Points to Consider When Choosing the Best Diaper Rash Cream
Often touted to be a sign of parental neglect, diaper rash is a very common problem amongst infants and babies and is wrongly proclaimed to be a sign that parents are not effectively taking care of their infant. Diaper rash is a very common kind of contact dermatitis that can get more infected by a yeast or bacteria that is normally present on the skin. In most cases, topical ointments containing antibiotics work very effectively and are used as a very common therapy for through the use of the best diaper rash cream available in the market.
A diaper rash is a general term that indicates any condition of skin irritation, regardless of the causing factor, which often grows and perpetuates in the region that is covered by a diaper. Some other synonyms for the condition known as a diaper rash include:
– Napkin or nappy dermatitis
– Diaper dermatitis
– Ammonia dermatitis
The word dermatitis refers to the inflammation of the skin.
There are very many categories that list the causes of a diaper rash or diaper dermatitis, but the most common cause is contact dermatitis. It is a misleading term thought to affect only babies and infants and toddlers, when it can affect any individual who wears a diaper, like an incontinent adult or a menstruating person.
The main preventative measure for diaper rash includes changing the diaper frequently and keeping the area clean and dry. Dry here refers to freshness, not lack of moisturization. Some of the most effective treatments for curing diaper rash include:
– Using topical barriers like petroleum jelly or skin-friendly moisturizers such as some of the best diaper rash creams for babies.
– Changing diapers frequently.
– Topical anti-fungal or antibiotic ointments to be used according to a doctor’s prescription.
– Hydrocortisone creams for babies that are of low potency.
Things to avoid include steroid creams of high potency, powders, and boric acids or baking soda baths and ointments containing neomycin.
Frustratingly common as a problem, it can be confidently said that almost every baby will develop this at some point if he or she is made to wear diapers. Diapers are very unavoidable, but cloth nappies are an alternative if washing them and changing them regularly is not a problem. The easy part of it all is that diaper rash is treatable easily with the help of a diaper rash cream. Most ointments contain generic compounds that treat the rash on a baby’s bum, as listed below:
Zinc oxide
Any of the best diaper rash creams or ointments would most certainly contain the ingredient zinc oxide. It is a common ingredient that is known to help ease diaper rash, especially those that are mild to moderate in nature and severity. This, however, may not work on severe rashes. There are many branded options containing zinc oxide that are big names in the industry, but generic ones also work just as well and can help save money. A good amount of a diaper rash cream containing zinc oxide can be slathered on to the affected area to help clear up the rash that causes irritation and itching. Cream with a denser, creamier consistency is usually preferred since it can be massaged easily and glides on the baby’s skin without the need to rub the cream vigorously into the skin, thereby further irritating the area and causing pain to the baby.
Butt pastes
It sounds strange, but the term butt paste is not so uncommon in the industry focused on treating diaper rashes. Butt pastes were originally available only through a doctor’s prescription, and the pharmacist had to mix the ointments and create a concoction according to the doctor’s prescription to make the best diaper rash cream. Nowadays, butt pastes are easily available in the form of over-the-counter creams. These are usually a mixture of zinc oxide and other ingredients that are supposed to create a barrier between the diaper and the baby’s skin. These ingredients can be balsam, lanolin, or beeswax. Although butt pastes were used to help heal very problematic conditions, these can be used on a regular basis to help prevent a diaper rash altogether.
1% hydrocortisone cream
1% hydrocortisone creams are some of the best diaper rash creams available over the counter is usually very effective at reducing inflammation. There is a method to it—the hydrocortisone cream needs to be applied first to the skin directly, followed by a layer of another diaper rash cream to help lock the ingredient in properly. But this should be done only in severe cases and not as a regular measure since overuse of hydrocortisone can damage sensitive skin, and baby skin is very sensitive.
Ointment including Lanolin
Lanolin is a natural ingredient that is used very commonly to help treat skin that is irritated or damaged. It is usually used by parents who use cloth diapers for their children and need a natural ingredient, apart from creams containing other natural ingredients like red clover or calendula.