Irritant diaper dermatitis (also known as "diaper dermatitis" and "napkin dermatitis" and commonly known as diaper rash (U.S.) or nappy rash (UK) is a generic term applied to skin rashes in the diaper area that are caused by various skin disorders and/or irritants.
Generic rash or irritant diaper dermatitis (IDD) is characterized by joined patches of erythema and scaling mainly seen on the convex surfaces, with the skin folds spared.
Diaper dermatitis with secondary bacterial or fungal involvement tends to spread to concave surfaces (i.e. skin folds), as well as convex surfaces, and often exhibits a central red, beefy erythema with satellite pustules around the border.
It is usually considered a form of irritant contact dermatitis. Despite the word "diaper" in the name, the dermatitis is not due to the diaper itself, but to the materials trapped by the diaper (usually feces). Allergic contact dermatitis has also been suggested, but there is little evidence for this etiology.
The term diaper candidiasis is used when a fungal origin is identified. The distinction is critical, because the treatment (antifungals) is completely different.
Read more about Irritant Diaper Dermatitis: Differential Diagnosis, Causes, Secondary Infections, Treatments
Famous quotes containing the word diaper:
“Every one of my friends had a bad day somewhere in her history she wished she could forget but couldn’t. A very bad mother day changes you forever. Those were the hardest stories to tell. . . . “I could still see the red imprint of his little bum when I changed his diaper that night. I stared at my hand, as if they were alien parts of myself . . . as if they had betrayed me. From that day on, I never hit him again.””
—Mary Kay Blakely (20th century)