Effective Strategies for Dealing with Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is a really annoying baby problem. It can get out of control easily, and can make your baby miserable. Luckily, it can be controlled with a little effort on your part. Following are some remedies that worked well with my children.

Some babies are just more prone to diaper rash than others, and if yours is prone, you'll really have to keep on top of the problem. The most important thing you can do is change your baby's diaper regularly. Diaper rash is caused by the skin being constantly exposed to wetness, so changing frequently can prevent the problem. Most of the diaper rash ointments on the market are designed simply to protect your baby's skin from wetness, so they are great at preventing diaper rash. If your baby is diaper rash prone, you might want to use an ointment at every changing as a preventative measure.

But, what if your baby already has a raging case of diaper rash? As I said, most of the products labeled as diaper rash ointments are best at preventing diaper rash, not healing it. There are a few concoctions that can help cure a bad case of diaper rash.

The first is Maalox - yes Maalox. Put some liquid Maalox on a cotton ball and apply to baby's sore bottom. Let it dry a bit before diapering. For obvious reasons, don't buy the mint flavor, and don't use this bottle of Maalox for anything but treating diaper rash.

A second helpful treatment for diaper rash is an oatmeal bath. There are some good oatmeal bath products on the market, even some designed especially for baby. These work wonders on diaper rash. Usually one or two baths is all it takes.

Finally, I had great luck when I mixed diaper rash ointment with a little bit of hydrocortisone cream. About 3 parts diaper rash ointment to one part hydrocortisone. One caution here- check with your doctor before you try this one, since hydrocortisone cream is normally not recommended for use on children under the age of two years.

If these remedies don't work, check with your pediatrician. There may be some prescription products for extreme cases. But, the most important measure to take for diaper rash seems to be persistence. Keeping on top of the problem is your best bet for keeping the rash at bay.

Over the Counter Eczema Treatment Items - Are These Effective to Reduce Inflamed Skin and Red Bumps

Eczema can be due to contact with a metal or substance that the body cannot tolerate. It also may be something other than contact dermatitis and may be an allergic reaction to building materials, nummular eczema or a different type of skin irritation.

When you go to the drug store there are many products and you can get some mild cortisone products over the counter. The OTC creams are generally used for skin swelling, redness and inflammation for arthritis as well as eczema. These are very mild and may be helpful if your bumps and patches are not moderate or severe in intensity. It can be a good place to start and if this isn't effective your doctor can prescribe a stronger hydrocortisone lotion or even an ointment. 

Sometimes oral steroids are used to bring down the skin reaction and these need instructions need to be followed very carefully. Remember that cortisone cream are supposed to be used for just three weeks and then the skin should rest. They can thin the skin and not be used for certain medical conditions.

In addition to using a hydrocortisone cream, dermatologists usually recommend skin moisturizing. It wasn't till

I saw the third dermatologist that I received this advice and it made a big difference in my skin's healing. The ones recommended will say dermatologist approved or state they are for sensitive skin. If you pick any typical moisturizer it may have a nut base in it or alcohol which your skin can react to. Use both the moisturizer as well as the cortisone cream twice a day and also oatmeal baths can be helpful for the skin. I found using natural oils worked as well as moisturizers that were over the counter and these can include virgin coconut oil and olive oil.Make sure you are getting good internal nutrition by taking some omega 3 and fish oil capsules to nurture the dermis.

Be careful to not dry out your skin during the day. Don't use calamine lotion for eczema as it's very drying. Be careful in the sun, use a humidifier and avoid clothing that scratch the skin. Stay in baths for a short period of time and keep the water temperature tepid rather than hot. Be sure to apply your oil or moisturizer right after taking the shower or bath and don't use a towel to scrub the skin.

The root of eczema needs to be found to ultimately eliminate the symptoms and recurrences and one's diet, stress levels and nutritional supplements can be important to analzye to reach a permanent solution.