During a week-long intestinal virus, my four-month-old daughter developed a nasty diaper rash that was seemingly unstoppable. It began as a light pink region, and over the course of a day was progressing to a dark red. I consulted a nurse at the pediatrician’s office, who recommended any diaper rash cream that contains zinc oxide. She instructed to apply the cream so thick that it was like a second diaper to shield the skin. When changing the baby I was to wipe the layer of diaper cream, not the skin, and continue to reapply more layers. The diaper cream could be washed off with baths, but reapplied just as thick after the baby’s skin airs dry. This seemed like simple directions, and I had Balmex on hand, which does contain zinc oxide.
The Balmex, though, would not allow me to layer it as thickly as the nurse recommended. It was more greasy than paste-like and would rub away if multiple layers were applied. I put it on as heavy as I could, leaving a thin white film on my baby’s skin. When I opened the diaper for the next changing, the skin was slightly greasy, but most of the Balmex was worn away. This made it impossible to wipe only the cream, and not the skin. Needless to say, the diaper rash, not only didn’t improve, but worsened. At this point merely applying the Balmex to the rash site was painful for my infant. Unsure if the Balmex was possibly preventing an even worse condition, I continued to use the Balmex, attempting to apply it thicker, but with no success.
I visited the pediatrician, who recommended Triple Paste medicated ointment. She said it was a pricey diaper rash cream, but worked as a better barrier. The pediatrician was definitely right about the price. I purchased a 2 oz. container of Triple Paste for about $10. The 4 oz. tube of Balmex I had bought was about $6. Obviously, at this point, with a baby in such misery, price was no object.
The Triple Paste, which also contains zinc oxide as an active ingredient, was extremely thick and able to be applied much heavier, leaving an extra diaper-like shield against the skin. The Triple Paste stayed in place in between diaper changes. It did not absorb or get rubbed away, like the Balmex. I noticed improvement in the redness and apparent soreness at the first diaper change following the use of the Triple Paste. It seemed that the Triple Paste, which is medicated, did more than simply create a better barrier than the Balmex, but actually worked effectively to heal the diaper rash. My daughter no longer cried when I applied the cream, and with each diaper change I saw less irritation. I no longer feared reapplying the diaper rash ointment, but was glad to give my baby some relief. After just a day of using the Triple Paste regularly, the diaper rash was greatly reduced.
Following my success with the Triple Paste, when dealing with more minor diaper rashes, I can apply a only thin layer of the Triple Paste and it quickly takes care of the problem. For more serious diaper rashes, the “extra-diaper” barrier method is needed. I no longer use the Balmex.
I recommend Triple Paste medicated ointment to any mother I know. I consider it an essential to always have available. Taking into account that it can be applied thick, it doesn’t rub off, and it quickly helps to heal, Triple Paste is far superior to the Balmex. The only downside is the higher price. But, when your baby is suffering, it is worth paying the extra money to have a product that you can trust is going to relieve the problem.
