Is your baby's diaper area sore and the skin around the bottom irritated and red? This is often diaper rash (dermatitis ammoniacales), which is primarily caused by wearing diapers every day and the warm, humid climate that results from them.
Doctor and boep founder Dr. med. Michaela Hagemann gives helpful tips in our blog post on how you can quickly help a sore baby bottom and prevent unpleasant diaper rash in the future.
What is diaper dermatitis?
Diaper rash, also known as diaper dermatitis, is a common skin infection in babies, particularly between the ages of 9 and 12 months. The sore, reddish rash is usually caused by prolonged contact of the skin with wet diapers. The warm, moist environment in the diaper creates optimal conditions for the growth of bacteria, fungi and yeast, which can lead to irritation and inflammation throughout the diaper area.
How do you recognize diaper dermatitis?
The most common symptoms of diaper rash are large areas of red, irritated skin in the diaper area, which can sometimes develop into small red spots, blisters, pustules or open, weeping wounds. The affected areas can itch and be very painful for the baby. The sooner you recognize diaper rash and react, the faster the sore baby bottom can heal.
You can also click through our skin advice guide for babies - perhaps you will find helpful answers here!
Possible causes of diaper rash
There are almost endless possibilities for a sore baby bottom. In addition to a rash caused by too much moisture and too little air in the diaper area, the most common causes are teething, food intolerances and contact reactions to certain ingredients in diapers or care products.
How can you prevent a sore baby bottom and diaper rash?
Fortunately, diaper rash heals within a few days with regular diaper changes, thorough cleaning of the diaper area and consistent skin care. Our tips:
- Regular diaper changes : To prevent diaper rash, you should change your baby's diaper every three to four hours, or every two hours for newborns, or as soon as it is full. Also make sure that there are no wet patches left after changing.
- The right diapers : While cloth diapers absorb less liquid, they have the great advantage that the skin can breathe much more. Conventional plastic diapers, on the other hand, can absorb more liquid, but seal much more tightly, meaning very little air gets to the skin. Changing the diaper manufacturer or diaper system could be your solution in this case.
- Gently clean the diaper area : The best way to clean the diaper area is with lukewarm water and a cloth or a soft washcloth. Alternatively, you can add 1-2 drops of natural almond oil . If your baby's bottom is sore, you should avoid excessive rubbing when changing the diaper, but simply dry the bottom gently.
- Lukewarm sitz bath : A lukewarm sitz bath in diluted chamomile tea or calendula oil can also help. Both ingredients have particularly pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe the skin and support wound healing.
- Fresh air : As already mentioned, diaper rash is mainly caused by the warm, moist climate in the diaper. Therefore, you should let your baby kick around without a diaper as often as possible - weather permitting - so that air and light can reach the bottom.
- Soothing care : If the skin is acutely irritated, you should apply a mild diaper rash cream after changing the diaper. Our diaper rash cream with zinc oxide and marigold gently protects, cools and soothes the skin.Baby's sore bottom - when should you go to the doctor?
Baby's sore bottom - when should you go to the doctor?
With a few tips and regular care, a sore baby bottom can usually be treated well. However, if the symptoms persist for several days or even become worse, we strongly recommend that you see a pediatrician. This way, possible causes such as fungal infections or other underlying causes can be ruled out early on.
OUR EXPERT
Dr. med Michaela Hagemann I boep founder, doctor & mother of three
