Parents of diaper-rash prone Doperlings, I need your advice.
Last year, I posted this thread seeking advice on preventing prickly heat when camping. In a nutshell, in hot, humid weather, because I am a walking furnace, I get a heat-rash type of rash that starts at the pressure points of my body where I have been lying. (i.e. hip and shoulder because I’m a side sleeper). The rash then gradually spreads and appears elsewhere, like… the boys! :eek: and my life becomes one of burning itchy misery.
Treatment has included some crazy prescription strength anti-histamine and a strong topical corticosteroid that scoffs at the weakness of your typical 1% hydrocortisone. Doctors have not been helpful as far as prevention. They just say “Don’t go camping.”
Based on many of the recommendations in that thread, things have become much more manageable! For the first time in a couple years, I was able to go on a three-day kayaking trip and it rained most of the time. It would have been impossible for me to even try that last year. I came home with just a slight rash on my hip (again a main pressure point when I sleep).
So now I want to try tackling this from a “diaper rash” perspective.
Progress thus far: I am covered head to toe in technical fabrics that wick moisture away from my body, including special wicking undies designed for runners to prevent chaffing. I have a CoolMax liner for my sleeping bag that I got at REI to keep me dry, and I’ve reduced my bedding so I’m a little cold at night, but at least I’m not hot and sweating.
So, what preventative techniques do you parents use to prevent diaper rash on your wee ones? Any that I might be able to apply in a backwoods camping capacity?
generic diapers (less additives, etc) worked like a charm… for grown-ups, perhaps switching to a milder detergent, like baby Dreft or All free and clear? Also, monistat cream or an anti-fungal with clotrimazole. It kept my son’s danglies dry…great when he was in day care and would go quite a bit longer in a wet diaper than I would have allowed at home.
everything I know about diaper rash prevention has a lot to do with barriers… I don’t know how relevant when the moisture is coming from your pores.
Exfoliation and beefing up your immune system to help reduce the chance of bacteria and dead skin sells inflaming the sweat ducts (glands, pores, whatever)?
We already use the most harmless detergent out there (benefit of being the tree-hugging type, and it has long been ruled out as a factor). Good idea though.
But I was also wondering why none of the doctors who have seen the rash have never recommended an anti-fungal like clotrimazole. You’d think that given the circumstances, it would ring the “jock-itch” alarms, but so far, everyone has just prescribed corticosteroid creams.
Have you tried any diaper rash soothers? Like Butt Paste or Desitin?
Being a fat broad who spent 4 years in marching band (starts in the summer, dontchaknow), I find Desitin to be a life saver. It also helps soothe sunburn!
One of my daughters got terrible diaper rash. The only thing we found that made it go away and kept it away was a coat of Neosporin followed by a coat of Desitin on top of that.
Though I think the name is a riot, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste contains balsam, which according to Paula Begoun is a pretty bad irritant.
For actual diaper rash, we use cloth to let the air circulate, keep it dry, and use Triple Paste or Dr. Smiths - high zinc oxide content and no extra stuff that could be irritating.
If you are concerned about bacterial/fungal/inflammatory issues, perhaps you could get a prescription for something like All Purpose Nipple Ointment?
I second Triple Paste. It’s pricey, but ridiculously effective. It wipes out full-blown diaper rash in a single use … and if used prophylactically, pretty much allows a child to spend a week in a wet diaper without getting even a hint of rash.
Zinc oxide will help take away the redness once it starts. I don’t know whether you want to use the diaper rash creams though, because they are very sticky, and would keep the moisture next to your skin.
To answer your post though:
For the really God-awful, skin melting away diaper rash that Celtling would get after even ten minutes in a dirty diaper her PA and I invented the following paste.
16 oz (four tubes) Target brand zinc oxide (the one that says “Compare to Desitin Original”) Check the ingredients, most zinc preparations have only about 12-14% zinc oxide. Desitin Original has 40%. This particular Target brand product is 40% Zinc Oxide, plus it has no fragrance, and Celtling reacted badly to the Desitin scent.
Add 8 oz (four tubes) clotrimazole cream (Walmart brand is cheapest, look in the foot care aisle.)
4 grams Sulfamethoxazole powder (Aquarium store, buy caplets and open)
400 mg Doxycylcine or 2 grams Amoxycillin (Aquarium store, buy caplets and open)
Mix and apply with every diaper change.
It costs about $90 a batch, but it’s worth it to see that smooth healthy skin.
I honestly don’t think that’s what you need though. You may have a chronic yeast infection which only gets out of hand in dark sweaty conditions. Why not talk to your doctor about trying a systemic antifungal? (Ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, miconazole, etc.).It just might solve a lifelong problem. . .
I will ask about it. It has been both perplexing and vexing.
I’ve really never been prone to fungal infections. As a very active dude, dark and sweaty conditions are really common for me. (I’m one of those guys with a built-in body furnace, so I’ll sweat buckets and turn bright red when I workout, and lying next to me is like hugging a hotwater bottle).
From what we can tell (which is why the two doctors who looked at it have said “prickly heat”) is that it happens at the pressure points where the moisture is trapped tightly against me under my own weight, inflaming the skin at that point (the rash spreads from there, usually to my thighs, and if it gets out of hand to my butt and private danglies).
But now I’m wondering if they’re wrong and it is some kind of fungal thing and since it starts on my hips and shoulders, it’s not as obvious, as if it started in the crotchal area or feet.
For the first time in a couple years, I was able to go on a three-day kayaking trip and it rained most of the time. It would have been impossible for me to even try that last year. I came home with just a slight rash on my hip (again a main pressure point when I sleep).