FAQs
RASH QUESTIONS
There is no scientific evidence that certain foods are a direct cause of diaper rash. New foods may cause loose stools or diarrhea, which can irritate baby’s skin and lead to diaper rash.
Diaper rash is one of the most common dermatologic conditions in the United States and the most common skin disorder of early childhood. The primary cause of diaper rash is prolonged and increased exposure to wetness/moisture to the skin.
Diaper rash usually comes on quickly, and it affects the areas of baby’s body that are in closest contact with the diaper. While there are some common symptoms of diaper rash, there is wide variation in what diaper rash looks like.
Take a look under your baby’s diaper. If diaper rash is causing the problem, you will see some or all of the following symptoms:
Pinkness or redness over a small or large area, wherever the diaper touches
Dry raised bumps (papules)
Fluid-filled raised bumps (pustules)
Dryness or peeling/scaling of the skin
Raised areas (edema, or swelling)
Affected areas may be warm to the touch
A yeast infection usually appears in the skin folds where it is warm and moist. It usually presents as a beefy red rash with white scales and lesions outside the diaper area, or satellite lesions.
Psoriasis is rare in infants. It presents as red thickened skin with silvery scales that may be itchy or sore and appears on the legs, arms or scalp.
Impetigo appears as yellow brownish crusty patches and/or pus-filled blisters. It is found on the buttocks, lower abdomen and thighs.
Be sure to call your pediatrician if your baby shows any of these symptoms.
There is no scientific evidence that a particular way of feeding is a direct cause of diaper rash. Introduction of a new or different method of feeding may cause loose stools or diarrhea, which can irritate baby’s skin and lead to diaper rash. Changes in the diet of a breastfeeding mom could cause loose stools or diarrhea, which can irritate baby’s skin and lead to diaper rash.
A yeast infection usually appears in the skin folds where it is warm and moist. It usually presents as a beefy red rash with white scales and lesions outside the diaper area, or satellite lesions.
A yeast infection is caused by the bacteria Candida albicans. This bacteria thrives in warm, moist, tightly covered areas.
The most common cause of yeast diaper rash is antibiotics. Antibiotics prescribed for a bacterial condition not only kill the offending bacteria, but also the body’s good bacteria.
Just as with diaper rash, make sure that your baby’s diaper area is clean and dry and follow your pediatrician’s recommendations for treating the yeast diaper rash.
With consistent proper treatment, your baby’s rash should clear up within 7 days. Be sure to call your pediatrician if your baby’s rash becomes worse, does not clear up in 7 days or clears up and returns.
DESITIN® QUESTIONS
Learn which DESITIN® is right for your baby.
For relief from the first use with 88% of moms agreeing there’s nothing faster, select DESITIN® Rapid Relief Cream when you want:
Fast relief your baby can feel
To treat and prevent diaper rash
A product that goes on smoothly and wipes off easily
To create an instant creamy skin barrier
Dermatologist-tested assurance
The #1 choice of pediatricians and moms
For the maximum amount of zinc oxide available without a prescription, select DESITIN® Maximum Strength Original Paste when you want:
The highest level of zinc oxide available without a prescription
Our original rich, thick barrier
Overnight relief for baby’s tender skin
To treat diaper rash
The #1 choice of pediatricians and moms
For protection and treatment of minor skin irritations, select DESITIN® Multi-Purpose Ointment when you want:
To help relieve dry, chapped skin
To temporarily protect minor cuts and burns
To soothe and relieve minor scrapes, skin irritations and rash discomfort
To protect chafed skin and help seal out wetness
To prevent and protect from the drying effects of wind and cold weather
To prevent diaper rash
A product that goes on clear
The #1 brand of pediatricians and moms
As with all other baby and household products, you should always keep DESITIN® products out of your baby’s reach.
DESITIN® Maximum Strength Original Paste and DESITIN® Rapid Relief Cream were both specially formulated to help prevent and treat diaper rash. DESITIN® Multi-Purpose Ointment is a multi-purpose product designed to help relieve and prevent diaper rash as well as minor cuts, scrapes and burns.
Be sure to consult your physician for the appropriate treatment for the specific rash or irritation.
DESITIN® Maximum Strength Original Paste and DESITIN® Rapid Relief Cream were both specially formulated to help prevent and treat diaper rash. DESITIN® Multi-Purpose Ointment is a multi-purpose product designed to help relieve and prevent diaper rash as well as minor cuts, scrapes and burns.
Be sure to consult your physician for the appropriate treatment for the specific rash or irritation.
This is still the same product you know and love, just with a new name. Rapid Relief is now Daily Defense and is gentle enough to use at every diaper change.
DIAPERING + APPLICATION QUESTIONS
If you have already applied a barrier ointment at the previous diaper change, don’t worry about removing any leftover ointment. Clean the soiled, outer layer and leave the ointment on the skin to avoid damaging delicate skin as it heals.
Always keep your baby’s skin as clean and dry as possible. Change wet or soiled diapers right away and gently cleanse the diaper area and pat dry.
Since you may not always know when your baby needs a change, check the diaper at least every two hours. In newborns or babies with diaper rash and/or diarrhea, you will need to check even more frequently.
Super-absorbent disposable diapers may reduce the incidence of diaper rash. But since super-absorbent diapers often don’t feel wet, they may give you a false sense of security and you may not change them as often as regular diapers. Make sure you change your baby’s diaper often, even if it does not feel wet.
Using your fingers, apply a thick layer to the entire diaper area, as though you were frosting a cake. Try to touch baby’s irritated skin as little as possible.
Be generous in applying DESITIN® ointments. DESITIN® ointments are safe when used as directed and may be used at every diaper change to help treat and prevent diaper rash.
Whether you have a baby girl or boy you will still want to make sure that you always keep the diaper area as clean and dry as possible. The prevention and treatment of diaper rash is the same. When cleaning a baby girl, always make sure you wipe her genitals from front to back. Make sure you keep your baby boy’s penis clean on all sides, including the tip. Do not pull back the foreskin.
Using your fingers, apply a thick layer to the entire diaper area, as though you were frosting a cake. Try to touch baby’s irritated skin as little as possible.
Be generous in applying DESITIN® ointments. DESITIN® ointments are safe when used as directed and may be used at every diaper change to help treat and prevent diaper rash.
It’s best to cover the entire diaper area, even when you don’t see visible signs of a rash.
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