A bad diaper rash is enough to ruin anyone’s week, so prevention, as well as rapid treatment, are key to keeping your little one’s bum happy and clear. Things to give attention to when treating diaper rash are effective ingredients, a thick cream that stays in place and applying it liberally to a dry bottom. I spoke to pediatricians and parents to find the best diaper rash creams, including those for sensitive skin, to help you quickly soothe their little bottoms, including the Weleda Baby Calendula Diaper Cream as the best overall and Triple Paste to temper the most stubborn rashes.
Regular use of one of these proven best diaper rash creams keeps skin irritation at bay for most … [+] babies.
Illustration: Forbes / Photos: Retailers
Typical diaper rashes are caused by moisture and bacteria being held against the skin in a warm environment. The skin appears red, bumpy and sore. Rashes may be mild or can be quite painful. These more typical rashes can be treated or prevented with an over-the-counter diaper cream, such as you’ll find in this story. Other types of severe diaper rashes, such as those caused by bacteria or a fungus, might require a medicated ointment from your pediatrician.
“There are different kinds of diaper creams depending on the type of rash: contact, fungal or bacterial,” says Dr. Jen Trachtenberg, board-certified pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “In general, for a red contact diaper rash due to wetness, moisture or stool, look for a diaper cream with zinc oxide, which protects and allows the diaper area to heal by forming a protective barrier on top of the skin. The key is to slather it on like you would be frosting a cake.”
As a registered nurse and mother, I’m no stranger to high-stress diaper changes full of squirming and wailing. I hope this list of the best diaper rash creams helps you, too. After reading it, you may want to take a peek at the best diapers we found after rigorous testing and best tested diaper pails to complete your diapering setup.
Best Diaper Rash Cream Overall: Weleda Baby Calendula Diaper Cream
Best Diaper Rash Cream For Stubborn Rashes: Triple Paste
Best Diaper Rash Cream For Sensitive Skin: Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Fragrance Free Diaper Cream
Best Diaper Rash Cream For Newborns: Aquaphor Fast Relief Diaper Rash Paste
Best Daily Diaper Rash Cream: Tubby Todd Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste
Best Organic Diaper Cream: Babyganics Diaper Rash Cream
Best Natural Diaper Rash Cream: Henry’s Homestead Healing Salve
Best Value Diaper Rash Cream: Desitin Maximum Strength Diaper Rash Paste
Amazon
Weleda Baby Calendula Diaper Cream
This sweet smelling diaper cream from Weleda Baby won the top spot overall due to its ingredient profile and rave reviews from parents. This cream features 12% zinc oxide, which is the top pediatrician-recommended ingredient for treating diaper rash due to its effectiveness at blocking moisture. Plant-based ingredients such as calendula, chamomile, lavender, sage, sesame and sweet almond oil help soothe skin irritation. It does not contain phthalates, parabens, dyes or synthetic fragrances.
I’ve used this diaper cream and found it works well both in terms of preventing and treating diaper rash. Keep in mind that given its natural ingredients, this cream can separate over time. It also has a lower zinc oxide content than some of our other picks, so if you’re dealing with a stubborn or severe rash, you may want to try a cream with a higher percentage of zinc oxide.
What’s notable: A gentle, soothing cream with protective zinc oxide and natural plant ingredients minus dyes and synthetic fragranceGood to know: Smaller container and doesn’t contain the highest percentage of zinc oxide on this list; includes some ingredients that could be problematic to those with allergies, including sesame and almond oil
Editor’s Pick
If your baby’s bum rash is significant or other products haven’t worked, this may be the cream for you. Triple Paste’s main ingredients are non-nano 12.8% zinc oxide to provide a moisture barrier and oat extract and beeswax to soothe irritated skin. This cream also includes lanolin, petrolatum and corn starch, which also work to protect skin and preventing irritating moisture from getting to the sore areas while they heal. It’s free of dyes, parabens, phthalates and preservatives, talc and fragrance, making it ideal for sensitive skin.
“My pediatrician recommended this cream when one of my kids couldn’t kick a repeat rash; it worked immediately, and we stuck with it as a preventative cream and it truly kept the worst at bay,” says Rose Gordon Sala, deputy editor at Forbes Vetted.
What’s notable: Effective, economical zinc-oxide diaper cream with the National Eczema Skin Association sealGood to know: Can be staining and the tube versions aren’t easy to dispense as the thick formula gets a bit clogged
Cruelty-Free
Amazon
Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Fragrance-Free Diaper Cream
If your baby has sensitive skin, diaper rashes can be extra troublesome. Typical diaper rash creams may not be well tolerated. This fragrance-free diaper cream from Babo Botanicals is a great choice for babies with especially sensitive skin. It contains an effective 25% non-nano zinc oxide as a moisture barrier and colloidal oatmeal, shea butter and cocoa butter to soothe your baby’s skin. This cream is vegan-friendly, made in the USA and its ingredients are highly rated for safety by the Environmental Working Group. (Non-nano refers to the size of the zinc oxide particles. Non-nano means larger particles, not smaller, particles were used, thus making the material less likely to be absorbed into your skin and bloodstream.)
What’s notable: Carries the EWG Verified seal for safe, nontoxic ingredients and offers a 25% zinc oxide formula; it’s also PETA Cruelty-Free certifiedGood to know: Only comes in one size and type of container; contains coconut and other natural ingredients that some babies might be sensitive to
Amazon
Aquaphor Baby Fast Relief Diaper Rash Paste
A household name in the world of gentle skincare, Aquaphor makes an effective and affordable diaper rash paste that gets great reviews from parents and pediatricians alike. This paste contains 40% zinc oxide to treat bad diaper rashes and provide the maximum protection from moisture. Shea butter claims to help soothe painful, irritated skin starting with the first application. The product is also fragrance-, talc- and paraben-free, making it suitable for sensitive skin. The brand also offers another diaper rash cream with a lower zinc oxide percentage of 15%.
What’s notable: A 40% zinc oxide formula that glides on easily and doesn’t contain fragrance or other irritantsGood to know: Limited to tube packaging, which isn’t as cost-effective or as easy to scoop onto bums in a hurry
MOST POPULAR
Tubby Todd Bath Co.
Tubby Todd’s Sweet Cheeks Diaper Paste
Founded by a nurse and mother trying to treat her baby’s eczema without chemicals, Henry’s Homestead is a small business that is committed to natural skincare products. Its Healing Salve is a multipurpose solution that can be used on diaper rashes and a variety of other skin complaints. This ointment is cruelty free, sulfate free, pesticide free, glyphosate free and paraben free. The main ingredients include sweet almond oil, coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter, lavender, tea tree oil, lemon, olive oil, jojoba oil and vitamin E (yes, it reads like something you could eat!). It’s worth noting that this does not contain zinc oxide.
“This is one of those cult-following products that not many people know about, but everyone who uses it loves it and swears by it and uses it for everything,” says Ashley Kohl, a mom to two toddlers. “It’s not a moisture barrier, it’s more of a healing cream. You can put it on cuts, burns, diaper rash, eczema. I’ve never used traditional diaper cream on either of my kids; I’ve just used this stuff.”
What’s notable: An all-natural, small-batch salve that just might work when everything else has failedGood to know: Expensive for size and does not contain zinc oxide; tea tree oil and tree nut ingredients contained here could be irritating to some
Amazon
Desitin Maximum Strength Baby Diaper Rash Paste
Desitin’s Maximum Strength Baby Diaper Rash Cream boasts a whopping 40% zinc oxide content. It can’t be beat for value, ease of application and effectiveness at treating even tough diaper rashes. Some zinc oxide creams are goopy or drippy, but Desitin’s creamy formula goes on smoothly and stays in place. The ingredients are hypoallergenic, phthalate- and paraben-free. While zinc oxide is well tolerated by most babies—it’s a mineral that sits on top of the skin (rather than being absorbed)—it’s worth paying attention to whether or not your little one demonstrates a sensitivity to it at this level. It can also leave residue on clothing and changing pads. For cost-effective daily rash prevention, Desitin also offers a 13% zinc oxide cream.
What’s notable: An effective high-dose zinc-oxide cream that goes on smoothly and comes in economical sizesGood to know: Not every child needs this high of a dose of zinc oxide to prevent or to treat diaper rash; also contains fragrance and talc
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
Forbes Vetted has extensive experience reviewing and testing parenting gear, from crib mattresses to jogging strollers. The section is edited and written by parents who care deeply about helping other parents to find safe, effective products for their own families.
To report this story, author Meagan Dix interviewed a number of physicians who are experts in the fields of pediatrics and dermatology to ask for their recommendations on diaper rash creams, rash management and the best ingredient profiles. She also solicited additional feedback from parents. Dix is also a registered nurse with a background in clinical research and pediatric oncology.
How We Chose the Best Diaper Creams
I rounded up these top diaper rash creams after speaking to the experts: pediatricians and parents. I included a number of their firsthand picks here and matched their suggestions with the creams’ ingredient lists. I’m also a mother to three young children and have tried a number of these diaper creams with my own children. As a writer, covering baby and kid items, I’m accustomed to analyzing ingredients and features, too. Lastly, I scoured online reviews to consider how other parents felt about these creams and considered each item’s cost, ingredients, texture, accessibility and effectiveness.
What Is The Best Cream For Severe Diaper Rash?
According to Dr. Trachtenberg, zinc oxide creams are typically the best choice for diaper rash. They provide superior protection from moisture without irritating or absorbing into the skin. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly encourages fragrance-free products for the diaper area.
Many babies develop diaper rashes when they are teething (because gum pain isn’t bad enough), or when they start eating solid foods (acidic foods such as citrus fruit and tomato sauces may increase irritation from urine and stool).
Some types of severe diaper rashes, such as those caused by strep bacteria or a fungus, need a medicated ointment from your pediatrician. Typical diaper rashes caused by moisture can be treated or prevented with an over the counter cream.
Can I Use Vaseline With Every Diaper Change?
Another popular ointment or protectant against diaper rash is petroleum jelly. Dr. Mona Gohara, fellow and member of the American Academy of Dermatology Association endorses this ointment, too. “Vaseline is a perfect barrier repair ointment to protect the skin from the constant irritation of pee and poop, especially over night,” she says. “Zinc oxide containing diaper creams also afford the same benefit.”
Should I Use Diaper Cream Every Time?
You don’t have to wipe diaper cream off and reapply with every change. The idea is that the cream is a shield against urine and feces, so the goal is to put it on thick and then leave it for a couple diaper changes. That way you are letting the rash underneath heal, instead of scrubbing at it with every diaper change.
However, if your baby has a dirty diaper, the cream looks soiled or has worn off, or you are concerned that the rash may be infected, you should wipe it off and start fresh with each diaper change. Also give you your pediatrician a call if you are worried that the rash is getting worse, bleeding, or your baby develops a fever with severe diaper rash.
“If your babe has sensitive skin, bolster that barrier with each change,” says Dr. Gohara. “Otherwise a few times a day and right before bed when the diaper may be worn for longer, should be plenty.”
Is Diaper Cream Necessary?
Yes, says Dr. Gohara: “Urine and feces are irritants, so a cream to help protect the skin barrier with diaper changes can minimize that irritation.”
There are babies who will not develop a diaper rash even without cream. However, most babies will get a diaper rash at some point with teething, dietary changes or illness, so it’s a good idea to have diaper rash cream on hand. And when it comes to a sore bum, swiping some cream on with diaper changes is an easy way to prevent discomfort and even infection.
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