Simply keeping baby's bottom constantly dry (IMMEDIATELY CHANGING A WET DIAPER), and allowing air circulation (CLOTH DIAPERS AND BREATHABLE DIAPER COVERS) will almost always clear up diaper rash.
Letting baby go diaperless, or in a cloth diaper without a cover, for part of the day will allow extra air circulation.
Ozone gel (see sidebar), will soothe the pain and speed healing of difficult rashes.
According to the Canadian Pediatric Society ( (Little Well Beings, 1994), diaper creams and ointments should NOT be used, as they trap germs, urine, and stool on the skin, causing rashes and infection. They are also very hard to wash off the skin during diaper changes.
Do not use creams containing zinc or petroleum jelly. Not only do they block air from reaching the skin, both are cancer-causing agents. The Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary says that zinc is cancer-causing, mutagenic, and toxic. The book Beauty to Die For states the same thing, and also says: Petrolatum (petroleum jelly) can cause allergic skin reactions. It prevents the skin from taking in oxygen and respiring out waste. Highly comedogenic (acne producing) ingredient. It is a petrochemical. May contain 2 well-known carcinogens, benzo-a-pyrene and benzo-b-fluroanthene.
Stearyl alcohol is used in some disposable diapers and cosmetics.Studies show that it may cause contact dermatitis (skin disease/abnormality) and allergies.

In 1999 disposable diaper companies announced a "new and improved" diaper with “gentle care lotion” containing a thin layer of petrolatum (petroleum jelly) which transfers to baby's skin, penetrating the superficial layers of the stratum corneum. The objective is to decrease diaper rash (they said). The ingredient list on one brand included petrolatum, stearyl alcohol, and aloe vera. On the other brand, it was petrolatum and ozokerite (ozocerite). After reading about the side effects of some of these ingredients, do you think they would be helpful to a baby with diaper rash? Both brands say that gel-like particles can be found on baby's skin and to wipe this off with a damp cloth.