Which Aquaphor products contain zinc oxide?

Which Aquaphor should you choose?

Aquaphor Baby Diaper Rash Cream, Diaper Rash Paste and Baby Healing Ointment are separate products. For the US products, choose the cream for prevention or the first signs of diaper rash, and the paste for more troublesome diaper rash.12

What is in the 15% cream?

The US Aquaphor Healing Diaper Rash Cream label lists zinc oxide as its active skin protectant. Its inactive ingredients include mineral oil, glycerin, ceresin, panthenol, magnesium stearate and water. The cream is labelled hypoallergenic and free of fragrance and parabens. Aquaphor also describes the cream as preservative free. Check the packaging on your own tube because Aquaphor updates ingredients, and the website and packaging can differ.13

The cream cleans off easily, which is a useful ambition for something designed to spend its working life inside a diaper. Baby Healing Ointment is clear. Choose between them by the job you need done, rather than treating cream, paste and ointment as interchangeable names, since the bathroom shelf is not a thesaurus.23

What does zinc oxide do?

Zinc oxide forms a barrier on the skin, protecting the area and allowing it to heal. In Aquaphor's diaper cream, the labelled uses are treating and preventing diaper rash, protecting chafed skin associated with diaper rash, and helping protect against wetness. The barrier is useful because moisture and rubbing can irritate skin beneath a diaper. Prompt changes and gentle cleaning remain part of treatment; the cream does not replace them.234

How to apply Aquaphor zinc oxide cream

1. 1Wash your hands and change a wet or soiled diaper promptly.
2. 2Clean the diaper area gently with water and a soft washcloth, or alcohol and fragrance free baby wipes. For a severe rash, a squirt bottle of water is gentler than rubbing.
3. 3Allow the area to dry before applying the cream. Diaper free time helps the skin dry.
4. 4Apply the 15% cream generously to the affected diaper area. Repeat as needed with each diaper change, especially at bedtime or before a prolonged period in a wet diaper.
5. 5Wash your hands after application. Keep the cream away from the eyes and use it only on the outside of the body.

General diaper rash care does not require removing all zinc oxide cream at every change. The American Academy of Dermatology advises a thick layer for severe diaper rash and says the cream can be fully removed at the end of the day. Clean gently rather than repeatedly rubbing the area to remove every trace.5

How quickly should diaper rash improve?

The cream provides a protective barrier when applied, but clearing the rash takes longer. Mild diaper rash typically clears within two to three days with home care. Contact your child's doctor if the rash is not starting to improve within that time, or gets worse. More troublesome rashes can need medical treatment rather than another change of cream.12

The 15% cream label says to stop use and ask a doctor if the condition worsens, symptoms last more than seven days, or symptoms clear and return within a few days. Do not wait seven days if the rash is worsening or has signs of infection.35

When does a diaper rash need a doctor?

Contact your child's doctor for any of these signs:

• A fever, blisters or pus draining from the rash.
• Open sores, peeling, oozing or bleeding.
• Skin that is swollen, inflamed or tender.
• A rash spreading beyond the diaper area.
• Pain or a baby who is hard to console.
• A rash that persists despite treatment or becomes worse.

Can adults use zinc oxide for rubbing in skin folds?

General guidance for intertrigo, meaning inflammation where skin folds rub together, includes petroleum or zinc oxide creams as barriers to reduce friction. Home care is appropriate for mild cases that have not become infected. Keeping folds dry, separating them with clean gauze or dry towels, and wearing loose clothing also help. This is general zinc oxide guidance, separate from Aquaphor's diaper cream directions.6

Contact a clinician if a skin fold rash does not go away with good home care or spreads beyond the fold. An infected rash needs treatment directed at its cause, which can include bacteria or fungus. A protective barrier and an infection treatment serve different purposes.6

Does the zinc oxide make this a sunscreen?

Some zinc oxide products protect against the sun's ultraviolet rays, but Aquaphor's 15% diaper cream is labelled for diaper rash, not sun protection. Do not choose a diaper cream as sunscreen merely because both products contain zinc oxide.34

Who should be careful with zinc oxide?

Zinc oxide can cause local irritation or an allergic reaction in people sensitive to it. Report rash, itching, hives or swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat promptly. Before using zinc oxide yourself, tell your care team about allergies, pregnancy, plans for pregnancy or breastfeeding. Ask before applying other skin products, including prescription treatments, to the same area. Do not add a bandage or dressing unless your care team tells you to.47

Keep zinc oxide products closed, at room temperature, and out of reach of children and pets. Discard expired medication. If the cream gets into the eyes, rinse with plenty of cool tap water.4

If someone swallows the cream, get medical help or contact Poison Control right away. In the US, call 1 800 222 1222. Have the product container, strength, amount swallowed and time of swallowing ready, along with the person's age, weight and condition.37