Nappy Rash
June 19th, 2024 | MedAsk Team
What is nappy rash?
Nappy rash, otherwise known as diaper rash (1), is a type of skin inflammation affecting primarily infants. It appears on parts of skin covered by a diaper. Most babies will experience nappy rash at least once despite frequent diaper changes and absorbent diaper technology. Diaper rash can also affect adults that wear diapers (e.g. people suffering from incontinence and paralyzed).
Causes of nappy rash
Nappy rash may be caused by irritation from stool and urine, not changing the diaper often enough, the diaper rubbing against the skin, irritation from a new skin product, skin infection, alcohol-based baby wipes, or a change in diet due to the introduction of new foods. It is good to remember that diapers alone do not cause diaper rash. Prolonged exposure of the skin to urine and stool in combination with friction and other factors is what causes nappy rash.
Nappy rash symptoms
You will observe red patches on your baby’s bottom, or the whole area may be red. The baby’s skin may be inflamed – appear red, feel hot on touch, and there may be spots or blisters (2).
Most babies with mild nappy rash don’t feel sore, but the condition can be worse and the baby might feel uncomfortable and distressed.
Worried about your baby’s diaper rash? Consult MedAsk, our intelligent symptom checker, to gain insights into your child’s condition and receive tailored recommendations for care.
Treatment of nappy rash
Usually, when treated properly, diaper rash clears up in three or four days (3). The first thing you can do before the rash even develops is to change the diapers regularly and keep the baby’s skin clean. Urine and stool contain irritants that cause skin inflammation and the development of nappy rash. In this way, you can prevent a lot of rash instances. Choose the right size of diaper to not let the diaper rub into your baby’s skin too hard. When possible, let your baby be without a diaper. This will help excess moisture evaporate from otherwise covered parts of the baby’s skin and reduce the diaper’s friction for a while. Use diaper cream.
Bottom line
Nappy rash is a frequent condition that is, in most cases, easily treatable. In order to treat and, before that, prevent the development of nappy rash, follow a few steps of good practice: change diapers regularly, keep the baby’s skin clean, use the right diaper size, use diaper cream, and let the baby roam without a diaper for a while each day. Rarely, the diaper rash can be caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. In that case, if the rash does not clear up in a couple of days with the above-stated treatments, seek advice or schedule an appointment with your healthcare professional.
For personalized advice on recognizing and addressing your baby’s diaper rash, try MedAsk, our AI-powered symptom assessment tool.
Sources
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/nappy-rash/ (Accessed June 17, 2024)
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diaper-rash/symptoms-causes/syc-20371636 (Accessed June 17, 2024)
- https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/nappy_rash/ (Accessed June 17, 2024)