: What's the best way to prevent and treat a diaper rash?

: Diaper rashes occur for a variety of reasons but most common are irritant reactions and candidal (yeast) diaper rashes. Irritant reactions occur from excessive exposure to urine and stool -- and stool is more of the villain here. The stool has bacteria that produce enzymes that can break down skin and cause irritation and is exacerbated by wetness.

It's very important to keep the diaper area clear of urine and stool -- changing the diaper regularly and using super-absorbent disposable diapers. Also important in protecting the diaper area from the wetness and stool is zinc oxide paste -- it should be applied at each diaper change. Don't scrub the diaper area -- excessive washing can be a problem and cause more damage to the skin -- just wipe after stooling; urine just needs to be dried and the diaper replaced.

Candidal infections most often occur in babies treated with antibiotics, such as for ear infections. The babies often have a background irritant diaper dermatitis, which encourages the candida yeast to invade the skin area. So, good skin protection as described above is still important, but you also need to treat with an anti-yeast agent.

Dr. Amy Paller is the Chair of Dermatology and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.

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