Daughters Diaper Rash

Updated on January 24, 2008
S.C. asks from Bakersfield, CA
41 answers

my daughter has now gotten this nasty rash on her vagina twice. i always change her diaper as soon as it's soiled (she goes the longest without a change at night) and the last time she got this her doctor prescribed her a creme and it went away within a few days. she started getting it again yesterday and it progressed to a blister and now bright red skin rather quickly. i had the Rx creme still so i have been applying it since yesterday, but i'm wondering if girls get these rashes more often or more severe than boys. my son never got diaper rash let alone painful raw skin.

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So What Happened?

Thanks so much for everyone's advice. I used the creme that had worked before and it has cleared it up. i also took the advice to stop feeding her as many acidic foods and juices to help clear it up. thank you so much for your words.

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S.J.

answers from San Francisco on

S.,
I was just reading in my parenting magazine that girls can get infections more than boys, due to when cleaning them (#2) might get in the vagina and cause a rash or infection, so you might want to call the doctor again and see if she has an infection if the medicine you used before isn't working this time around.
If it's a diaper rash, I always always use "Destin orginal" and lots of Johnson and Johnson medicated powder.. I having a problem with my 2 year old son now, he's having pooping problems to the point where he's trying to hold it in and arching his back which has caused a real red blotchy on his butt, so we have been using "Neosporin & pain cream This seems to ease the pain for him.
Good luck

1 mom found this helpful
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S.R.

answers from San Francisco on

When my oldest was still in diapers she was constantly getting these rashes. We changed her often and kept her as clean as possible but she still got the rashes, bright red spots that sometimes would bleed. What I finally realized was that she has extremely sensitive skin and was just prone to rashes. I did find something that worked wonders for her when she had a rash, yeast infection cream. What I found out in trying to help my daughter through this it that rashes are caused by bacteria and yeast infection cream kills bacteria. Usually by the next day or two her rash would be gone. Hope this helps. By the way, my 2 years old daughter never really prone to rashes so I don't think it has anything to do with gender.

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C.G.

answers from San Francisco on

It might be yeast infection. The blisters and redness on the bottom and vagina area are most common symptom. Most moms don't think those symptoms are related to yeast infections, but it can be. My daughter gets the famous "yeast infection" often and I change her diaper constantly. It is really common for girls to get yeast infections because the poo-poo needs only minutes of contact with the vagina to cause infection. An over the counter Lotrimen anti-foot fungus works like a charm.

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B.C.

answers from San Francisco on

my daughter had a very sore bottom until I changed to cloth diapers and desitin creme really helped too
good luck

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S.L.

answers from Redding on

If you do cloth diapers, I may have an idea. The woman who does my diaper service told me that different babies have different pH levels in their pee. She said that if my baby's skin gets irritated that she would try to wash the diapers a little more alkaline next time to see if that would work(meaning he has more acidic pee). If that didn't work she would try to wash them more acidic, etc, until we found the right balance.
I don't know much about disposable diapers, but I wonder if trying a different brand of diaper would help? Do they make disposables to respond to differnet pH levels in pee?
Good luck.

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E.T.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi S., when my daughter, who is now 29, had that nasty rashes, I would mix, cornstarch and babypowder, and put it on her every diaper change, until it went away. Do you use disposables or cloth. I know!! Cloth is stone age, but the reason I ask, is because I found out that the rash was due to the diapers I was using, I had to us cloth not disposables. So, you what can it hurt try it and see. Or it may be the soap that you use to bath her in, her skin maybe too sensative to the purfume on the soap, so try using a more milder one.
God luck, hope it works for you.

E.

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V.K.

answers from Sacramento on

My daughter get's the yeast infection rashes as well. You can try painting Castor Oil on her rash with a cotton ball. It has helped my baby a lot and I even continued doing it a few days after she cleared up. Also try doing at least three 10 minute baths with Baking Soda (two tablespoons) a day. It seems to help with the acidity in the poop. Let it air out as much as possible. I have also switched to cloth diapers for nap times and bed times and that also seems to have helped.

Good Luck!

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S.W.

answers from San Francisco on

Are you sure it is a diaper rash and not a yeast infection? It sounds like a yeast infection. When my daughter had a bumpy, raw, red vagina area it was a yeast infection. If you continue to put diaper cream on it it will get worse. I had to get "Monistate" and rub it all over the sore area. But I did this after I talked with her doctor. I hope everything turns out for you.

Sincerely, S.

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W.G.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi S.,

My son gets this very often, even now that he is 6. What works magically without any medicine or any side effects is coconut oil - yes, I got them from Wholefoods. They are all natural, and his rashes go away in a night or two at most - I apply it before his bed time.

Good luck,

W.

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G.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi my daughter had this. She was allergic to wheat and cow's milk. See if taking these out of her diet helps.
Also maybe try another diaper. Maybe there is some chemical in the brand that you are using that irritates her skin. I don't know if you use baby powder but I would stop using that. Maybe change the wipes or try salt water for cleaning her up. Some wipes are very strong on that delicate skin.

And yes little girls are susceptible to these rashes. All the best.

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T.K.

answers from San Francisco on

It could be a food allergy or an allergy to the diapers. My kids (both boy and girl) got rashes before they were diagnosed with dairy allergies. Both had sensitive skin and couldn't use diapers containing gels either. As soon as the gel got wet, they would get blisters whereever the wet diaper touched them. The rash never appeared after that (and, of course changing soon after wetting, using good hygiene).

Good luck, sometimes you just have to try different things to see what works for your baby,

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R.D.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi,
When that has happened to my 15 month old son (and our 20 month old neighbor girl) it has been food related. So something they ate was acidic or caused a reaction on the skin on it's way out. My solution is just to air dry him as much as possible and put on some diaper rash cream to keep the urine/excrement off of his skin until whatever it is has passed through his system. Good luck.

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G.J.

answers from San Francisco on

S.~~
I always found that if I used baby oil all the time in my daughter's diaper area it protected her more from the ammonia in her urine, which comes from juices mostly. It kept her from getting the rashes in the first place. It was a trial and error process because she had very sensitive skin.
good luck
G.

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D.D.

answers from Fresno on

S., A wonderful way to bathe your kids is in baking soda! I recently learned this from another mom, and now have started to do this. The baking soda helps to restore the pH in the water - thus keeping the pH of the skin balanced (their skin is so soft afterwards!). I now buy a HUGE bag of baking soda at Smart and Final and put about 1/2 - 1 Cup in the bath with the kids. They have fun with it...now this should help with healing and prevention of your daughter's diaper rash. Also, pay attention to the type of baby soap you are using. I highly recommend Arbonne's ABC wash - it is herbally and botanically based and naturally tear free. Also Arbonne's ABC Diaper Cream is amazing! She will also need to run around without a diaper after her bath - to air dry. If you already know of someone who is an Independent Consultant for Arbonne ask them for an ABC Sample packet - if not let me know... Good luck!

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J.W.

answers from Fresno on

I only have two boys so I don't know the difference with rashes. I can tell you my second son got a rash on his hiney everyday whether or not I changed his diaper right away. His skin is very sensitive. I have tried everything in the book with prescription creams from my docotor to over the counter creams and nothing helped until I found this one item.

It's called Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm. It's a little expensive, but I would recommend this to everyone because it's worth it. It was a God Send! I used this for only two days and his rash disappeared completely. He has never gotten it back as long as long as I use it a 1-2 times a week. It states you can even use it for cuts & scrapes which I have used it on my two year old as well.

My friend had the same problem with her son and I gave her mine, she used it for half a week and his rash was gone as well. He cried and fussed everytime you would change his diaper because of this, but now he doesn't. It's like he is relieved he's not in pain anymore because of the rash being gone.

I hope this helps you. It wouldn't hurt to try it. Please let me know if you have any questions. Good luck and let me know how it goes if you decide to try it.

J.

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K.L.

answers from San Francisco on

S.,

My daughter (now 3 1/2) got these a couple of times. Once her vaginal area was so "raw" that it started bleeding in her diaper. Not knowing what to do, we took her to the ER because we weren't sure where the bleeding was coming from. We were told that often in girls, poopy diapers (especially loose stools) will "erode" the delicate skin down below (and it doesn't take long). That's what they believe caused the bleeding. On other occasions, she would get mild yeast infections (yes, little girls get them too). Yet another reason for redness is her own rubbing. I'm not sure how old your daughter is, but it doesn't take long before they discover they have parts. My daughter sometimes is caught sitting on the floor rocking back and forth. Even this innocent behavior can leave chaffing. I hope this answer helps.

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J.K.

answers from San Francisco on

what your daughter might have, which my daughter had, was a yeast infection. Yes, little babies can get them too. Sometimes the prescription from the Dr. works, but you can also just get some gynelotrimine, or something like that. My daugher had the same thing. Another thing, since girls have little folds all over, and boys really don't, I think bacteria sits and infects a little more often than in boys. I'm no expert, but just thinking off the top of my head. Good luck

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A.M.

answers from San Francisco on

It could be an allergic reaction. When I was little I used to get horribly red and it turned out I was allergic to my bubble bath. I still have to use ALL Free And Clear detergent to wash my clothes in or I get a rash.

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E.A.

answers from San Francisco on

One of the best products I ever used for diaper rash was a salve called Calendula. It's made from marigold flowers and is all natural. It's thick like vaseline and is not a cream so it stays on the area better.

I let my kids air out as much as possible and then would liberally smear it all over.

Does your baby perhaps have a bacterial infection? Might be a good question for your doctor.

Good luck and hang in there, they don't last forever (even though it seems like it now.)

About me: I have 3 grown children, 25, 23, 20 and have seen more than my share of diaper rashes.

Best wishes
E.

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L.Q.

answers from San Francisco on

My daughters (8 years and 2 years) both have had this same type of rash when they were babies. They have sensitive skin and for some reason, every now and then, they would develop this rash. My doctor suggested using Lotrimin AF when I noticed the rash beginning. It seems odd because it is an antifugal cream but low and behold it works! It also helped to let them go without a diaper so that fresh air could get to the rash. I hope that this information helps =-)

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H.G.

answers from Fort Collins on

S.,
could it be a reaction to something she's eating? Are you still breastfeeding? Maybe it's then a reaction to something you're eating. Maybe if she's eating more acidic foods (i.e. citrus or tomatoes) cut those out for a bit and see if they make a difference. Perhaps she's more sensitive to certain things than your son is.

Good luck!

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L.T.

answers from San Francisco on

I have four children, two boys and two girls, and I never had diaper rash problems till the fourth came along. His skin just reacted differently to things than the others. A friend told me of an old home remedy for the red, blistery skin type of a rash. Boric Acid. It sounds terrible but actually it's a VERY mild acid that soothes and clears up the rash rather quickly. For me it was like a miracle cure for my little guy's sore bottom!

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P.H.

answers from San Francisco on

my friends daughter always battled a diaper rash & yeast infections as an infant/toddler. Mom always changed her frequently & kept her clean & dry but dr said some are just more prone to it. Could she be teething? Sometimes the urine during teething is very acidic & can cause a diaper rash.

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E.B.

answers from Sacramento on

It sounds like a yeast infection which girls can get very easily. Make sure the you are wiping her from front to back all the time. Never wipe from the butt up to the vagina. Also, let her completely dry before putting any creme or ointment on her and the diaper. If you can let her "air out" for a few minutes that will help. I strongly recommend that you contact your pediatrician again. S/he may give you Nystaten if it is a yeast infection or Vusion if it is severe diaper rash. After it clears up, I recommend using Desitin with every diaper change. If the condition persists, then ask your ped to send you to a dermatologist for treatment. Good luck.

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S.L.

answers from San Francisco on

I'm with Amber (post below). It could be an allergic reaction. When I was little I was plagued with yeast infections and rashes and it turned out that I was too sensitive to bubble bath. My mom had to stop using bubble bath, and had to make sure she either washed me at the end of my bath or changed the water after she'd washed me. If I was left to sit and play in even slightly soapy water, I'd get a yeast infection. She also had to use ALL detergent or put my clothes, especially my underwear when I got older, through the rinse cycle twice to get all the soap off.

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L.G.

answers from San Francisco on

Sounds a lot like what my daughter had. Her pediatrician said it was a yeast infection and recommended two over the counter remedies: Lotramin AF and Hydrocortizone 1%. I was to alternate the two different creams at each diapering. The rash went away within days. If I ever notice it showing up, I use the Lotramin right away and it never gets bad. Yes, Lotramin AF is often used for Athletes Foot, but the AF actually means Anti-Fungal! Worked great!

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M.L.

answers from Sacramento on

We had our daughter first, and yes totally different! I would get your creme that worked for you before to clear up what you already have. Then during the day for diaper changes we always put a little coat of vaseline and just a little coat of diaper rash creme on at night. We did that from the begining! Our daughter only had diaper rash once! I think is must be some strong urine from the girls? Hope this works for you! Dont use to much of any one thing. The creme and vaseline help to not let the liquid stay on the skin, therefore no lasting irritation!

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T.W.

answers from San Francisco on

I have 2 boy however my now 5 year old niece has always had some problems with yeast also since she was young some tips I can give you from dealing with her is make sure that you use unscented soothing soap and don't leave her sitting in the water any longer than necessary and make sure she is completely dry after her bath. Aquaphor is very good for protecting the skin from moisture and helping it heal, it is not a medicine for yeast but is safe for children, I was given it for my son when he had yeast on his chest as a baby to help protect it from moisture, here is their website- http://eucerinus.com/products/hb_aho.html . Also Gentle Naturals has some good soothing washes or look for soap with Oatmeal in it, My aunt is a nurse at children's hospital in San Diego and she had me put oat meal that I had ground in a coffee grinder right into the bath water, just make sure you rinse it off real well. I hope some of this will help.

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M.O.

answers from San Francisco on

My older daughter has gotten yeast rashes extremely often since she was an infant and still sometimes gets them at 4 years old. The doctor says some kids are more prone. For rashes that blister and are really red, it most likely is a yeast rash. Go to Walgreens and buy anti-fungal cream (ask the pharmacist which one is best for yeast rashes for babies). Put it on and continue for 7 days even if the rash looks to be gone.

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P.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Hello S.,

Usually the culprit is the rash has turned into a yeast infection. As all of our bodies are different, some are more susceptible than others. Try letting her air dry between changes and use an anti-fungal creme like miconozole.

I am a grandmother of one and a mother of three. Only one of my children had this problem and my grandaughter, 16 months, just recently had the same experience. A rash usually heals quickly once attended; when it doesn't, it's very likely yeast.

Grandma P.

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R.M.

answers from San Francisco on

My daughter had what our doctor called "Baby Bottom Break Down" when an infant. We went to a local pharmacy and had a compound created there. Not a prescrition, our place is called Pharmaca. There are some in other towns. It was expensive but it cleared it up right away. Sounds similar to what your describe. If you child is older, then I am not sure it's the same thing but check with your doctor or pharmacy. Also, Arbonne makes an incredible diaper cream. Contact me at ____@____.com if you want some info. on the cream. I use it all the time on my almost 2 year old. Sometime BM's make her a bit red and this sooths it well.

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L.W.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi S. -

We went through a few ups and downs with bad rashes with my daughter. In my case I had to take antibiotics while breastfeeding and it's a sure bet that your baby will develop a diaper rash (the yeast).

The best 'healing' we could offer was to take her diaper off. I'm not sure how old your daughter is...is she 15 months? We let our 16 mo. old run around without a diaper on in our kitchen (no carpet) when she has a rash. We let her air dry for as long as we can let her go and when we do that - she recovers so much more quickly from the rash. We also applied A&D diaper cream on her after every change...and this combination got her rashes to calm down and go away very quickly. Hope this helps!

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A.K.

answers from San Francisco on

Once she's healed and you start using a OTC ointment again try using Boudreaux's Butt Paste I've had really good luck with it. Also considering her age I assume she's on a diet of more than just breast milk. This means that her urine could be a little more acidic than her skin can handle. Try giving her a couple of extra ounces of water with her meals to help dilute it.

Good luck

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A.M.

answers from Sacramento on

Could this be a yeast caused diaper rash? My 9 month old daughter had a rash like this when she was 7 months old. She had been on antibiotics and one day developed a magenta red diaper rash over her vaginal area that extended partly down her butt. My son never had a rash like that and he had many more doses of antibiotics than she has, so far.

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D.Z.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi there S. -

It sounds like your little one has a yeast infection. You may want to clarify with you daughter's doctor so that you understand why a cream is being prescribed. My first daughter has never had a yeast infection, but my second one is more prone to them. Good luck!

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L.C.

answers from San Francisco on

We just went though this ourselves with a new born girl. Persisited on and off for two months. We changed her freuently, used cotton pads with baby oil instead of diaper wipes (sensitive too!), and lathered bottom with vasaline instead of diaper rash cream. When you have time, let her lie on tummy with bottom in air for a few mins - put blanket under for accidents - then let her play. Does wonders! Lastly, after buying and trying all these different creams, the one that worked best was a foot fungal (over the counter) cream that Dr suggested for when rash looked especially angry.

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R.S.

answers from Chico on

Sometimes kid develop something like diaper rash, but it isn't. My daughter actually used to get yeast infections, and you need the RX creme to rid them of that. I also had to change the brand of diapers. I used to use the cheaper Luvs, but then I just bit the bullet and bought either pampers or huggies, now with the twins, I never use anything but those two brands and we have had less issues. So maybe girls are more likely to get them. I would ask the Dr if it could be a yeast infection?

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K.F.

answers from Sacramento on

It could be a (reoccuring) yeast infection.

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C.G.

answers from San Francisco on

MY son got a bad diaper rash at 5 months old and the Dr. gave me Nystatin for it. IT WORKS WONDERS !! Especially for yeast diaper rashes. Try it. You put it on in the morning and at night until the rash goes away. Good Luck !

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T.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Could be yeast, that is why it probably is coming back and wont go away very quickly with normal rash medications.

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H.C.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi S..

Yes it sounds like yeast. The airing out is very important...making sure she is dry before you put the cream on. And just like with antibiotics, keep using the cream for a while even after the rash is gone. That may be why it came back. I know some people have luck with over the counter yeast medicines. In my experience nothing works as well as Nystatin.

The best to you!
H.

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