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Diaper Rash

Our baby has the worst case of diaper rash we've ever seen. What causes diaper rash and how can we treat it?

Diaper Rash 101

Diapers were a wonderful invention, controlling infants' waste products in a relatively convenient, clean, and healthy way. Still, ever since children began to wear diapers, diaper rash has been the most common skin disorder of infancy.

Skin wetness is the common denominator underlying the various causes of diaper rash. Urinary wetness increases skin friction, raises the skin pH, makes the skin less cohesive, and makes it more permeable. These effects combine to intensify the action of stool enzymes or other irritants that then inflame the skin.

A surprising number of different entities fall under the label of diaper rash.

Parents.com