horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

DD2 has had a rash for a month now....yes a month! At first it was just a little red and then it got worse. Tried OTC cream for yeast/fungal infections. A week later we then had a script for nystatin cream and quadrupal antibiotic ointment. A week after that I took her to the dermatologists office who prescribed a compounded ointment of a steriod and an anti fungal crea for 2x a day and nystatin power 3-4 times a day. I have switched diapers and it was getting better....but then today it is worse again. I have been letting her "air out" and have been giving her aveeno baths as well. She is 4 months and has not started foods or cereal yet at all. She drinks Nutramigen.

Does anyone have any natural remedies or experience with a beast of a rash like this? !?! I can't stand to see her in this pain anymore.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

coconut oil

you can also add aloe vera and rosemary oil, vitamin e & maybe even a little witch hazel added?

or you could also do a witch hazel & baking soda bath

Message edited 5/28/2013 11:32:21 PM.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

have you tried changing wipes too?

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

i would not use wipes,use cotton balls or a cloth

horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

I haven't been using wipes out of the package. I have been using damp paper towels at home and super rinsed out sensitive wipes when we are out.

I am going to call the dermatologist again tomorrow. And see what she says. I read about coconut oil and am going to stop at trader Joe's or fairway tomorrow to pick some up.

Didn't think about witch hazel and baking soda. Thank you!

horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

I have the same issue with DD.. I will try the coconut oil too.. good luck!

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

DD had a horrible rash over the winter. It was RAW and she was so upset I had to hold her all night - she was a little over 2. The ped gave nystatin. Then the dermatologist said it was purely bad bad eczema. He gave us the Rex which helped. In the meantime, we also changed to earths best diapers, let her air out as much as possible, changed her every hour, used baking soda in bath.

But what helped a lot then, and what still keeps things under control if I start to see a red rush, is using a tissue and wiping baby oil on her tush. The dermatologist recommended it and it has worked wonders. I do it after every BM, and whenever I remember...like first thing in the morning, etc. HTH!

ETA - we have used Costco wipes with both our DC who have very sensitive skin. Other wipes we tried, including ones for sensitive skin, irritated their skin.

Message edited 5/29/2013 12:50:37 AM.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

nothing but nothing worked of us, the rash seemed to be linked to teething and it was not a yeast rash

No wipes, no wiping, every poop straight to the bathroom gentle soap and rinsed off, but we were lucky his poop came on schedule.

this worked

first change
layer ultra strength desotin, with cornstarch baby powder over, diaper

next change
lanolin cream and cornstarch over (layer it on if the desotin didn't wash away with urine)


next change like first change, and repeat


My ped said never use desotin its too harsh, but I rather over counter desotin than steroids he prescribed.

horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Sounds gross, but don't wipe when your DC pees. Just use wet paper towels for poop diapers. Baking soda and vinegar in the bath. My doc gave me this concoction - white cream like Desitin Max or A&D, aquaphor or vaseline, bacitracin, and a teaspoon of olive oil. Mix it together and apply like you're spackling a wall. Don't wipe it off at diaper changes (unless there's poop obviously). Just apply more over it. That will only work if it's not fungal though. Good luck. Diaper rashes are horrible!!

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

cornstarch powder!!!!! keep it dry. maybe the moisture from the cream is just not letting is heal.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Use a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

I have a miracle for you!

Coconut oil did not work on my DD.

Go buy some Grapefruit Seed Extract from a health food store:



Get a spray bottle, fill it with about a cup of water, add 25-30 drops of the GSE.

Shake and spray at each diaper change.

I kept using the wipes for poop. I didn't wipe pee at all. It went away in like 2 days. It had already improved in one overnight.

If you're close to Massapequa, I can lend you my GSE....

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

DS had a bad diaper rash and here's what worked for us...

stop using wipes; instead use warm water and a soft cloth

after each time you wash, use a soft cloth or tissue to dry the area

apply a thick layer of the diaper cream of your choice. i prefered desitin max, but we also used triple paste. try another cream if the one you're using doesn't make a change in the first 24 hours. all babies skin is different so the same cream won't work on every child.

now here's the secret....cortisone 10! use it twice a day before you put on the diaper cream. layer the cortisone followed by the desitin (or whatever cream). we'd put it on first thing when DS woke up and right before we put him down for the night.

you should see improvement in a day or 2 and it should be completely gone within a week.

horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Also, you may want to try probiotics if he isn't already on them. Helps with fungal rashes.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Does your baby take any probiotics? My DD had gotten a yeast/diaper infection twice, and both times it took like 10 full days of nystatin (plus all the other stuff you are doing like airing her out and using just water and a rag instead of wipes) but I found that her taking probiotics regularly helped immensely the second time around. Just something to consider for future prevention once you can clear this up.... good luck, I know it is super frustrating for you both!

horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Thank you for all of the suggestions! I appreciate them all!

Dd drinks Nutramigen which has a probiotic in it- Enflora LGG (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ) should she be on something stronger maybe? Can anyone recommend one?

This started out as a simple rash. Then became a fungal rash and nasty infection. Open oozing sores that bled as well. After the dermatologist prescribed the steroid/anti fungal compound the rash "died down" and started looking like a typical rash again. Just about when I think it's on its way out....it flares up again with a vengance and we are back to screaming amd flailing during diaper changes...especially poopy diapers. I can't rip the diaper off of her fast enough. It's like her poop is on fire! She winces and gasps in so much pain!

I'm going to try some suggestions and hopefully something will work! !

Thanks again! !

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

My kids had the same thing. Turns out it was a number of things. My 14 month old had a bleeding diaper rash, turned out it was caused by dairy. To this day he still gets a bad rash if he even has a little bit of dairy. My 2.5 yr old had horrible diaper rashes where no prescription creams worked and it turned out that he was allergic to the sensitive wipes... The pampers brand. I posted the same thing you did on here, please help, nothing works, etc and someone asked if I was using sensitive wipes which I was and they said to stop and use regular ones, he cleared up in a day. They both get bad diaper rashes when they eat anything too acidic like tomatoes, marinara sauce, etc. like it burns their skin down there where the poop touches. The 2.5 yr old also has eczema and any aveeno products made his skin WORSE like bright red. I switched to all natural/ organic products like California Baby, Dr. Bronners, and Shea Moisture. We also don't use anything scented, no dairy or eggs for either of them and use a free and clear detergent and cream up their bottoms after after change and bath with a natural cream like coconut oil.

Also you said you are using paper towels. Those are really harsh on your skin. I was in the hospital for two weeks last yr and couldn't shower because I had heart monitors on so I had to sponge bathe with the paper towels that they provided...really fun lol. Anyway, even on me an adult the paper towels were really harsh on my skin down there and the skin was irritated, red and peeling. You should use something more gentile. Also, I don't know what soap you are using but don't use an antibacterial because it kills all the good bacteria and you end up getting yeast infections down there. Just use a very, very mild soap no fragrance. And like the others said, push the probiotics.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

The only thing that has worked for us is keeping the area dry with tapioca starch at every change.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Baking soda bath (several handfuls) has worked very well for DD when she has had a rash. The baking soda bath seems to ease the pain right away and by the next day the rash is almost gone. We also now use coconut oil at every diaper change.

Message edited 5/31/2013 12:15:06 PM.

Re: horrible diaper rash...PLEASE help!

Stella had this... it was HORRIBLE!

Have you tried Mupirocin? It cleared it up in about a week.

Her was also red, raw, bleeding with blisters. It was terrible and so painful for her!

We also stopped using wipes and instead used these paper towels (seriously... dont' use a different one... these are amazing!) VIVA paper towels!

I filled a spray bottle with water, a few drops of tea tree oil and a tiny bit of Dr. Bronner's castile soap and sprayed that onto the Viva paper towels for diaper changes. We kept using those for about a month even after the rash cleared up. After that, we switched to 7th Generation wipes.