Best diaper rash cream: Toto's short list (and when you don't need one)

✍️ Büşra: [Your moment here: the first red bum and what actually worked for Toto. Check every product line below against the pack before publishing.]

A diaper cream doesn't heal anything by magic. It puts a barrier between skin and wee, so the skin can recover on its own. That's why the boring, cheap zinc pastes work about as well as the pretty tubes.

At a glance

1. Best overallWeleda Calendula Nappy Change Cream€€Check price
2. Best for your moneySudocrem€Check price
3. Budget pickBabylove Wundschutzcreme (dm)€Check price
4. Also goodBepanthen Nappy Care Ointment€€Check price

Best overall

1. Weleda Calendula Nappy Change Cream

TOTO APPROVED€€

Zinc oxide barrier plus calendula, in a natural-cosmetics formula. Spreads easily and washes off without a fight.

The catch: Pricier than a store brand that does the same basic job.

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Best for your money

2. Sudocrem

TOTO APPROVED€

The thick white classic. A little goes a long way, and one tub lasts for months.

The catch: Thick and sticky: it takes some rubbing in, and white marks on clothes.

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Budget pick

3. Babylove Wundschutzcreme (dm)

TOTO APPROVED€

The dm store brand. Zinc oxide, no frills, a fraction of the price. Exactly what most bums need.

The catch: Only sold at dm, so mostly a Germany and Austria pick.

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Also good

4. Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment

ONLY IF...€€

An ointment built around provitamin B5 and lanolin instead of a zinc paste. Good if zinc creams leave white streaks you hate.

The catch: Pricier, and it contains lanolin (wool fat), which a few babies react to.

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What actually prevents diaper rash

The NHS advice is refreshingly short (NHS: nappy rash):

• Change often, as soon as the diaper is wet or dirty.
• Clean gently with water or fragrance-free wipes, and pat dry.
• Let the bum air out for a while each day, with no diaper on.
• Use a thin layer of barrier cream, not a thick plaster of it.

When to skip the cream

If the skin is fine, you don't need a cream at every change. Save it for red days, nights and long trips.

When to see a doctor

If the rash doesn't improve after a few days, looks bright red with spots spreading into the skin folds, or your baby has a fever, see your doctor or pharmacist. That can be a yeast infection, which needs a different treatment.