Nappy rash – causes and cures!

Nappy rash is a common skin condition which affects most children to some extent at some stage during their first year or two. It generally is caused by urine or poo being in contact with the baby’s skin and causing irritation but can be a result of other factors like antibiotic use, a change in diet such as from breast milk to formula, teething or chemical irritants.

It can vary from very mild irritation of the skin in the nappy area to severe inflammation of the skin in the nappy area and the surrounding areas. Straight-forward nappy rash will present itself as a rash on the general nappy area, it can develop into a fungal (candida) rash in some cases which can cause the inflammation to become worse and the rash generally is more present in the creases of the skin folds. The rash can also be due to a bacterial infection which usually involves spots or irritation all over the nappy area and the inflammation becomes quite severe.

There are several measures you can take to treat mild nappy rash, if it becomes severe I would recommend you contact your baby’s GP to discuss the use of anti-fungal creams such as Canesten 1% cream or Daktarin cream where appropriate, if a bacterial infection is present the doctor may need to prescribe an antibiotic cream. Anti-fungal agents should be used for at least seven days after the rash disappears to ensure the infection is gone. Steroid creams may also be recommended by the doctor either alone or in combination with anti-fungal agents.

Hints and tips!
Here are some hints and tips on how to clear and prevent nappy rash;

•  Let your baby have some nappy free time every day. This can be tricky so maybe lay your baby down on an absorbent disposable sheet like a Pampers bed sheet or even just a large towel that you can pop in the wash as soon as an inevitable accident occurs!
• Try to change your baby’s nappy as soon as it is wet if your baby has a nappy rash. Removing the urine from being in contact with the skin will prevent it from causing irritation.
•  Ensure you give your baby’s bum and genital area a thorough clean with wipes or water and cotton wool at each nappy change.
• Ensure for girls you wipe from front to back to ensure you are not introducing bacteria to your daughter’s genital area.
• After you clean your baby’s bum make sure it is fully dry before putting on a new nappy – you should pat it dry rather than rubbing the skin to prevent irritation.
•  Use a barrier cream to prevent urine or poo from irritating the skin.

There are many different brands of these on the market. Some of my favourites are:

• Mustela 123 Vitamin Barrier Cream – read my full review by clicking here!
• Sudocrem             https://wonderbaba.ie/product/sudocrem-skin-care-cream-30g
• La Roche posay Cicoplast balm   
• Bepanthen   https://www.wondercare.ie/p/bepanthen_nappy_care_ointment_100g
• Caldease cream  https://www.wondercare.ie/p/caldease_nappy_rash_ointment_30g
• Weleda nappy change cream  https://www.wondercare.ie/p/weleda_nappy_change_cream_calendula_75ml
• Uriage 1er Change   

You only need a thin layer of these to be applied. I wouldn’t really recommend powders as they can occasionally irritate the skin.
Keep the nappy slightly loose, if it’s on too tight air won’t be able to circulate around the area, although it’s not on tight enough it will leak so I’ll leave that game of roulette to you!!!

If the nappy rash does not improve or gets worse after 3-5 days of home treatment I would contact the doctor to see if you need to take further action.

I hope you find this helpful and as always if you would like any further advice from a Pharmacist mum please don’t hesitate to contact me through the contact form on www.wondercare.ie or message through the WonderCare Facebook page or at Milltown totalhealth Pharmacy at 01-2600262!

All products are available by clicking the links above or at www.wondercare.ie