What Causes Diaper Rash?


Share |

Diaper rash is, in all actuality, a generic sort of term that refers to several different conditions. Diaper rash, in the most basic sense, is an irritation of the skin in the diaper area. There are any number of different sorts of things that can cause this irritation. Knowing what it is that causes diaper rash can help you to know how best to deal with diaper rash for your baby.

In many cases, diaper rash is going to be caused just by friction. This will typically happen in the areas of the diaper that have elastic. So, the thigh areas and the waist area tends to be where this sort of diaper rash occurs. You can avoid this sort of diaper rash by making sure that they diapers you are using are properly sized to your baby.

In some cases, diaper rash may be caused by irritants. This can happen when the baby goes too long without a diaper change. Prolonged exposure to urine or feces can irritate your baby’s skin. For this reason, frequent diaper changing is an imperative in avoiding diaper rash.

Diaper rash can also be caused by an allergic reaction. This sort of diaper rash may resemble poison oak, and can often occur along with an irritant rash.

Sometimes, yeast can cause diaper rash. Generally, this form of diaper rash will show up as redness with white scales, and often with small lesions around the area of the main rash. Even without this type of pattern, there still may be a yeast infection. Even if yeast doesn’t cause the diaper rash, if the diaper rash lasts for more than three days or so, yeast is likely to set in.

There are a variety of products that parents can use to help their children with diaper rash. Certainly there are the over-the-counter diaper rash medications that are available. However, many of these products contain ingredients that some parents would prefer not to expose their children to, such as propylene-glycol, or sodium lauryl sulfate. The good news here is that there are a variety of all-natural diaper creams that rely on milder, natural ingredients, such as aloe vera, shea butter, calendula, avocado butter, or any combination of herbs and natural oils.

If your baby’s diaper rash is severe, prolonged, or accompanied by bleeding, you should speak with your health care provider.



Share |



This entry was posted in About Your Baby.



 



Article Categories

Copyright 2007-2014 DownTheLane.com. All Rights Reserved. Return Policy | Shipping Info | Site Map