Irritant diaper dermatitis

Diaper rash (US) or nappy rash (UK), sometimes called infant diaper dermatitis, is an irritating and often painful condition caused by prolonged exposure to urine and/or fecal matter within a wet or soiled diaper.

The most effective treatment, although not always the most practical one, is to discontinue use of diapers, allowing the affected skin to air out. Other commonly recommended remedies include oil-based protectants, often utilizing petroleum jelly and shark or cod liver oil; zinc oxide based ointments, and, in extreme cases, antifungal cremes. Low concentration hydrocortozone creams are also sometimes used to treat the symptoms of diaper rash, although they do little to clear up the rash itself.