Desitin Maximum Strength Diaper Rash Cream

Diaper rash is one of the inevitabilities of infancy. It makes for a thoroughly miserable baby and is very upsetting for parents too—no one likes to see their child in pain. Fighting diaper rash with an effective cream that eases a little one’s discomfort and restores their baby-soft skin as quickly as possible is crucial. We asked parents to try Desitin Maximum Strength Diaper Rash Cream and we tested it in our lab to see how effective and easy to use it is, and both families and editors were impressed.

The three key ingredients in Desitin are glycerine, which pulls water from the air into the skin; petrolatum, which forms a barrier on baby’s skin; and zinc oxide, which also forms a barrier and helps heal chapped skin. Desitin contains the highest level of zinc oxide a product is allowed (40 percent) before it requires a prescription, which no doubt adds to its effectiveness. As a result, it's a very thick white cream that stays put on your baby’s sorest bits and helps them heal fast. The cream does feel a little greasy when it’s applied, but the shield it creates remains, providing lasting protection for baby’s skin. This was especially important to one of our moms, who said her daughter was a “night pooper” and therefore always got the worst rash overnight.

Desitin is one of those products with its own distinct scent, which one mom described as smelling like paste (pretty common for clinical creams). But it isn’t an overly unpleasant smell, and another mom said she’d learned to love the aroma because the cream made her daughter feel so much better.

Our mom testers appreciated the packaging of this product—it comes in a sturdy tube you can easily throw in your diaper bag without having to worry about leakage. The container design also makes it easy for one-handed application and ensures you get exactly the amount you need. Our editors found that Desitin Maximum Strength Diaper Rash Cream spreads very easily on the skin, which is a definite plus, as you don’t want to put more pressure than necessary on baby’s already tender skin in order to get the cream where you need it.

Based on the ingredients, our mom testers were happy to use this cream on their kids (it is paraben-free and hypoallergenic), and they agreed it provided an effective barrier between skin and diaper. None of the kids had an issue with sensitivity related to this product, and all of them found their child’s diaper rash was noticeably less irritated after a few days of regular use of this cream. They all agreed Desitin did a good job of healing their babies’ skin.

Desitin is sold at a reasonable price point, and that definitely adds to its appeal for parents. A little bit of this product also goes a long way, too, and the most important fact—that it works—makes it a great value diaper rash cream that’ll soon become a staple in your diaper bag.

FINAL WORD

On the whole, parents who tested Desitin Maximum Strength Diaper Rash Cream were big fans and felt it's an excellent product they trust enough to use on their babies’ most delicate bits. While one tester found it wasn't an ideal product for her family, all others gave this diaper rash cream very good ratings for quality and value, and good or very good ratings for ease of use. Moreover, all said it deserves the Today's Parent Approved seal. Our editors, meanwhile, were impressed with how easily the thick cream glides onto skin and how effectively it forms a barrier. This heavy-duty, zinc-packed cream is a great option if your little one is suffering from a severe diaper rash because it both protects and soothes redness.