What is nappy rash?

Nappy rash is a common cause of fretful, crying babies, caused by inflamed skin that is irritated by being wet and in contact with urine and stools. It starts with a slight reddening of the skin in the nappy area resulting in soreness and discomfort.

What causes nappy rash?

Nappy rash is caused when urine comes into contact with baby’s skin for prolonged periods of time. The urine can react with stools in the nappy, affecting the skin and in severe cases this can cause breaks in the skin or even blisters. It is possible the skin could then become infected. Friction caused by the nappy rubbing against baby’s delicate skin and washing detergents not thoroughly rinsed out of terry nappies can also contribute to the development of nappy rash.

When is nappy rash more likely to occur?

Nappy rash can happen at any time and there may be no obvious reason as some babies naturally have more sensitive skin and may be more prone to the condition.

However, there are certain times when babies are especially susceptible to nappy rash, such as:

• During teething
• Changing from breast to bottle feeding
• After antibiotics, which can upset baby’s digestive system, causing diarrhoea
• Starting on solid foods
• Drinking cows’ milk for the first time

Any of these factors can trigger the onset of the problem.

What does nappy rash look like?

You can recognise nappy rash in a number of ways:

• Nappy rash normally starts with a slight redness in the nappy area.
• It tends not to affect the skin folds
• Areas such as the buttocks and upper thighs can become red and moist
• Skin can also become sore, spotty and hot to touch
• Patches of dry, flaky skin may also develop.

In more severe cases, blisters and pus filled spots may appear.

The best option is to prevent nappy rash occurring in the first place, but once it does you can soothe and heal nappy rash and help prevent its recurrence by using a nappy rash cream at every nappy change.