbent material or a bed guard under her when she is eating and swinging, but the air will do her good. Maybe switching to a different type of diaper or all natural cloth diapers could help in the end.
Is she at a daycare? If so, I would pop in and make sure that she is being kept in a clean diaper while she is there. I had many babies come to my daycare with rashes that wouldn't heal, but the former sitter just didn't change them enough. Clean and dry is key.
Another possibility is diet. Maybe the formula or something you are eating before breast-feeding could be too h*** o* her sensitive bum. Maybe try a food diary for a week or so, switch one thing in your/her diet at a time to rule it out.

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S.D.

answers from Houston on

Try Corona small animal ointment from your local feed store. It sounds funny, but works wonders. I used it on my son when he was 3-6 months old due to a very yeastie looking rash on his bum. I quit using Pampers (which was part of the problem; something in the Pampers brand was irritating his skin) and quit using wipes (which was the same story as the Pampers). Instead, we use the blue soft & durable shop towels and water. This worked for us. Good luck.

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B.G.

answers from Austin on

Hi S., I would imagine this has been addressed by your doctor already but I'm going to throw it out anyway. Has your doctor seen the rash and considered yeast? With my daughter, diaper rash that isn't gone in a few days is yeast. Our pedi said to put a very, very thin layer of Lotrimin on the rash at every diaper change. It's always gone (or better) in just a few days. Also, look at the kinds of foods she is eating. If she eats a lot of acidic foods (fruit, juices, tomatoes) stop feeding her this for a few days. Acidic foods make for acidic dirty diapers. Both of my kid's skin would be irritated VERY quickly when they were eating too much of this. Bananas are a good thing to give her while you eliminate these other foods. Good luck to you. If it continues, I'd take her to a dermatologist.

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B.C.

answers from Houston on

Have you recently stopped breastfeeding or changed formula? When our son turned one and we switched him to cow's milk he had the same issue. He had been on Enfamily with no problems and ate dairy. Once we switched him to Soy milk it went away. He never had issues with anything else - just regular whole milk?

Also, I saw someone recommend probiotics. If you use formula Similac now has probiotics. Just the regular Similac. Be careful because they also sell the regular plain Similac without probiotics. I have a 4 month old and that's what he's on. It really does help with his stools. They are very similar to when he was strictly breastfed.

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M.H.

answers from Beaumont on

We used cornstarch. The creams seemed to keep the area moist and didn't clear the rash up. Now we just use cornstarch which you can buy at the grocery store or walmart. We call it "booty powder" and it seems to help a lot. I think it also has a cooling effect. Hope this helps.

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A.C.

answers from Houston on

Has your daughter started any solid foods? Food allergies (especially dairy) can be a cause of recurrent diaper rash. If she is eating solids, I would start the introduction all over again...one thing for several days at a time. Also, eliminate juice if she gets it.

If you breastfeed, consider eliminating dairy (or other high allergy foods) from your diet for at least 4 weeks. It takes that much time to clear everything out of your systems.

The hairdryer was our best defense against diaper rash. Use it (carefully) to make sure the area is completely dry before applying any ointment. I didn't have to use hardly any cream or ointment until she was almost a year old because I always made sure she was completely dry between changes.

We've used a combination of cloth and disposable diapers. The brand of diaper (or detergent) definitely made a difference...none of the store brands we tried worked. My daughter would develop a rash within the first diaper change with store brands. Pampers and Luvs worked best for us.

I'm surprised that the pediatrician isn't a little more concerned. If it is a yeast infection, and you are getting nystatin, one that goes on that long could be a symptom of an underlying issue. You might consider a second opinion.

I don't believe it is healthy for our babies girl parts to always be slathered with some sort of ointment so I try to figure out the cause.

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E.M.

answers from San Antonio on

I highly recommend Dr Smith ointment. The ointment is a little pricey but worth it. You can find it over the counter at Wal mart or HEB.

Elisa

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R.P.

answers from Houston on

My recommendation is to take your daughter to a dermatologist. My daughter had an awful rash when she was just a few months old, red patches with a raised border, my pedi couldn't didn't even diagnose it properly as a yeast infection, after I took her there 3 times. We took her to a dermatologist who prescribed Nystantin and an oral med that cleared it right up. Please get another opinion from a professional, rashes can end up being very serious.

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L.F.

answers from Houston on

S.,
Try changing brand of diapers. Could be an allery. Also, a YEAST infection, which is common in this area of babies, will demonstrate an ongoing rash of this kind. Giving her acidophilus will heal and rid the yeast. go to www.yourhealthyalternatives.com for more info. If you wish more info via email, please dont hesitate to contact us at site, also.

God Bless!

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C.W.

answers from Waco on

Hi S.,
I have to agree with the corn starch solution. Keeping the bottom as dry as possible always seemed to work with my little ones- I would not recommend the chlorine bleach even tho it is already in our water-
Good luck

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J.M.

answers from Odessa on

Get a 2nd opinion! The symtoms are indicative of a yeast infection. I question the competence of your current Pediatrician if he/she hasn't tried a regimen for yeast infection. If you're not comfortable seeing another Pediatrician, call a dermatologist.

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V.F.

answers from Houston on

S., I had the same problem with my daughter when she was between 12 and 18 months old. I tried everything imaginable and made several visits to the peditrician. Finally, I made an appt with a pediatric dermatologist at Texas Children's Hospital and found out that she had a zinc deficiency. The rash occurred when I switched her from formula to milk. The formula has more zinc in it than the cow's milk. They said this is a pretty common problem and gave me a prescription for liquid zinc from the compounding pharmacy and it cleared it up right away. We used it for about 6 months and she is just fine now. I wish my pediatrician had been more knowledgeable about it.

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A.S.

answers from Corpus Christi on

Aloe Vera plant works great and is very mild.

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K.W.

answers from Houston on

My daughter had lots of rashes when she wore disposable diapers. It could be that she is having a reaction to the chlorine in the diaper. Whole Foods Market sells a chlorine-free diaper that might work for her (I think the manufacturer is Seventh Generation). The ses worked well for my daughter.

My daughter also had a dairy allergy that promoted diaper rashes, so if you think this is an issue, you might take her off dairy for a few months and see if the rashes subside.

Also, be aware of what is in your ointments - if they have petroleum in them, she might react to them too! I used baby products that are petroleum and paraben free. Whole Food Market and other places have lot so this kind of stuff available. Arbonne is also free of all harmful chemicals.

Good luck!

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K.N.

answers from Austin on

I echo Amanda C... Sounds like a food allergy since its been continual. Maybe the milk if her formula is cows milk based or if you are breastfeeding, cows milk protein can flow into your milk.

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C.G.

answers from Austin on

Let the baby be diaper free in a sunny area on a blanket daily until to help the area dry out...worked for my mom and for me!

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L.W.

answers from Houston on

The rash is probably from lack of air getting to your her skin and too much moisture, change her diaper regularly, maybe moreso right now to keep her skin dry also, I blow air around the area where the diaper keeps air flow (genital area)on my son before I put his new diaper on to get his skin dry, or you can dab his skin with a dry cloth, so that he does not get a rash from the moisture, I know this sounds weird, but it has worked for me.

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H.P.

answers from Houston on

If it's internal, then topical treatments won't help. I agree to check for yeast.

Also, the topical treatment that works for me is tea tree oil and fresh air. Petroleum jelly is good after everything is cleared up. Until then, it keeps the area from breathing, so the rash can't clear up. After it's all gone, keep petroleum jelly on her bottom and in her nooks and crannies to protect her skin from the combination of waste (urine and feces) and the diaper chemicals and friction.

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C.G.

answers from Austin on

Have you tried changing the detergent used for her clothes? I used dreft for a long time with my son since he had some exema skin issues. Also the body wash and lotion I use for my son works great. (cetaphil soap and lotion all for sensative skin). Lastly after a bath try pat drying her with a towel. My son hasn't had a rash in a very long time since I made these changes.
good luck

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S.O.

answers from San Antonio on

I was told not to use wipes when the child is just wet. I did that with all 3 and had very few rash times - which usually occurred after diarrhea. Urine is sterile. Modern diapers are wonderful at keeping bottoms dry. Why add liquid? You can pat them dry with a dry wipe/rag, but don't add unnecessary water to an already dry bottom. The only time you would need to do so, is if they have gone too long after a diaper change and need to wipe off any fuzz from the diaper that a dry wipe won't catch. Otherwise, wet wipes should only be used for dirty bottoms. Just change the wet diaper out for a new dry one. Have you ever noticed that the wipes the hospital gives you to use are dry?

Air her out. Let her go without a diaper in an area easy to clean up. Sit or lay her on a bunch of towels that can just go in the wash with a little vinegar. Do this for every nap time, etc.

Try probiotics, like in yogurt.

Change ointments - I had one son who could not use the standard ointments. So, I used the traditional A&D, with lanolin. No problems.

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C.T.

answers from Houston on

My daughter had a bad diaper rash at 6 months.

For the time being do not use wipes, just use wet paper towels or cloth. Let her sit in the tub about twice a day in warm water. My daughter loves the bath so it was not an issue. She just thought it was play time. You do not need to bathe her just soak her bottom but also, stick to your regular bath time.

Also, I would change her every hour regardless if she is wet. This way she stays dry. Another thing I did and I had gotten this out of one of my books, I put Crisco (white shortening) on her bottom. This repelled the wetness.

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K.L.

answers from Houston on

My son is very sensitive and if he has a runny stool he will get a rash quickly. We have tried creams and they don't always work. We like Boudreaux’s Butt Paste for my other two but my youngest again has a very sensitive bottom and it sometimes works for him. We put a gate up in our bathroom and let him run around naked all day and that helps him the best(air drying). Easier to clean up tile than carpet. If it doesn't look better than we know it is yeast infection and apply a prescription from the doctor. I hope this helps. Good luck.

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A.M.

answers from Houston on

I am a mom of 3 year old twin boys and the only thing that worked for them was Aquaphor. It a cream/ointment, that you can get at any pharmacy ( walgreens/cvs)
it's in a white jar with a navy blue lid. seriously this is the only thing that works for everything. Diaper rash, heat rash, it this does not work then it may be a yeast infection.
if this is the case then try regular old Lotramin. spread it on thin but frequently.

Hope this works…GOOD LUCK!!!

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S.J.

answers from San Angelo on

Other than other baby rash ointments and using Destin every time we changed a diaper for 2 years....for bad rashes lotrimen anti-fungal cream always seemed to work like a charm for both my kiddos.
Good luck!
S.
www.jbfsale.com/sanangelo

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P.B.

answers from Houston on

My step daughter suffered of a diaper rash for 2 years until she came to live with me for a month and then she started to heal. Her diaper rash was so bad she even bled from the blisters she had. This is what I did: I put baby powder every time I changed her diaper in addition to baby ointment. The powder absorbs the humedity and prevents the rash. I also let her play around the house with no diaper a couple of times a day to let her skin breath. I also made sure to change her diaper right away. Hope this information is of good help S..

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A.M.

answers from El Paso on

Hello! We were given the following recipe for wipes that work wonders for my son. He hasn't had a rash since we started using them. Mix a bout 1/4 cup olive oil with about 5 squirts of cetaphil. Add 5-6 cups of hot water and shake in a bag to mix. Add paper towels and squeeze excess liquid out. We use Viva paper towels cut into 4 per towel. It goes the quickest if you cut your paper towels and stack them and then dunk handfuls at a time. We store them in a wipe warmer. They are great and don't leave his little bottom oily like commercial wipes. His rash cleared up in a few days and hasn't reared it's ugly head since. Also, the nurse who gave us the recipe told us to use Lanolin or Lansinoh on his rash if it didn't clear up with just the wipes. Good luck!

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