Readers Respond: How Do You Treat Diaper Rash?

Responses: 24

From Stephanie Brown, former About.com Guide

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1 tablespoon of Lotramin AF (foot fungus cream), 1 tablespoon of Zinc Oxide, 1 tablespoon of Hydrocortisone cream. Mix the ingredients together and apply at EACH diaper change. Our daughter had a terrible diaper rash. Desitin, Butt Paste or Balmex did not help. I mixed these three, applied and noticed a dramatic difference within 12 hours.
—Guest Melanie

This stuff is pricey but amazing! it's about 10 bucks for a small tube so it's not for everyday use...just those stubborn rashes that wont go away!
—Guest lschatzy

Cornstarch has been used for years! My mother used it on us in the 50s and 60s. When I had my first child in '87 my mother suggested cornstarch and it worked like a dream! In '95 I had another child and it worked again. In '04 I had triplets with three different kinds of sensitivity. It worked quickly and efficiently on all three. I always hated the goo creams. So messy and just acted like a barrier, and not a deterrent or a healing agent. Cornstarch did both!
—Guest tripletmom04

The only cream that worked consistently for my daughter was Badger Diaper Cream. It’s organic and smells very nice, but not strong and a little goes a long way. It’s great stuff! I buy it for shower presents. I also use preventative measures with Gold Bond Baby Powder. It is cornstarch based and contains zinc oxide which is found in diaper creams anyway.
—Guest Kinsey

I worked in day care for over 20 years! I found Dr. Flanders Buttocks Cream to work on most all diaper rashes and always highly recommended it!!
—Guest Elaine

I have tried all of the above (except the Maalox concoction – that seems interesting) and they all work. The other thing that I have found helps is having my son eat yogurt or drink a yogurt smoothie. The pro-biotics help heal up the diaper rash quickly and help to prevent it.
—Guest Melissa

The best diaper rash cure I used was menthol shaving cream! Any brand is fine. I used this on my son and daughter when their bottoms were so sore and nothing else worked. A friend told me about this, and I tried it. What a difference by the next diaper change. I have worked in day care for over 30 years, and always suggest this when parents ask me what I used to use. My kids are nearing 30 now!
—Guest LA

I was told about using Maalox and A&D Ointment from a dad at my son's daycare. It has been the only remedy that ever worked for my son's diaper rash. His rash was gone in 36 hours or less sometimes. Honest! I now give this remedy to all the new moms going through the awful diaper rash stage and will continue to use it when our little girl is born next year.
—Guest Kimberly

The best remedy I've found is Desitin and cornstarch. When you clean the baby's bottom, pat dry, apply the desitin ointment and sprinkle cornstarch over it. It keeps the baby dry and it works for any rash for that matter. I know it doesn't sound pretty, but it does work. Our son had a severe rash that wouldn't clear up when he was a baby. We tried lots of prescription and over-the-counter remedies and even used "browned flour" that my grandmothers used. I even used the browned flour on top of the Desitin, but adding the cornstarch was the trick. I promise the rash will begin to clear immediately and usually is almost gone within a day or so.
—Guest Steve

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