Diaper rash is a common condition that impacts children that are wearing diapers. This skin condition can cause a rash, inflamed skin, and chafing. Babies are most commonly affected, but anyone who wears a diaper can get this kind of skin irritation.
The symptoms of this condition are:
The causes of diaper rash are:
Diagnosis of this condition is easily made by looking at the rash. Since this rash appears in those who wear diapers, patients that come in wearing diapers can be readily diagnosed with this skin condition. Doctors can also take skin samples to be sent to the lab to ensure that there is nothing else going on that might be causing patient symptoms. In some cases, fungal or bacterial infections might also be present.
The best treatment for diaper rash is to keep the skin under the diaper clean and as dry as possible. A steroid cream containing hydrocortisone might be applied to the area twice a day for about 3 to 5 days. Anti-fungal creams can be used in cases where there is a secondary fungal infection. If there is a bacterial infection present, the patient might be placed on antibiotics as well.
Prevention of this condition requires that you change diapers often and that you do not allow wet diapers to sit on the skin. Rinsing off the skin with warm water as part of diaper changes can reduce the likelihood of diaper rash as well. Air drying the skin after a diaper change can also help a lot or you can pat the skin dry with a towel.
Creams and ointments that contain zinc oxide can help prevent diaper rash as well. These should be applied every time that a diaper change is done. There are various diaper rash creams that you can select from, so finding the right cream for your needs can be quite easy. Some people prefer to use natural solutions like witch hazel to support healthy skin in the diaper area as well.