Diaper rash in newborns: how to treat, causes and prevention

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Diaper rash in newborns (diaper dermatitis) is a problem that almost every mother faces. Irritation usually appears in the folds of the baby’s skin (cervical, popliteal, inguinal, elbow, axillary), sometimes you may notice diaper rash on the baby’s bottom.

Most often, irritation occurs in children from 1 month to a year. According to statistics, diaper dermatitis of varying degrees occurs in 50% of children under 2 years of age (USA - 75%, Japan - 87%). It is important to detect redness in time and exclude possible complications.

Causes of diaper rash in newborns

The main reason why newborn babies are most susceptible to diaper rash is the structure of their skin. The lipid barrier on its surface is still very thin and sensitive to any aggressive external influences, and the stratum corneum is 30% thinner than that of an adult.

As a result, the protective properties of the skin can be destroyed due to temperature changes, frequent bathing, and the use of hygiene products that are not intended for children's skin.

Diagnosis and treatment

The occurrence of diaper rash can be determined by external examination. If pathological processes are detected at an early stage, it is enough to review the food system and the temperature of the food served (food should be warm, but not hot), use underwear and bed linen made of soft natural fabrics, without seams. The affected areas of the skin are wiped with infusion of oak bark, chamomile, and sage; after complete drying, powder with powder, products with zinc, arginine - a thin layer and wait for complete absorption.

If diaper rash is more severe, in addition to careful care, non-aggressive antiseptics (for example, rivanol, chlorhexidine), regenerating creams and ointments are used; itching is relieved with antihistamines.

In stage III, it is important to prevent the development of foci of infection in a timely manner and reduce inflammation, for which, in addition to the measures already listed, stronger drugs are used.

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Diaper rash usually occurs as a result of:

excessive sweating. Due to the fact that some mothers are afraid of colds and hypothermia, they wrap their babies like cabbage. As a result, the child’s skin does not breathe at all, and sweat appears in its folds, which leads to inflammation.
untimely hygiene. Newborns defecate very often. Uric acid itself causes irritation, and when combined with feces it forms ammonia, which can damage the skin many times more.
mechanical impact. This could be a diaper that is not put on correctly, clothes made of synthetic fabrics or with tight seams, or uncomfortable underwear.
high humidity. Most often, this situation occurs when the baby is not wiped dry after bathing. Water remains in the folds of the skin and causes irritation. Diaper rash on the neck of a baby often appears for this very reason.
allergies. Usually it comes in 2 types: food. If the baby is breastfed, then allergies can be caused by changes in the mother's diet. In addition, skin irritation is often provoked by foods that the baby first tries when complementary feeding begins.
contact This may be a reaction to the chemical composition of washing powder, hygiene products or diapers.

Causes

Lesions can appear under the influence of external and internal factors. The first group includes:

poor care;
incorrectly selected bedding, underwear, tight clothing;
the temperature in the room is too high, lack of ventilation.

Internal causes of diaper rash include:

excessive sweating, urinary incontinence;
excess weight;
disruptions in blood circulation;
endocrine disorders (including diabetes mellitus).

In addition, all factors that provoke the appearance of diaper rash are classified into reversible (which can be neutralized) and irreversible (which cannot be corrected).

What are the degrees of diaper rash?

Doctors distinguish 3 degrees of diaper dermatitis:

1st degree.
The mildest stage, in which only slight redness or rash is noticeable. There are no lesions on the skin, and the baby does not show any signs of anxiety.
2nd degree.
The redness becomes brighter, in addition to them microcracks and small pustules appear. The child tries to reach out with his hands to damaged areas of the skin, is capricious, and cries when you change a diaper or clothes.
3rd degree.
The redness is very intense, the area of diaper rash is covered with ulcers and ulcers, and liquid is released from cracks in the skin. The baby constantly cries and becomes overly restless, as the pain prevents him from sleeping, eating, and staying awake.

If parents cope with mild diaper rash on their own, then if more serious symptoms appear, you should immediately contact your pediatrician. Only he will be able to accurately make a diagnosis, determine the degree of development of the disease and tell you how to treat diaper rash in newborns. Please never act as a doctor yourself, otherwise you may face complications and unnecessary side effects.

Development and symptoms

The disease itself develops very quickly, literally in a couple of hours. The sweat and sebaceous glands produce a secretion that has an irritating effect. And increased temperature and humidity in the folds of the body create favorable conditions for further pathological process.

If the disease is ignored, fungal, viral and bacterial infections may occur, which will require longer and more labor-intensive treatment.

At the very beginning, diaper rash appears as slight redness in the skin folds; there may be signs of maceration or small cracks in the skin. But as it progresses, erosions may appear, which over time become covered with a dark gray coating. Itching, burning and pain are added, due to which the patients' movements become more limited.

According to their course, diaper rash can be acute or chronic. And there are three stages of the disease:

redness appears, but the integrity of the skin is not compromised;
erosion appears;
The affected area increases, the course itself is aggravated by the appearance of cracks and crusts.

Diaper rash care

How to treat diaper rash in newborns?
Doctors recommend purchasing special products that will help soothe the skin and relieve irritation. The product must be safe for children's skin, without fragrances or dyes. Typically, special creams are applied several times a day until the redness completely disappears. If you notice slight redness on your baby's skin, it is important to review his skin care and make the necessary adjustments. Usually it is enough to be more attentive during daily hygiene, change diapers in a timely manner, and make sure that the child does not overheat.

During this period, it is especially important to pay attention to the fact that skin care products are hypoallergenic, do not contain harmful additives, and are approved by pediatricians.

Anti-inflammatory powder “My Sunshine®” is included in this category. It will help prevent and eliminate irritation, redness and diaper rash. The composition includes zinc oxide, which perfectly dries out inflammation. Powder-cream “My Sunshine®” differs from regular powder in that it does not roll off on the skin and provides more comfortable and safe use. It prevents powdered talc from entering the baby's respiratory tract. You just need to apply powder-cream for diaper rash in newborns on the baby’s skin in places of redness and watch how they gradually disappear.

Also pay attention to the cream with panthenol “My Sunshine®”. It contains 5% D-panthenol, a concentration considered optimal in clinical studies. Cream Children's panthenol “My Sunshine®” promotes:

restoration of healthy baby skin;
improving the protective functions of the epidermis;
protecting children's skin from moisture loss.

The cream is suitable both for getting rid of diaper rash and for preventing its occurrence.

Both products from the “Moyo Solnyshko®” brand can be used for babies from the moment of birth.

If you experience grade 2 or 3 diaper rash, you should visit your doctor. He will conduct the necessary tests and make an accurate diagnosis. In this case, all you have to do is follow his recommendations, follow the instructions in a timely manner and monitor the progress of treatment.

It won’t go away on its own: how to prevent diaper rash

Authors : Ulyanova Alexandra

As an advertisement

Diaper rash, or diaper dermatitis, develops in 20% of children under 2 years of age. The disease occurs with equal frequency in both boys and girls (1). Most often, the area under the diaper suffers; diaper rash also appears in the folds of the skin - on the arms and legs, on the neck, etc.

Babies aged 2-3 weeks to 12 months are most at risk. This is due to the physiological characteristics of infants' skin. The lipid barrier of their skin is very easy to break; the thickness of its stratum corneum is very small.

At first, a slight redness appears on the skin under the diaper, which, if nothing is done, quickly turns into diaper rash - the delicate skin takes on a crimson tint, and microcracks appear on it. Pain and itching bother the baby and prevent him from eating, sleeping, or playing in peace.

Consult your pediatrician immediately after you notice changes in your baby's skin. At the first redness of the skin, you need to act quickly, without waiting for diaper rash to appear.

Causes of diaper rash.

Wearing a diaper for a long time

Diapers themselves do not cause diaper rash. A high-quality diaper absorbs moisture well, and the child remains dry for several hours. Manifestations of the disease are caused primarily by skin contact with urine that accumulates in the diaper (1). Therefore, your child’s diaper needs to be changed quite often: every 2-3 hours and after each bowel movement (2).

Impact of feces

Urine contains various salts and uric acid, which irritate the baby's delicate skin. In addition, when urine and feces mix, ammonia is released, a chemical compound harmful to the skin that provokes the appearance of diaper dermatitis.

Friction (from diaper, clothing, etc.)

Mechanical stress also contributes to redness and irritation. Elastic bands, seams, and hard fabric rub against the baby’s thin skin and put too much pressure on it. This happens if the size of the diaper or clothes for the baby is chosen incorrectly.

Allergy, loose stools

An allergic reaction can occur both to a diaper (therefore, if diaper dermatitis appears, it is advised to change their brand), as well as to food, hygiene products and other factors. Allergies change the composition and consistency of the baby's stool, which also affects the condition of the skin in the area under the diaper. Skin with allergic rashes is more vulnerable to irritation and redness than healthy skin.

Overheat

If the baby is dressed too warmly (at home and for walks) or the temperature in the room is high and the air humidity, on the contrary, is low, the child sweats. Because of this, the skin under the diaper begins to swell, and thus diaper dermatitis occurs.

Infection

The acid-base balance of the skin, which serves to protect it from the negative effects of the environment, in newborns is normalized only closer to three months of age. And in older children, the pH of the skin is easily disturbed, microcracks and erosions appear. When this area gets infected with a bacterial or fungal infection, diaper rash in the mild stage becomes complicated. Streptococci and other bacteria cause ulcers and pustules, and yeast fungus causes candidiasis in the genital area and anus. Consulting a pediatrician will help you cope with this problem.

How to prevent diaper rash

Air and water are the best helpers for mother and baby. The more time the baby spends without a diaper, the better. (2) If redness does appear, the time of air baths must be increased, trying to wear a diaper only for sleep and for walks (visiting the clinic, going on a visit, etc.).
In the child's room it is necessary to maintain optimal temperature (18-19 C) and humidity (50-70%). (3)
When changing a baby's diaper, it is necessary to wash it with running water, even if the skin looks fairly clean. Next, you need to gently, but thoroughly, blot the water dry and apply a special diaper cream to the skin. You need to use this cream at least for a night's sleep and for a walk.
For redness and irritation, you need to use a product that contains zinc and restorative components that can quickly soothe the skin.
It is good to complement products with zinc with cosmetic products that contain dexpanthenol, a B vitamin, a derivative of pantothenic acid. Products containing dexpanthenol are widely used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to moisturize and treat various skin lesions.

How to understand that the product you are using is right for you

After one or two applications of diaper cream, the area and intensity of redness should decrease. For example, Mustela Diaper Cream 123 helps soothe the skin and reduce redness after the first use (4). In any case, to choose an effective remedy, consult your doctor.

Sources:

Russian Society of Dermatovenereologists and Cosmetologists. Federal clinical guidelines for the management of patients with diaper dermatitis. Moscow, 2015.
Anna Levadnaya “Doctor_annamama, I have a question: how to maintain the health of a child?”, Moscow, 2022.
Komarovsky E.O. “The health of a child and the common sense of his relatives”, Moscow, 2012.
Study by Laboratoires Expanscience No. D0213/TC064/1035F4 with the participation of 62 children aged 3 days to 2.7 years, conducted

published 09/04/2019 14:58 updated 05/04/2019

Rules for choosing shoes

High-quality comfortable shoes are an important component in the prevention of diseases of the skin of the feet.

To choose the “right” shoes that will not cause sweating or diaper rash, you need to follow these tips:

Choose shoes made from natural materials. It is better to give preference to leather, and in the summer, cotton moccasins are suitable.
Choose shoes from the “slightly more expensive” category. As a rule, cheap things are short-lived, made from materials that are harmful to health, and cause the skin to rot. In addition, expensive shoes do not get wet, which is very important when treating feet.
Shoes should not be tight. Fingers pressed against each other are subject to friction, which causes cracks, wounds, and dry skin to form on the skin.
You need to smell the boots before purchasing. A sharp technical smell indicates low-quality products that will greatly harm your feet.
It is better to purchase shoes in the evening, as by evening the foot increases in size.
You should not put your child in boots “for growth.” An additional number of socks pinches the legs, which increases friction, contributing to the rapid freezing of the extremities.

Shoes selected taking into account the recommendations will help avoid diaper rash, calluses, and preserve savings and human health.

Why does fungus appear?

The cause may be a fungus - this is an organism that lives on the skin and develops well in a humid and warm environment. You can pick up a fungus anywhere: in a pool, a bathhouse, on the beach, or from someone else’s shoes if you wear them.

Therefore, do not walk barefoot in public places, because the spores of this infection live for a long time, waiting for favorable conditions to “bloom.”

How to recognize a fungus

When a fungus forms between the fingers, cracks appear, then blisters filled with liquid, the skin begins to peel, a burning sensation and smell appear.

The worst thing is that the disease can spread higher, to the buttocks, thighs, then the treatment will take an incredibly long time, so don’t hesitate with treatment!

When you come home, immediately take off your stockings and socks and let your skin “breathe.”
If you notice a fungus, then immediately begin to treat it, make compresses, baths with salt, it does not “like” them.
Keep your feet in salt water for 10 minutes every day until you get rid of this problem completely.

For a compress, take Burov's solution or Domeboro powder. Dissolve them in cold water, moisten a napkin, and apply for 20 minutes. If possible, apply the compress several times during the day to reduce the burning and itching.