Anatomy of a Diaper Ointment
Oh no! you have noticed your precious little one has an angry red rash around the diaper area.
Usually called diaper rash or diaper dermatitis it is inflammation of the skin surrounding the diaper area. As common as it is there seems to be very little progressive thought and consideration to properly treating this. Here is the problem, water strips the hydro-lipid (sebum) layer of the skin, the very needed fatty acid composition that keeps your skin soft and supple and protects the outer layer (epidermis) from the environment. To compound, this urine and feces are irritants to the skin especially if left on for any length of time.
Leave a wet diaper for part of the night or an hour during the day and you have the perfect recipe for irritation and discomfort.
What is the best solution? let your child go diaper free especially in the Spring/Summer, get some sunshine (moderate amount) and fresh air on that bottom.
What not to do? Gloop on an occlusive (heavy barrier forming and or pore-clogging) ointments containing petrolatum, paraffin, beeswax, zinc oxide, mineral oil, propylene glycol, etc.
Why you ask? This area needs to dry and rejuvenate, using the above only traps wetness and like water strips the hydro-lipid layer of the skin further compromising it.
“But it feels so smooth after I put it on (mineral oil, propylene glycol dimethicone (fine particle silicone), etc).”
Yes it does feel smooth, but you are only compounding the problem further, the same situation would apply for face creams with petrochemical bases – it feels good looks smooth but ages you more than you know and requires you to apply more and more to keep up the facade.
I mentioned this previously in my post on baby oil and thought it good to repeat it again.
“A baby’s skin is very porous because it has not developed to the same extent the hard outer keratinized thorny layer of the skin called the epidermis (this accounts for that amazing soft skin that babies have). The epidermis is the part of the skin that helps prevent materials from entering through to the dermis (deep layer of the skin) and into the bloodstream. Babies actually have the same number of pores as adults, just condensed to a much smaller surface area.”
So what is the solution apart from having a full-time nudist baby? Ointments that moisturize but that do not trap moisture on the surface of the skin, ointments that do not clog the skin's pores leaving a greasy feeling and ointments that use soothing plant-based extracts and emollients that soothe and protect delicate skin and reduce inflammation.
What to look for in an ointment?
- Calendula
- Olive oil and olive wax – Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate – they are bio-compatible with the skin (being the most similar to the fatty acid composition of the skin).
- Chamomile
- Almond Oil (caution with nut allergies)
- Tamanu Oil (caution with nut allergies)
- Argan oil (possible caution with nut allergies)
- Aloe vera
- Burdock root
- Small amounts of Tea Tree and Lavender essential oil
- Plantain leaf extract
- Chickweed extract
- Seabuckthorn berry oil
I would really recommend you to try our Thera Wise Natural Baby Diaper Ointment. You will see noticeable results overnight.
It is very soothing and is a quick-dry, non-greasy, alcohol, petrochemical and paraben-free formulation.