Desitin and nappy rash creams
What is the best nappy rash cream for my baby?
Diaper rash creams such as Desitin are widely available on the market. Which works best for your baby? To decide, it is best to begin by understanding what causes diaper or nappy rashes. One of the main cause of nappy rashes especially for new parents is prolonged wearing of a wet or soiled diaper. When your baby's skin is exposed to prolonged dampness, ammonia from your baby's wetting is released and it frequently causes skin irritation that develops into the nappy rash that you see.
This is often made worse when your baby's bottom is cooped up in a diaper or nappy pants that does not allow air to circulate freely or sufficiently, thus preventing promoting the dampness of the nappy area. A secondary reason could also be due to residual or chemical agents from some wet wipes being used to clean the baby's nappy area that may cause skin allergies to flare up.
What are some common symptoms of nappy rashes?
When the dreaded nappy rash outbreak occurs, your baby's bottom area will usually show redness and looks irritated. The rash may be localised in certain areas like the genitals or may appear all over the baby's bottom. You will also notice that your baby is also more irritable. Although diaper rashes are generally not life threatening and will go away after a few days of treatment with a diaper rash cream, for more serious complications, it is best referred to the doctor.
What is the best method to treat nappy rashes?
That said, it is best to prevent nappy rashes before they even start! Here's some tips:
When do I need to see a doctor for my baby's nappy rashes?
Generally, if after four days to about a week of sustained treatment and the baby's condition does not improve but gets worse, a visit to the doctor is highly recommended. These include; rashes spreading to other parts of the baby's body like the torso, baby develops a fever that you suspect is rash related, the rash turns significantly worse with pus-like infection, baby develops signs of diarrhoea etc. If your doctor suspects it is a bacterial infection, a course of antibiotics may be prescribed.
Healthy diapering!
Diaper rash creams such as Desitin are widely available on the market. Which works best for your baby? To decide, it is best to begin by understanding what causes diaper or nappy rashes. One of the main cause of nappy rashes especially for new parents is prolonged wearing of a wet or soiled diaper. When your baby's skin is exposed to prolonged dampness, ammonia from your baby's wetting is released and it frequently causes skin irritation that develops into the nappy rash that you see.
This is often made worse when your baby's bottom is cooped up in a diaper or nappy pants that does not allow air to circulate freely or sufficiently, thus preventing promoting the dampness of the nappy area. A secondary reason could also be due to residual or chemical agents from some wet wipes being used to clean the baby's nappy area that may cause skin allergies to flare up.
What are some common symptoms of nappy rashes?
When the dreaded nappy rash outbreak occurs, your baby's bottom area will usually show redness and looks irritated. The rash may be localised in certain areas like the genitals or may appear all over the baby's bottom. You will also notice that your baby is also more irritable. Although diaper rashes are generally not life threatening and will go away after a few days of treatment with a diaper rash cream, for more serious complications, it is best referred to the doctor.
What is the best method to treat nappy rashes?
That said, it is best to prevent nappy rashes before they even start! Here's some tips:
- Have a regular and frequent diaper change. For newborn babies, they tend to wet more than older babies. So expect on average 10 to 14 diaper changes a day. For older babies, the average diaper change is between 6 to 8 changes a day.
- Be gentle when cleaning your baby's bottom to avoid causing chaffing or causing unwanted irritation of your baby's skin.
- Clean using water or use wet wipes that are alcohol and fragrance free.
- Do not immediately cover your baby's bottom after cleaning. Try to air it as much as possible to prevent dampness.
- Use good quality disposable diapers or even better, switch to cloth diapers as they provide better air circulation and you do not have to worry about the chemicals contained in disposable diapers during the manufacturing process.
- Use a nappy or diaper rash cream such as Desitin Rapid Relief after diaper changes to provide a layer of protection against nappy rashes.
When do I need to see a doctor for my baby's nappy rashes?
Generally, if after four days to about a week of sustained treatment and the baby's condition does not improve but gets worse, a visit to the doctor is highly recommended. These include; rashes spreading to other parts of the baby's body like the torso, baby develops a fever that you suspect is rash related, the rash turns significantly worse with pus-like infection, baby develops signs of diarrhoea etc. If your doctor suspects it is a bacterial infection, a course of antibiotics may be prescribed.
Healthy diapering!
