If you are the parent of a child still in diapers, you are probably no stranger to dry (or diaper) rash on a baby. Dry rash is basically irritated skin that is red, cracked, and painful for your child. There are many different things you can do at home to help treat and cure dry rash and keep your baby happy
Basic Steps
There are a few basic things a parent can do to keep a dry rash from affecting your baby. Most of these don't require any special purchases or extra steps. Since rashes are mainly caused by moisture getting trapped between the diaper and the skin, be sure to change your baby often. The less time he is wet, the less likely a rash will occur. Also, be sure to avoid commercial baby wipes. Many of these have alcohol or other chemicals that can dry out the baby's skin. A better choice is to use water and a mild soap to clean up. Make sure you completely dry the baby before putting another diaper on so no extra moisture gets trapped in the diaper. Finally, try not to use talcum powder or cornstarch as a drying agent. Talcum powder can be fatal to babies if inhaled, and cornstarch promotes the growth of yeast.
Physical remedies
If the basic steps aren't working, there are also several physical remedies you can do which may treat the diaper rash. First off, create a barrier between your baby's skin and the diaper. You can do this with an over-the-counter diaper rash cream containing zinc oxide. This works best as a prevention method on healthy skin. If a rash is already present, all this will do is keep air from the reaching the rash to help it dry out. Also, try to avoid plastic pants if you can. Plastic also keeps moisture in and doesn't allow for airflow. If you baby is continually getting a dry rash, try a different cloth or disposable diaper. Also, make sure you are only using baby-friendly products on your baby, as a baby's skin is more tender than an adults and will respond negatively to an adult product.
Pantry Solutions
There are plenty of remedies for a dry rash right in your refrigerator or pantry. If your baby's skin is extremely raw, give your baby a sitz bath for 10 minutes, three times a day with 2 tablespoons of baking soda added to the water. Maalox also works to help cool the skin when applied conservatively (use a cotton ball to dab it on). You can add dried oatmeal to a baby's bath, as oatmeal will cool and soothe the skin. Finally, try a vinegar solution if you are using cloth diapers. Urine is extremely alkaline, so adding vinegar to the water you clean your baby with will help neutralize some of the acidity and can ease the burning of the skin.
