Question for the 24/7 wearers-past and present

[Tusk626]

As I delve more and more into this world, I realize the importance rash cream plays! What are y’alls skin care routine, to not only to prevent rashes, but to keep the skin happy and healthy over time? I do the basics like desitin, but my gut tells me you folks fingered way better routines out. Someone told me there is a spray type version?!?! Is it worth anything? Finally, I notice my skin is starting to get a little darker around the area the diaper sits(hips especially). Beside not having the diaper too tight, what are some things to reduce or get it to stop/go away. Thanks in advance for the help!

[oznl]

I think my best learning is that it’s way easier to prevent diaper rash than it is to cure it.

• I use a modest amount of rash cream lightly covering scrotal/perineum areas EVERY change time.
• I wash my diaper zone twice per day.  Once after changing out of my night diaper in the morning and again before changing into my night diaper in the evening.
• I stay fully shaved down there but not TOO close a shave as that seems to provoke in-growing hairs.
• I avoid chafing/friction by paying attention to diaper & plastic pant fit.
• High quality disposables seem more skin friendly than cloth so be wary about prolonged cloth usage (days)  I don't usually go more than 2 days in cloth without alternating back to a disposable.
• If you happen to mess a diaper, be a bit wary about remaining in it for too long, especially if you are wet extending to the seat of your diaper also.  That’s a short-cut to a rash.

Around 18 months 24/7 and I’ve only had rash issues maybe 2 or 3 times, always due to some mistake on my part.  To be honest, there is very little “air out” time that happens and I’m rarely dry for more than 15m or so after changing as I’ve developed a pattern of high frequency/low volume voiding at this point.

If you’re like me, you’ll find that the skin in your diaper zone toughens up a bit (becomes a little leathery) over a few months of 24/7 use.

Good luck!

[TinyBunny]

Yes long times in messy diapers have a terrible risk to reward ratio.  I think that I must be really lucky as I've never had anything terrible happen to my skin although I am sometimes a bit heavy-handed with the wipes.  I've recently switched from TENA wipes to Pampers Baby Fresh but I don't know if this transition will be permanent yet.  I've also chosen to shave and "Large" size diapers seem to be fine for me, no welts or chafing.

[Stroller]

I'm in cloth nappies all the time.  I'm lucky, in that my skin doesn't get infected easily.  All I use is Sudocrem (zinc oxide cream) daily on my crack (which can get sore otherwise), anti-thrush cream (Canesten) occasionally if that soreness appears and won't go away, because it's then probably fungal, and BodyGlide daily round the tops of my thighs where I might otherwise get chafing.  If any other soreness appears I'll generally use Sudocrem on that too.  BodyGlide is great because it won't stain clothes.  I don't use wipes for environmental reasons - I have a face flannel in the bathroom to wipe myself at each change (& I carry one in a plastic bag if if I'm out and about for a long time).

[Little Sherri]

17 hours ago, oznl said:

I think my best learning is that it’s way easier to prevent diaper rash than it is to cure it.

I agree emphatically with this. Tips I would add or reinforce in conjunction with what has already been said would be:

- Use diaper cream before the rash starts. Be religious about it. I just use an inexpensive store-brand diaper cream. In my experience, no miracle cream is required. They all do the same thing, providing a bit of a moisture barrier whilst staving off chaffing by lubricating areas prone to friction. 

- Clean the area a couple of times a day.

- Diaper brand and quality can make a big difference - you may have a reaction to individual materials or adhesives, and lower-end brands seem to do a poorer job of controlling the PH and ammonia propagation that occurs in the marinade, all of which takes its toll on your skin. 

- I've discovered that most of what goes wrong down "there" isn't generally bacterial, it's fungal. Over-the-counter fungicidal sprays and creams do work but they take a long time - if you have persistent, recurrent diaper rash or skin breakdown in your nether regions, change your diaper more frequently, and follow the directions on the product - if it says use it for two weeks, use it for two weeks, even if all evidence of the rash is gone after three days. Fungus is persistent, and it likes the conditions that our infantile underwear preferences foster.

- Watch out for ingrown hairs; they can get infected, even lead to abscesses and inconvenient and painful medical procedures. Trim, but don't be fanatical about it, and disinfect any nicks.