Causes of nappy rash

What is Nappy Rush?

Nappy rash is a condition that affect almost up to a third of nappy-wearing babies. Nappy rush is usually caused by violent reaction between ammonia from faces or urine and the skin, and in those cases buttocks, tights or genitals may become sore, weepy, infected, or spotty. Your baby's skin becomes covered in blotches, red spots, irritated or sore in the area around the nappy.

Most nappy rashes have mild symptoms and can be cured with skin care cream or lotion and baby will usually feel no discomfort or pain. However, in some cases nappy rashes are more severe and can be caused by bacterial infection, and in those cases severe rash is painful and it usually requires medication treatment.

Causes of Nappy Rash

There are several possible causes of your baby’s rush. In some cases your baby's rash may be caused by an allergic reaction to a particular substance called allergen. Allergens from our environment cause the body's immune system to react abnormally, leading to inflammation and irritation in the affected body part.

Many different types of allergens can cause your baby to have an allergic reaction, including oils, soaps, preservatives, detergents, fragrances or powders. In some cases it is easy to determine cause, like when you start to use a new brand of baby soap, but in other cases it may be harder to identify the exact cause of allergic reaction. If you establish the cause of your baby’s rush, try to avoid it.

In some cases your baby's rash can be a reaction to the ammonia. Ammonia can also be the cause of your baby's skin irritation, causing it to become inflamed and sore. When a baby wets itself, the nappy cannot always absorb the waste products and this means that your child's delicate skin will come into contact with faeces or urine. In cases when a nappy is left on for a longer time, the faeces and urine can turn into the chemical ammonia.

Psoriasis is a very rare condition in babies, but in case when it occurs, it normally affects the nappy area, causing a rash with red scales.

Eczema can make your baby's skin sore and dry and the sore skin may appear in other parts beyond the nappy area. If you have a family history of eczema and your baby often has nappy rash despite regular nappy changes, than it may be the first signs of eczema.