Blistery Rash

Updated on February 27, 2008
A.K. asks from Glen Ellyn, IL
32 answers

My nine month old has recently developed a blistery rash around the anus. It looks red and inflammed and I don't know what to put on it or what is causing it. I am assuming it to be a food allegy and perhaps more specifically an allergy to strawberries which I fed to him for the first time three days ago.

Any recommendations on what I could be using on him for this or what I can do to help the healing process would be appreiciated.

thanks ahead of time!

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.
I wonder why blisters will develop in the area ,did you wash with hot water?
Anal area is very sensative like lips.
Wash the area with worm tea it contain tanic, later dry with hair drier not with towel, with out applying any cream . You can use very littlie amount of cortisone cream just once after drying.
S. Portoian MD

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J.E.

answers from Chicago on

Definitely an allergy! get him off the strawberries and try a baking poweder with water wipe to soothe and call the dr so this gets documented
J.

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D.P.

answers from Chicago on

From my reading a red rash around the anus is indicative of a milk allergy. Refer to Dr. Sears' book, the Baby Book.

More Answers

J.R.

answers from Decatur on

Every once in a while my boys will get a really bad rash, sometimes it even bleeds. I have prescription Butt Paste and it's awesome, usually after just a few uses the rash is almost gone.

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C.M.

answers from Decatur on

Coming from a Peds RN- who had two children with food allergies. I really wouldnt be so concerned it's a food allergy. Normally it's stomach upset or specifically hives that pop up. I would be more concerned about a little yeast infection or maybe not having used the "right" diaper rash cream yet. I say "right" cream because each child has one that works and five that don't. Boudreaux's butt paste, triple paste, or Resinol ointment are all great ones. ALso, sometimes little ones have moister poop than we realize one or two times and they just get wet, weepy bums for a few days. Sometimes their little cheeks hold moisture in and causes some red bum, many times just a good zinc oxide (resinol or triple paste- both OTC) will fix it right up.

Have fun!

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C.R.

answers from Chicago on

I would guess you are right about the allergy part. Have you tried Arbonne? They have great baby products that are good for your baby. Check out my website www.healthyoptions.myarbonne.com You can order at wholesale prices(35%) or take advantage of my sale: buy $100, get $100 free good through Feb. 28th. Call or email me if you have any questions. I am sure they would help.
For better health,
C.

N.H.

answers from Chicago on

My sone use to have real problems when he was little. It was from what he ate -- I think. I would put on real thick diaper rash ointment and it would clear up in one day. I used Balmex.

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A.

answers from Chicago on

someone recommended cornstarch - plain old baby powder is 100% cornstarch.

do NOT use it unless you are sure it is not yeast or fungal (go to the doctor). if it is yeast or fungal, using cornstarch is just feeding the critters, and they will multiply and make the rash worse.

you are probably right about the allergy suspicion. it sounds like my daughter when she drinks milk.... we use a small dab of hydrocortisone cream and then cover it in aquaphor (GREAT stuff). she is almost 22 months, though, and our doctor told us to do it.

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G.H.

answers from Chicago on

Doesn't sound like an allergy to me. More like too much acid in something he ate. Rashes usually show around the body, tummy, arms, face, etc. The dr. will probably prescribe an anti bacterial ointment for such a hard to keep dry area. Good luck mommy. Hope it goes away quickly

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J.R.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.,

Strawberries are a known offender for allergic reactions. I am not sure why they put them in stage 2 foods, as a lot that i've read says not to introduce until later. However, that being said, any child can develop a reaction to any food at any age, which is why we wisely wait and do one new food at a time, to help single out the offender. My son also had a reaction to strawberries and we've successfully re-introduced them - he is 14 months now.

I would switch to sensitive wipes (if you dont use already) until it clears, and also try Canus Li'l Goat's Milk 40% Zinc Oxide Ointment - it has more zinc oxide than any other diaper rash treatment i've found - I can only find it at drugstore.com. Ask your doctor before using a cortisone cream, if the blistery rash doesn't bother your son/daughter, I personally wouldn't use it. If it continues and the zinc oxide doesn't dry it up and get rid of it after a few days, call the pediatrician and ask to have it looked at. It is possible he/she has Impetigo which is caused by staph and would need treatment.

Also, fyi - Aquaphor is great for dry skin and other skin ailments, but skip the expense and use regular old white petroleum - that's the only ingredient in Aquaphor. Corn Starch can also promote the right environment for a yeast infection to develop.

R.T.

answers from Champaign on

I swear by bag balm. I have used it on all 4 kids. I remember when my first was an infant and somebody passed this advice on to me. They sent me to the 1 drugstore in the county that sold it (now it's everywhere)! You may able to even find it online now. It's in a little green tin. Don't be alarmed by the product use description. It cleared every rash up my kids came down with within 24 hours.

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S.M.

answers from Chicago on

It could also be a yeast infection which requires prescription strength ointment.

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M.A.

answers from Chicago on

You can also try changing diaper brands. My 11 month old son's rashes seem to get worse when he's wearing Pampers and clear up faster when he's in Huggies. While not the cause of the rash, different brands have additives that might be irritating to some kids.

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J.K.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.,

My 9 mos old hasn't had a rash that bad so I don't have personal experience. But my chiropractor had with his daughter and he mentioned to me that using Desitin on an open rash really burns and suggested Dr. Boudreaux's Butt cream because it won't burn. Young Living (a company that sells essential oils and holistic products) makes a cream called Tushies that I hear from other mother's is fantastic for healing diaper rashes among other uses. I'm actually a distributor and while I haven't used the product myself as of yet can order it for you if you're interested. They have all kinds of kid products, you can go to www.youngliving.com to check them out. Whole Foods also has a really great section for non-toxic kid products and I know you'd find something for diaper rashes there, too. Hopefully it will clear up quickly! I know foods can produce those kinds of rashes, as well as teething I think.

Also, you might consider using a diaper that is chlorine-free. The chemicals in Pampers, Huggies etc. might aggravate an already irritated rash. Seventh Generation diapers are great! There are several brands like it, too. I also use the g diaper and those are great, too!!

Best,
J.

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P.D.

answers from Chicago on

A.:

I would start with calendula.. it has anti fungal and anti bacterial properties.

P., RLC, IBCLC, CST
Breastfeeding and Parenting Solutions

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C.E.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter also had a blistery rash at 9 months (she is now 10 mths) and I believe that was from strawberries as well (yogurt). I am not sure if this is the correct thing to do, but I would give her a bath ever other night- and just let her sit in the water and play just a little longer then normal. Then diaper cream ALL the time. I really wanted to write to let you know that it did last 4-5 days. It ended up clearing- but I remember being very concerned because it seemed to last so long, especially since the blisters cracked and bled (just a little)

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A.R.

answers from Chicago on

Have your doctor take a look at it to be sure.

Try triple paste, as it works wonders.

Instead of using wipes, just take him to the sink and rinse off his little bottom with water until the rash clears. Let him air dry before putting on another diaper.

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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

This may be a rash secondary to thrush (yeast infection). If so, you will need an anti-fungal cream from your doctor. My son had this as an infant. The rash was angry looking and painful but went away with the cream. Good luck!

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S.W.

answers from Chicago on

go to the dr make sure he doesnt have rectal strep- I also highly recommend mixing mylanta or malox with A & D ointment. it works awesome- because its a base.

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A.M.

answers from Chicago on

it sounds like diaper rash. I would lather on the diaper cream. There is also an oatmeal paste that some people find good and a powder that is great if the skin breaks. Change the diaper frequently and lash on lots of cream. A change in food can definitely cause some rash. My little one got it recently when I gave her a tomatoe curry stew that she loved. She got a bit of a rash which cleared up. I waited a few days to give her some more stew and within a little bit she had grown accustomed to it. When she was younger, I would limit her fruit intake if I thought she had any signs of rash.

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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

My twins developed the same rash. I was told to try Boudreux's Butt Paste. You can get it at Jewel, Walmart, or Walgreens...
It cleared up the rash really fast!! I would cake it on!!

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J.M.

answers from Chicago on

Hi, A.
I just had my one year old at the pediatricians office and she told me strawberries should not be introduced into the diet untill after one year because alot of babies get allergic reactions to them. You might want to try butt paste on that rash. Good luck !

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N.D.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter used to get really bad rashes. She would cry when I wiped her. The doctor said it could be a bacterial thing. She reccomended a cream you find by the foot cream. It sounds strange but works great! I dont have it on hand to get the correct spelling but its clome-----. You can find it at walgreens right where all the foot cream, spray, ect....
You will see a difference almost just after one day. N.

T.B.

answers from Chicago on

I agree- sounds like either a food reaction, or yeast. Try not giving any more berries and see if it clears up. If it's yeast, you can use grapefruit seed extract (about 20 drops) in a small squirt bottle of water) to spray on a cloth wipe. Vinegar- about 1 tsp/ 1 cup water- is supposed to help fight yeast too.

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J.K.

answers from Chicago on

I always use Desitin, which always worked for my kids when they had bad diaper rashes. You might want to check with your doctor though, because my oldest had a diaper rash with an yeast infection and had to be given a prescription to clear it up.

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H.S.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter's first food was a strawberry (b/c my husband gave it to her before I could stop him). Well, she also got a HORRIBLE rash on her bottom and it lasted for about 2 weeks. We just put eucerin aquapur on it at least 3x a day until it cleared b/c we knew that it wasn't a yeast rash. Babies are not supposed to have strawberries before age 1 due to the allergy factor. We waited until she was 1 and now she can eat strawberries with no problems. Try the aquapur...it's expensive, but great for rashes.

Take care,
H.

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L.S.

answers from Chicago on

hello: it could be a yeast or staph infection. you should probably contact your ped. to see if a prescription strength ointment is needed. my little girl is just getting over an infection in the diaper area that required a prescription and as soon as i started the new medicine from the doctor it cleared up.

good luck. and take care.

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T.S.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A., isn't it horrible when our little one's bums aren't quite right? I've seen teething as a possibility listed in your responses, and that's been our experience. Our best bet during that really sensitive time is to let him enjoy a warm bath and then run around for about 15 minutes without a diaper. Then, thick diaper creme (whichever works for you) before diapering. After that, each time you change him, give him a few minutes before putting a new diaper on. Giving their bums time to breathe is key in clearing up a rash. If you don't see it clearing up significantly by the end of the day, you may want to give the doc a call. Good luck!

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T.D.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.,
You can try the Desitin but if that doesnt work get try the old fashion remedy...which is get the blue box of CORN STARCH in the detergent area of the store. IT REALLY WORKS!
First just use straight like powder as a barrier after your observsation if it is changing then use less.

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L.F.

answers from Springfield on

Zinc oxide is always good to try on skin that has a rash. It is the main ingredient in Desitin. Alot of people don't like to use it because they don't know how to get it off but a little baby oil is all that is needed. It is amazing to me how fast it can heal inflamed skin. At times I have seen alot of progress just over night. The other possibility is a fungus infection, which can happen in moist areas. IT is a breeding ground. If the desitin does not work you could try an antifungal. Over the counter items are the ingredient in gold bond powder, some foot powders and tinactin ointments. Fungus infections usually itch alot also. Good Luck! I am a mother of 4 grown children and a nurse.

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M.W.

answers from Bloomington on

Lotrimin AF works great for this. I have even bought the Target brand version. Sometimes my son will get a blistery rash as well. When my friends' daughter had thrush, they recommended this. I also find that A & D ointment work better than any diaper cream out there on the market. I think this is because it is medicated. I love the stuff. Seriously, try the Lotrimin AF and you will see results fast!! Hope this helps! I would also recommend not wiping with the wipes until it clears up. The dryness of the wipes just irritate the skind even more. I was told to use a warm wet washcloth. That helped tremendously. Wipes are just very harsh on diaper rash. I would also recommend not giving your son strawberries until he is at least 1-year old due to allergy factors. There are a lot of things that children could be allergic to so we have to be really careful--eggs, peanut butter, nuts, strawberries, etc. The What to Expect book has a list of foods to stay away from and when it is recommended to try.

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J.J.

answers from Chicago on

I would agree with you that it's likely to be an allergy to strawberries, considering the fact that he just had some, and that strawberries is one of those things that babies are more likely to react to. They sometimes react even when they're breastfeeding and the mother eats strawberries.

If you end up contacting your doctor, be sure to mention the strawberries so that he has that in mind as he makes his decisions. :-)

I highly recommend Desitin--the original recipe, not the more recent easy-to-wipe-off version. I consistently had wonderful results when I used that with my babies. (I'm not quite sure why some people feel a need to wipe it off. I just left it on and let it wear off on its own, and added more layers as I needed to.)

I also recommend leaving the diaper off for as much time as you can.

I'm not sure if petroleum jelly (Vaseline) has mineral oil in it, but I would recommend not using any rash cream that has petroleum jelly in it if it does. Mineral oil, commonly used in mainstream "baby oil" brands, leaches fat-soluble vitamins out of babies' bodies and thus is not good for babies.

I agree with those who advised you to take care to not use the cornstarch if there's any chance of a yeast component to this--in those situations the rash does get worse.

Here's some more info....

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t081400.asp

http://search.llli.org/site/apps/s/google_search.asp?q=di...

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