Why shouldn’t I use baby powder to treat diaper rash?
Baby powder is made from very fine particles that can be easily inhaled. A diaper cream is better.
Baby powder was once very popular but has fallen out of favor in recent years, and the American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends its use. Baby powder, especially talc-based baby powder, is made from very fine particles that can be inhaled and cause serious health concerns. New baby powder made from corn starch is harder to breathe because the particles are larger, but it can still become airborne. Lastly, there is little evidence that baby powder can actually relieve diaper rash—definitely not enough to justify its regular use. Instead, try a diaper cream to relieve diaper rash.
Reviewed by Dr. Sara Connolly, April 2019
I have two girls and I swear by A+D ointment. The white creams are very hard to clean off of a little girl. The A+D prevents diaper rash from occurring by acting as a barrier, therefore my girls have really never had a diaper rash. A few of my friends prefer Triple Paste when their kids get a diaper rash…anything is worth trying to help your little one.
Aquaphor always seemed to work the best for diapers rashes in our family. My daughter got a severe diaper rash once when she was little and I read not to use any wipes to clean the area during diaper changes, but instead to use a warm wash cloth and it helped quiet a bit!
We cloth diaper, so traditional baby powders and zinc-based creams are not an option. We have found Grandma El’s diaper cream to work well for raw, sore booty problems from harsh poops. When my son started becoming mobile around 6 months old, he started getting a rash around his waist and legs that I just couldn’t get rid of. My husband said it looked like chafing and told me to try some powder. The only thing I could find that was cloth diaper safe was corn starch, so I tried it, and the rash cleared right up. We used it for a while, and now that he has been walking for about 6 months, he doesn’t really have the chafing issues anymore. My pediatrician did warn me against using powders, but the corn starch was the only thing that worked for us.
Should I use baby powder at all? I feel bad now because I have used baby powder with all my boys 🙁
I recommend a zinc based diaper cream to soothe a rash. The baby powder may smell great but not worth the risk of your baby breathing in the powder.