Ringworm, diaper rash, fungus, or a reaction to something in certain types of diapers… What started as a simple question from a mom about a round rash on her baby’s bum triggered a huge number of comments and concerns from parents experiencing the same.

We look at possible reasons for the round rash and also dive into the parents’ discussions and experiences.

circular rash on baby's buttPin


The Mom’s Original Question:
Our baby has a round rash on her bum. It started to show when we had to give her amoxicillin for her ear. We don’t have animals, and she has not played in the soil. I took her to the follow-up with the doctor, and I showed him the rash. All he said was just to watch it.

It looks like ringworm, but my husband and I don’t have it, and we touch it. I looked up ringworm and the system, and the picture. It doesn’t look like it, or the system doesn’t match. Please look at the picture of her rash. Can someone please help us?

Jennifer Brown

Round rash on baby's buttPin

The Rash On My Daughter’s Butt


Circular Rash On Baby’s Bum – Ringworm, Eczema, Diaper Brand Or What

This was a tricky rash! I, too, was thinking about ringworm, but I can’t see it closely enough (thanks for the photo!).

I also considered allergies, but then the rash would usually appear on the tummy or face or be more widespread. Just a spot like that on its own is probably not an allergy. However, you could just think back if she is eating anything differently; my daughter kept getting a rash on her neck, which turned out to be an egg allergy.

Another possibility is some sort of fungus, especially since your daughter has been on antibiotics.

Have you changed her diaper brand or type recently? Since the rash is local to the diaper area, trying a different diaper brand or type could be worth a try.

If it annoys her or you are worried, get a second opinion. But children get all sorts of little skin conditions, and they usually are nothing to be concerned about and go away on their own. I would take the advice of the doctor and just keep an eye on it. Probably letting your daughter air her bottom off is a good idea. When they are constantly in diapers, it is a warm, humid environment that makes healing slower.

UPDATE – Parents’ Experiences of Circular Diaper Rashes

After this Q&A was first published, many parents commented with similar circular rashes in their babies’ diaper areas. A number of possible reasons have been discussed:

1. Rashes related to certain diaper brands

If you read the comments below, you’ll find many parents experiencing that certain diaper brands are causing round rashes on their babies’ bums. However, babies using several different brands experience these rashes, so there is no evidence that any certain diaper brand would be a problem. However, changing to another brand may solve the problem in some cases. Some babies may be sensitive to something in one diaper brand but not in another one.

2. Rashes related to certain types of diapers

You will also notice that the babies in the comments below mostly use disposable diapers. Yet, the rashes also occur in potty-trained children and babies using cloth diapers.

3. Ringworm

Ringworm is often mentioned, and this is probably the case for some babies. Ringworm is a type of fungal rash, and the name comes from the circular form of the rash, not because some worm causes it. However, ringworm is contagious and usually itchy, which does not fit the symptoms for many of these babies. Often, the circular rash also has clearer skin in the middle, which does not fit the circular rash for all babies in the thread.

4. Pityriasis Rosea

Pityriasis rosea is mentioned a few times. This skin condition is harmless and temporary and can resemble ringworm. However, it is rare for babies and toddlers to get this.

5. Granuloma Annulare

Someone also mentions a granuloma annulare. This is rare among infants but otherwise relatively common and benign.

6. Disposable diapers that are “too effective”

Another discussed possibility is that many disposable diapers are a little bit too effective in sucking up moisture, so a sensitive baby’s skin can become too dry, and a circular eczema is developed.

Takeaway

These are some of the possible reasons for a round rash on a baby’s bum that are discussed in the comments below. In many cases, trying a new diaper brand, treating the diaper rash with an appropriate ointment, changing diapers often, and letting the baby kick without diapers often will solve the problem. However, this is not helping in all cases, and if your baby’s circular rash does not disappear within a reasonable time or your baby seems to be bothered by it, the best you can do is to show the rash to a doctor for assessment.

Good luck!

Paula

Parents, if any of you have a similar experience, please share your thoughts on what this can be!

More On Baby Rashes

Research references

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This Post Has 135 Comments

  1. Brad

    Ok so my twin sons are 3 and now potty trained during the day we had been using pampers easy ups for close to a year now, we use them for naps and bedtime but I accidentally bought the cruzers about a week before a rash started on one of my sons it may be a coincident but sounds like the cruisers got to go

  2. Agnes

    Our 13 month old baby just got the rash after we gave him Amoxicillin. I think it is from the antibiotic and that it will go away when he finishes the prescription.

  3. Alva

    Well my son is four and has had it, I believe it’s not diapers causing it. He has gotten this off and on. Weird

  4. julie

    We’ve been battling that rash for 4 years, since my daughter, who has very sensitive skin, was 1 or 2. It is a little circle just on the top of one of my daughter’s thighs under her buttock. It is always in the same spot. It’s not ringworm. It comes and goes. She gets it less often now than when she was a baby, but she still gets it. The doctor says it is eczema or some sort of allergy, and there isn’t really anything we can do to get rid of it permanently. It doesn’t bother her. We’ve noticed that it tends to flare up when she wears tights, or when she is sitting on the floor a lot in a classroom or other place. When she was little, it would go away with Boudreaux’s butt paste, and now it fades or goes away with benedryl, but it always comes back. If anyone comes up with a way to get rid of it permanently, I’d love to hear about it, but I’m not optimistic that will happen.

  5. Deptford, NJ

    OMG! Yesterday I noticed the same circular rash. One on each of my daughter’s buttocks. I have always used Huggies and A&D ointment on her. I put Desitin on it and it seems that in just one day, it has gotten less pronounced. I wish I knew what it was. Don’t think it’s ringworm though.

  6. Liz

    That rash is definitely ring worm. I know it sounds bad but doc say it is as common as a yeast infection. My son has go it on his bum too just a bit of anti fungle and clotrimaderm cream will fix her all up.

  7. Aurora IL

    My son is 2.25 years old. Last Spring/Summer I noticed what I thought was typical diaper rash. But I soon saw one big round/oval spot that wasn’t going away. At first I was worried it was a tick bite & Lyme disease (my dad lives in NC), then a friend suggested ringworm (and from photos on the Internet, it DID look like that) but now I’m thinking it isn’t ringworm. It has been coming & going. I’ve tried a slew of creams and still, it returns, sometimes very angry looking, then it looks like its almost completely gone! I DO use PAMPERS Cruisers and am wondering if it is some sort of reaction. I’ll try switching to that Walmart brand for several months & see if it returns. I DO notice that frequent baths with hot sudsy water and keeping it dry keep it more under control. I can’t figure out if powder or creams (anti-fungal or cortisone) help or not. It bothers me that these doctors have no clue after it is seeming to be a super common issue, they might as well be vets I’m paying to guess what’s wrong with my dog!!

    1. Aurora IL

      By the way…this almost sounds like this common rash but why does it still come back??? Google “pityriasis rosea”.

  8. Jelena

    My 4 year old has autism and has also developed a rash exactly like everyone else has posted I had just switched to pampers cruisers sz 4 from SAMs about a month ago she has had the rash for a week it seemed better but then came back I changed diapers after reading this thanks for the info I will post again in a few days I hope this goes away my daughter can’t tell me if it hurts or bothers her I am really upset but I am glad I found this post I will try a little hydrocortisone cream or benidryl cream too.

  9. Dr. Nida

    Most Kids at the first few years of life might have these rashes, this is most likely to be an auto-immune causes, or some times hypersensitivity to foods, or diapers etc… Normally they don’t need any treatment, and they come and go at their own. But if the rash itchy, you can use over the counter calamine lotion with anti-histamine. Just observe and if you see any complications, then see the dr.

  10. lauren

    My daughter has this same round rash on her bottom too. I noticed it about a month ago and started using butt paste on it. Thought that was helping but it has seemed to re appear. I use huggies and kirkland brand diapers. But thinking back when this rash first showed I was using pampers, as I received a large box as a gift. So could this have started the rash??? I will be taking by daughter to the dr. this week. I hope we can get this cleared up.

  11. Britt

    My 2 yr old daughter has the same red rash and i took her to the doctors and they said it was ringworm shs been on 2 different creams for about 2 weeks now and the rash is not improving at all it seems to be getting worse and worse and i tis no spreading. My daughter uses Luvs diapers and weve used them since she was a baby and we have used the same wipes. Im at a complete loss and i do not know what to do im on the phone with the doctors at least once a week and all they do is keep changing the cream to treat “ringworm” which im pretty sure she doesnt have. Please help! We all need answers!

  12. concerned mom too

    My 27 month old son has had this red round spot on his bottom for a couple of weeks now. I have googled it and this conversation seems to describe what he has; however, we use Huggies. My son has allergies and I am told that allergies can develop and change in the first few years of life, but really this is one spot on his bottom. If it were an allergy you would think it would be elsewhere. Also, it doesn’t seem to bother him at all. I think we will go see a dermatologist next week.

  13. Will

    We had the same exact rash. We thought it was the pampers but we switched to huggies and it didn’t go away. We applied triple paste every day and still the same. Finally we realized it might be the wipes. We got a good deal on huggies natural care sensitive wipes so we used them. We thought they were natural wipes and can’t be the cause but sure enough, the next morning… huge improvement. We have been wiping with only paper towels and water and drying his bottom completely before putting the diaper on.

    Make sure to rule everything out. It’s easy to assume it’s the diapers but it just as easy can be the wipes, they have alcohol in them and dry out your babies skin.

  14. Brenda

    I am wondering if anyone found out what the round rash on your child’s butt was? My 2 year old has that same thing. He also has a small place on upper part of leg, and small place on back. They are not as big as area on but. Please someone help me know what it is.

  15. Stacy

    Did you ever figure out what this rash was? My baby has the exact same thing on his buttocks. This rash is NOT caused by ringworm. Besides ringworm being HIGHLY contagious, it’s also very itchy, and this rash is not bothering him in the least. There are many rashes and skin conditions that are commonly mistaken for ringworm, making misdiagnosis highly likely.

    My son has a doctor appointment on Thursday, but if your child was diagnosed, then please contact me, I’m very curious about your doctors opinion.

    Thanks!

  16. Cristina

    Ladies…it’s ringworm. It’s common on babies butt’s because of the warmth in their diapers and easily treated with creams. Not everyone will get it by the touch either.

    Everyone just relax!

  17. Carrie

    Sorry Pampers, but in my son’s case, I’m pretty sure its the result of recently switching to Pamper’s Cruisers. We spotted a sale a few days ago, and started using them just 2 days ago. Though we’ve probably used 4-5 cruisers, my son today, developed large hives on his buttocks and both calves. I’m lucky to have stumbled upon this blog, because I was thinking it was food, however, he didn’t eat anything new and unsusual, and is in good health. The only major change in his routine was switching from Pull-Ups to Pamper’s Cruisers. Hopefully, I can get my money back and buy Pull-Ups instead.

    There is company in numbers, but I’m sorry to hear about everyone’s child.

  18. Abby

    My son has the same thing doc gave me some antibiotics and its not going away and I use Huggies. it will not go away.

  19. Rosa

    Obviously, it is always safe to check with your doctor, however my son has the exact same spot on the exact same part of his butt and we’ve been treating him with clotrimazole cream for ringworm for a few weeks. It can take up to six weeks of twice a day application for the fungus to go away. It has gone away drastically but its a slow process. I would bet that with a little research or a doctors visit you will find that it is ringworm, however babies butts are very sensitive so always at least call your doctor about it first.

  20. bobbi

    Hi, I’m looking for an answer also.we recently moved back from tennesse and my 2 year also has a round rash on her bottom the doctors in tennesse told me they weren’t sure if it was ringworm or not and gave me medicine. Iit went away and now its back I’m a loss for word cause I have no idea wat it is.

  21. rachel

    I dont thnk it has any thing to do with the diapers as my 3 year old has the same small circleish rash on her bottom. Im still curious to what it is… allergy? She just got off amoxicilin for a cold. Or dry skin? It doesn’t look like ringworm or pityriasis rosea…should a doctor visit be in the future?

  22. Reymz

    The best ointment i ever use to my baby if he has a diaper rush is “desitin”, it is very effective. It is recommended by my pedia.

  23. Melanie

    My little boy had something similar. had to go to a dermatologist. it was called “pityriasis rosea“. google it. hope this helps =) his pediatrician had no clue what it was, hence the derm. appointment. good luck!

  24. Melissa

    Not sure what the rash is. If you have any info, let me know. Same circular rash.

  25. Christina

    Have you figured out what it is? I took my son to the doctor and he told me it is a yeast infection. I’ve been giving him the Lotrimin Cream for two days now and am not seeing a change so far. I’m not sure he is correct on this, so I’m trying to find info online myself. Please repost on here if you have found out what it is and I will recheck on here. I will also post again if I find anything new out.

    Thanks so much,

  26. Kayla Perkins

    It could be nummular eczema. I’ve been doing some research since my 20 MO has a similar rash. My first thought was ringworm (which it definitely could be), but this type of eczema has a very similar presentation. My daughter has had her rash for some time. Ringworm will typically go away on its own after several weeks. I am thinking my daughter’s case is eczema or maybe even a yeast infection since she also has a spot behind her knee. In any case, if you are really concerned about it or if it is spreading, definitely see the pediatrician or dermatologist! We are still just monitoring our daughter’s rash and treating it with barrier creams/lotions to cut down irritation.

  27. Jeanne

    I just wanted to add, my daughter, who will be 3 in May, also has had this rash, which seemed to appear after she took an antibiotic. She has not been in diapers for a year now and has the rash. I got rid of it on her rump, but now there are a few small red circles going up her left leg, just noticed yesterday.
    Again, using the same cream and rubbing it in.
    But she is NOT in diapers. I think it’s an extension of a yeast infection.
    I don’t believe this to be ringworm since nobody else in the house has been affected, including myself since I’m the one always dressing these little circles.
    The cream I’ve been using is Nystatin and Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream USP. But it needs to be used as instructed, and that is once in the a.m. and once in the p.m. This cleared the butt right up. So I’m sure it’ll do the same for the little spots on her leg.
    Now to just figure out if it’s NOT part of a yeast infection, what the heck is it?! She does have issues with a “sore pee pee”…so I’m thinking it’s all related.

  28. Steve

    My daughter is fully potty trained and has been for a year and just recently got this rash. She had two smaller circles but they seem to have gone away, now she has one medium sized one in a different spot ..?

  29. RN

    My baby is 10 months and has that same circular red raised rash for the first time… im chaging his diaper more often, letting him air dry and putting OTC hydrocort. cream and corn startch powder on it. I have always used Pampers baby dry and about a month ago switched to Huggies. I think the huggies are more stiff than the pampers but I don’t think it’s fair to blame companies. All children, and adults for that matter, have sensitive skin. Sensitive meaning, we all react differently to certain products on our skin. As a Registered Nurse, I have seen many diaper rashes caused by allergies, antibiotics, sensitivities, and even a negligent parent/caregiver. It is sometimes difficult to pinpoint exactly what’s causing the rash. But, just remember that your baby’s tushy is sitting in a moist environment and at times quite acidic. Proper diapering is essential! Always use non-alchoic wipes or plain soft tissue with some cetaphil wash, let tushy air dry, use balmax (Balmex=prevents rash, and Desitin=treats rash) with each change and baby powder to prevent reoccurrence. (There are many other great prevention creams as well…) If you need any other medical help, you should always refer to your licensed practitioner or pharmacist. Good luck!

    1. ACE

      Baby powder hasn’t been recommended for many years now. When it gets wet it clumps up which can cause further irritation from abrasion. Not to mention the inhalation risks.

  30. Linda

    My 8-month-old boy had this rash on the inside of his thighs for about 2 months. He also had it behind his knees, but it was not eczema because the skin wasn’t dry. I thought it could be some fungal infection similar to ring worm, so I used anti-dandruff shampoo on the rash. I know it sounds weird, but there is something in the shampoo that kills fungal spores. After applying it, I left it on for a couple of minutes and then wipes it off with wet cotton wool. After about 2 days, I stopped using the shampoo, and used a mixture of Cetaphil cream with a few drops of tea tree oil. I’ve been using this mixture for about 2 days, and the rash is gone!!! I hope this helps for you, because this rash was a great worry.

  31. Jessica

    My son will be 3 in March and we have been attempting to potty train since 18mths. He has reached every mile stone but this. I have been trying to be patient but it has been a horrible experience for both him and I. I’ve tried everything but He will not poop unless He has a diaper and when I put him on the potty he says”I dont like to booboo.” I believe it is a mental issue for him. Ive switched potty seats, let him pick out seats, sing poop songs, read poop books to him, calmly explain to him that everyone has to poops, sit with him, let him watch his dad and I potty, let him stand I when other toddlers went potty,took just about Everyones suggestions and even let them try, I stop buying and putting pamper on him from time to time, I’ve tried letting him stand in the bathroom while going in his pamper, dropping it in the toilet and let him flush it, making games out of potty time, U name it I tried it. While he has no problem with #1, I cant get him to #2 in the toilet. PLEASE PLEASE HELP US.

    1. Paula @ EasyBabyLife

      Hi Jessica,

      What you are describing is sooo common! I know many babies or young toddlers who willingly pee in the potty or toilet but just won’t use if for pooping. To be honest, I don’t know why, but this is how it is for many children. My oldest son was the same. With him we went the tough way when he was almost 3,5 years old. We simply refused to let him use the diaper.

      I don’t think this was one of my most brilliant moments as a parent. Quite ashamed of it today actually. I was worried about what daycare would think and others would think and so on. As if it was their business…

      Well, afterwards I realized how stupid the decision was. In another family that had done the same, their daughter simply stopped pooping. She held back until she was in great pain and severely constipated. Again and again.

      I’d recommend first to just leave it for a while. This has obviously become a power-struggle, and surely your son can feel the tension. Just let him be for a month or so. During that time, if he takes any initiatives to poop in the bathroom, you can praise him, but no nagging whatsoever about it. After that take it step by step. Maybe even wait until he is 3 years old, and then say that he is now a big boy and you need a poopy plan. If at all possible, let him come up with ideas on how to get rid of the diapers. Maybe the first step is to make sure the pooping is done in the bathroom. A sticker, fun dance with mom or whatever could be the reward every time it happens. Next step to poop in the diaper sitting n the toilet or potty for example. And so on.

      But first all, just leave it. You really need to take the tension out of the situation.

      Good luck,

  32. momof4

    Anonymous

    I don’t think it is the Pampers. I have 4 children and learned early on with each one that we could not use Pampers. With my last one, currently 8 months, we have only used Huggies and now he has the round circle rash. He had one on his inner leg where last week, and now this morning woke with a large one on the back of his bottom. It doesn’t seem to bother him, but sure does bother me. I remember seeing this on my last child, but for the life of me can’t remember what we did to get rid of it. So, here I am looking again for an answer. If it continues, we will be making a trip to the doctor. Will repost if I figure out what helped.

  33. K.

    I have the same rash. It started with just a spot that cleared up. It started about 10 years ago. It comes back at least several times a year. It started at the lower part of my buttocks and now its sits higher. Now I have 5 spots on my right buttocks. If you find out what it is please let me know.

    I have been on antibiotics and that doesn’t seem to help. I always thought it was a fungus that I might have picked up from public bathrooms. I know it is not ring worm. I have cats and get that occasionally.

    After the holidays I am going to a skin specialist to see if they can figure out what it is and what causes it.

    Good Luck,

  34. Shelly

    I can’t believe I just read all this. I have been battling this red patch for a year with my daughter now two. My husband and I decided some time ago to not buy the Pampers because every time we used them my daughter would get diaper rash. We have battled the red patch which was nearly gone but then comes back. For one year I have tried everything but nothing has kept it from coming back. I tell all my friends to watch out using pampers. Luvs too haven’t been good. I like seventh generation, huggies, and kirkland brand. I have used everything under the sun on trying to clear up these red patches which is why I stumbled upon these posts. Because I am yet again up another night researching trying to find a cure. And because the patch is exactly in the leg band area it is always irrated.

  35. mimi

    Not the diapers…dd wears huggies only at night and same issue…never ever wore pampers. ..not ringworm. Thinking it is yeast. Going to doc tomorrow. ..originally he said blocked sweat glands but didn’t make sense bc she never had this issue when she was in diapers. ..sooo frustrated…my poor baby’s skin

  36. Jennifer

    My kids got terrible diaper rashes when teething!

  37. Pissed off

    My 18 month old has the same rash took her to the doctor and she said it was not ringworm and to keep an eye on it . However we have always used huggies but they were out of the wipes so I purchased pampers wipes does everyone also use their wipes? Pissed

  38. Jasmine

    Wow, my 2 year old has the same exact round rash on her butt. She wears pampers cruisers sz 3. Shes had this rash for about 2 weeks, and its not getting better. We’ve tried everything. Time to switch diapers.

  39. Maxima9

    I’m in my mid 30’s and have this for 10+ years. After reading all these posts, I think it’s Pityriasis Rosea. Over the years, 2 family doctors, 3 dermatologists, and 1 allergist could not find out what it is after 2 cultures, 2 biopsies, and 1 complete allergy test.

    My spots appear mostly on butt and thighs. On a bad day I’d have 15+ on the back of my knees. They also appear once in a while on the back of my foot, face, and upper chest/neck. The biggest one ever was the size of a big orange on back of the thigh. I’m very lucky that the ones on my face and chest are pea size, very light pink, and usually go away in 2 days. But the butt/thigh ones can stay for 2 months. I haven’t worn a swimming suit in my entire adult life because of this. Luckily this doesn’t bother my husband, and pants, long skirts, and knee high boots can hide them.

    I guess there’s no way to prevent it from appearing. All treatments I read are after they appear, and the disease stays with one for life. Sucks.

    Again, thank you for shedding light on something that bothers me every day for so many years.

    Good luck with the rest and I hope the rash on your babies are just diaper related, not Pityriasis Rosea.

    1. ACE

      If the rash keeps coming back it is NOT pityriasis, I’m sorry to say. It would be psoriasis. My son’s came back, too. :(

  40. August Shine

    I know this is an old post but I’m having the same problem! Funny cause I just switched over from swaddlers to cruisers about a 1-2 months ago. It’s gotta be the diapers .

  41. Shannon

    This feed is about discussing weird round rash spots on babies butts..possibly due to diapers..not grown women or children that are experiencing something completely different… wouldn’t be surprised if this is the diaper company trying to distract us from the real problem…there product is defective and they need to look into all these complaints and take care of the problem…

    This is my final word on the problem… I switched from Pampers to Huggies and have not had one problem since… aside from normal diaper rashes… These products should not be causes round spot… Switch Diapers and you will see the change and the rash will stay away…

    1. ACE

      Thanks so much for trivializing my experiences with an IDENTICAL looking rash just because my son doesn’t, and has never worn Pampers. I thought we were a group of moms looking for an answer to a rash, not to assume it has to be the diapers that cause this particular type of rash 100% of the time. I hate Pampers with a passion. I refused to use them (or Huggies, or Luvs, etc) on my son at all. I hate all disposable diapers. Yet he still had a rash IDENTICAL to the one in the photo, only more of it. He actually had 10-12 spots that looked like that.

      But because he’s not in diapers and the other lady is a grown woman with a rash, means we work for Pampers. How nice. We aren’t allowed to search for answers because it doesn’t fit into your little demented world of blaming someone else.

      I have no ulterior motive posting here. I just want answers as to what’s wrong with my child just like you do. So sorry to be the bearer of bad news that it might not have been the diapers after all.

      1. ACE

        And btw, if you never switched back to Pampers to see if the problem would return, you simply can’t say it was their diapers. It may have cleared up in the same time frame if you hadn’t switched diapers. That it cleared after changing brands may have been nothing more than coincidence.

  42. ACE

    The dermatologist thought it might have been pityriasis, but the spots started to come back about a month after they cleared up. Quickly treated them with the steroid gel and they are almost gone again. Looks like we have Psoriasis here.

  43. Sugar

    I live in New Orleans I have had a rash since I returned home in three years ago. The doc said it was my nerves gave me medicine for that,lol. wrong i now hv about five small lil circles on my butt they start off like a dime then become a silver dollar size. i was givenNystatin and Triamcinolone Acetonide cream. its not working. i asked if it could be some kind off staph and tha answer is no!!! What is this????

  44. amanda

    My daughter is 7 months today and I noticed it a few days ago, and looked it up and read all comments..I agree its a rash and so I put Desitin diaper rash ointment butt paste mainly used)on her to see what happens and it is drying instantly and not as red. She also uses pampers dry and this is the first time i seen it and started small then grew to about a nickel size…i use Desitin every diaper change and its going away!

  45. miawallace

    Well it’s been 11 days and I have noticed a major improvement. The spots are all but gone. The only thing I did was switch from Cruiser/12 hour to a store brand.. I, as a mother, am convinced it was the diapers!!

  46. miawallace

    Noticed the same rash on my 18 mo old. It has come and gone since I started on Cruiser( a few months ago).. I used Cruisers in the day time and the 12 hour at night only. Ran into a snafu with what was stocked and went to 12 hour diapers only for a whole box. I noticed a return in the spots the very next day (Worse than before). I remember first seeing them when we went to cruisers though. I too and doing a brand switch. I believe the cruisers and 12 hr diapers may be the culprit!

  47. ACE

    My 3 1/2-year-old has been potty trained since August (day and night). He also wore the Alvababy diapers before potty training. He presented with spots just like that over the last couple of months. It started looking like a scattering of whiteheads over his thighs, and then turned into the plaque/scaly circles. I’m intrigued by the Pityriasis rosea possibility. Many people have said it looks like ringworm, his father took him to another ped for a 2nd opinion and he said ringworm and prescribed an antifungal which did NOTHING over 3 weeks. Took him to a dermatologist a few days ago and he said it could be either psoriasis or eczema, no way to know which (isn’t that why they go to school? To know the difference?). He just didn’t seem to worried about figuring it out, but did do a skin scrape which ruled out ringworm. I think I’ll call Monday and ask about Pityriasis rosea. Thanks ladies!

  48. Susan in TX

    Just wanted to let you mommies know that I randomly tried Vaseline on these spots in hopes of something helping while I waited to get into the Dr– & to my amazement it worked perfectly. I didn’t even go through w/the appointment bc they cleared COMPLETELY w/a daily application of Vaseline. It’s wonderful. So please get some Vaseline & start applying today! It works. =)

  49. steve – sydney – australia

    My daughter is 8 and told me about a rash on her butt today. It must have been itchy for her to notice it because it is in the middle of her butt cheek. I’m going to try tea tree oil before we see the doc. Maybe ringworm but will let you know.

  50. Janine

    I do not believe it has anything to do with the diapers. My daughter is 10 and has these circular rashes. They are spreading and has them on her upper legs and butt. She had a couple on her legs last year and the doctor said ringworm and we used Lotromin on them. They did eventually clear up but now she is loaded with them again! I am a little upset by how fast they are spreading so I am making another doctor appointment today. I will let you know what I find out but I am soon thinking of taking her to a dermetologist instead. We have had a lot of skin issues in our family and I find doctors just don’t know a whole lot about skin, we usually end up at the dermatologist for a proper diagnosis. I’ll let you know how it goes.

  51. FirstTimeMom

    My daughter, who is 21 months old, has had this for two months. It was first diagnosed as diaper rash and was diagnosed with a cortisone cream. Came back two weeks later due to no change to be told it was diaper rash and ringworm. (Several spots: round on buttocks and some splotchy patches near the coochy.) after a month, we met back again to be told we needed to switch from the one type of ringworm medication to the other. I was informed the splotchy area was stage 2 ringworm. After two weeks, the round spot seemed almost gone and the splotches too. 24 hours later, it was as though the splotches came back with a vengeance and now we’re going back again tomorrow morning. I use pampers swaddles and let her get air time every chance I get. I have done epsom salt baths, a&d cream, and several other creams. I’m just lost as to what to next but God knows I’m trying.

  52. mommash

    at first,when i saw this same rash on my son’s bum, i thought he just had sensitive skin, so i made sure that my twins were in pampers bc they were best on my oldest son. The rash persisted and my daughter started getting it, so i took them to the doctor. we took home a tube of nystatin for a yeast infection. i used only washclothes instead of wipes and kept up with the cream for 2 weeks and it seemed to get even worse! we even let them go bare bottom to try and get the now sores some air) i went to the doctor this past week because it was HEARTWRENCHING to even wipe their tiny butts. I was literally wiping skin away with even the gentlest touch. He said it might be bacterial and to get better diaper…i thought i was using the best?!?! sooo they still have the rash, everytime it looks like it is clearing up it doesn’t. i think i will try out the gDiapers I’ve been contemplating. what else can i do?!?! suggestions PLEASE!

  53. Delco. Mom

    I am relieved and concerned all at the same time. I noticed a little round spot on my sons behind last week. He now has 2 more. I use Pampers on him, always have. This is the first rash I have seen though. He has, what look like, little pimples on his groin area. Def. going to call the dr’s … will let you know what they say. I do not think this is ringworm. My oldest daughter had it on her arm, and this does not look like ringworm at all.

  54. Susan in TX

    I cannot believe so many other parents are experiencing this, it makes me feel a little bit better that my son is not alone in this. My initial thought was ringworm, even though that freaked me out I applied Lamisil cream & no success. I don’t think it’s the diapers bc we mainly use Huggies. It’s so frustrating & alarming to see these circular rashes on my child & they are not clearing up. I am making a Dr Appt this week & I hope he can give me some answers. I will post what they say. Good luck to all you concerned parents. Thanks for the posts!

  55. Eczema Mom

    My daughter has had the same looking spots on her legs, butt, arms, etc…, which is 100% eczema. Some went away within a few days; others took months. We had to find the right lotion for her– and cost didn’t matter! We tried everything from a dermatologist recommended creams to homemade oils. What’s worked for her is Aveeno frag. free lotion. (Every child is different.)

    Also, she has to stay away from dairy. We have friends with the same problem. And dairy was one of the main reasons. (Might take a few weeks, but if dairy is the culprit, the eczema will eventually stay away.) While the rash is present, use the lotion throughout the day. Once it’s gone, I use it here and there. You may also want to limit baths. God bless!

  56. Sheena

    Ok, this is all too weird. My 19-month-old son uses Pampers Cruisers as well, he got this mysterious round rashes once before on his back side and I took him the doctors and they said it was definitely ringworm. So she prescribed some steroid cream, it dried up the rashes and went away within a week or two. Now, 5 months later, my son is getting the rashes again. I’m convinced its the Pampers Cruisers. Why are so many babies using the same brand of diapers getting these round rashes? All too weird for me. My son has a another doctors appt tomorrow, so we will see what he says, but I am definitely switching brands for sure. Thanks for all the info and input from everyone.

  57. V. Grayson

    My 18-month-old is in Huggies now (Little Movers are the best substitute for Pampers Cruisers). He lost the rashes that he had on his butt, but he has recently gotten two on his thighs. My doctor said they were eczema. That it can be caused by the chemicals in diapers sucking the moisture out of the skin since the absorbancy in the “good” diapers is so excellent.
    Put it this way: They work a little TOO well.
    Her recommendation was to just wait until he’s potty training and then the rashes will definitely be gone for good. Few more months and he’ll be done with diapers anyways.
    For the moms out there that have very young babies: Don’t use ointments! Vaseline is the best buffer to keep the good moisture in and the bad moisture out. Plus, it’s cheap. Lather that stuff on at every diaper change, and you’ll see improvements. It worked for both my sons.

  58. kristen

    My 18month old son has had this rash for a while now too. I’ve tried different ointments but with only temporary results. After reading some of these posts, I’ve decided to give switching diapers a chance. I, too, have been using Pampers cruisers for years with my babies. But, I am willing to give them up if that is indeed what is causing this rash. It is worth a shot. I will post later with results.

  59. Mallory

    I cant believe how common this is! Makes me feel much better… my son got these round spots when I switched from pampers to luvs, and they have been there for like 2+ weeks. I have gone back to pampers after trying a couple different diaper brands, because obvioisly its not the diapers. In the early posts on here, someone mentioned Pityriasis Rosea… google it! I am pretty confident its exactly what im dealing with, hope it is helpful to you too!

  60. Deborah

    I have used Huggies always and my son has two spots on his bottom. Heres what I’m thinking…. Most of the children affected are old enough to be potty training, as is my son. In the younger ones it may be the use of diapers (as they are wet and warm) but perhaps being in contact with the “potty chair” has something to do with it. My son didn’t get this until he started using it regularly. I started lysol-ing the blue cushion and then washing it with hot water after hes finished each time (vs about every other day in which case it got a simple baby wipe clean after he was finished). The rash is gone! Yay! No creams or anything. Hope this helps. Maybe i just got lucky.

  61. also huggies

    My 9month old had this rash for about a week and I happy that huggies got rid if the rash but i use huggies (little movers) on her..so not sure if i should switch brands. If anyone has figured it out please post it.

  62. Huggies since birth

    I’ve been using Huggies and Kirkland brand diapers for my boy since birth. He has had the same rash a couple of different times. He is now almost 11 months old, and I haven’t really seen a pattern that would explain why it comes or goes. Just tonight I saw two more round spots out of his diaper area on the outside of his left thigh. I’m not saying that you all don’t have a case for Pampers being awful for a baby’s skin (it seems pretty likely that there is a good case that they do not react well with baby’s bottom). What I am saying is that not every baby that uses a different brand will be free from round non-ringworm rashes. My hope is that it is something that he will eventually grow out of. What I can’t understand is that it seems like none of your pediatricians have ever seen this before (mine included). I mean, you would think that a dozen or more doctors (especially dermatologists) would have at least seen something like this.

  63. Dana

    My 20 month recently started getting this same rash which at first thinking it was due to some teething going on. But it has gotten worse over a 1 week period. I have tried the antifungal as well as the bordeaux butt paste but not helping much. After finding this website I was very glad to know that there is more people that are having this same problem because I also use Pampers Crusiers size 3. So I immediately went and bought the Huggies to try. We will see how that works but it is weird that I have been using these diapers since birth and now 20 months later start having the problem. We are also experimenting with potty training so she does get the extra bare butt time and also we have been using the johnsons baby powder with cornstarch. Thank you all for posting your comments or I would have been going to every doc that I could find to get a treatment.

  64. Lindsay

    hello all i am having the same problem with my 16 month old son. i changed from LUVS to HUGGIES little movers about 2 weeks ago and about a week ago he got his first round rash spot on his bottom and 2 days ago got another one on his other cheek. I never had any problems with the LUVS but i went to CVS to get the diapers and they dont carry LUVS so i got huggies thinking there wouldnt be a problem. Reading some other posts a few of you have had this problem with the Huggies so i think i will be making that trip to walmart for LUVS even if it is at the last minute :) thank you all for your help on this issue.

  65. Heidi

    I can’t believe all the diaper rash problems iv had with my daughter(17 months) iv tryed creams and even stoped using baby wipes and switched to cloth wipes which has helped alittle. She to has these round spots on her diaper area and butt. She to uses Pampers cruisers and i never thought till reading this it could be the diapers. Im swithing to huggies now and will let you know.

  66. Valerie G.

    Alright Ladies,
    I made the switch from Pampers Cruisers to Huggies Little Movers (the closest to cruisers that huggies makes). My 15 month old’s rash was gone in two weeks. Previously to switching I took him for his 15 mo check up and asked the pediatrician about it. She only had to glance at it to diagnose eczema, which she pointed out is just another word for really really dried skin. She said that he wasn’t ‘suffering’ from it as some kids do, on the insides of elbows and knees….but that he just had a small isolated case of it.
    I gave her my idea as to the cause: the chemicals that make the Pampers Cruisers so absorbant, actually work TOO well, and leech the moisture from the skin of the baby. She said that it is very plausible that it could be that. She also advised that I go ahead with my plans to switch brands.
    Two weeks later, my son’s bottom is back to normal. If you are having the same problem, please switch! Some of you have seen almost next day results…but it took a bit of time for my son, so I assume that everyone will see results at a different pace. Thanks for the suggestions, and I hope I helped as well.

  67. Mom in Seattle

    I’m so glad to have found this site. My 14 month son also has round rashes on his butt and I was looking for suggestions online.
    We are using Pampers Cruisers, too.
    I am going to go back to the store tomorrow and exchange the Pampers we bought to another brand.
    Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.
    I would’ve never guessed it might be the diapers until after having tried many ointments and doctor visits. Thanks again.

  68. DG

    My son also has the same rash. Started with just one spot and has multiplied! I have used Cortozone, Aquaphor, Eucerin, A&D ointment, and Desitin,,, nothing works. I am taking him to the Doctor and will post what he says. We also used Pampers Cruisers, size 4. I have wondered if it was the diapers. We have used them for several months and it has never been this bad, but the largest spot he has on his butt has been there for awhile. It was light pink for a long time and I wondered sometimes if it was a birthmark or something. However, he now has several spots and they are all red. They do sometimes fade a little and then come right back. It has only been a few weeks, but just keeps getting worse. I have been trying to remember if the first spot appeared when we originally switched from Swaddlers to cruisers. I am inclined to say it did, however since it was only one little spot and light in color, I didn’t think much about it. I had to buy Huggies nighttime diapers last week, because the store was out of pampers. I actually like the Huggies better. They seem to fit more comfortably. I wish I didn’t just buy a massive pack of pampers, but after reading this blog I think I am going to toss those and try Huggies. I feel so bad for my little guy. It doesn’t seem to bother him, but it really bothers me!

  69. Shannon

    I completely agree with Amanda’s comment. I used Swaddlers then switched to cruisers and had no problems until around when my twins were about a year old. I took my babies to the doctor several times and the only thing that would clear up the spots was steriod cream, but as soon as you stop using the cream it comes back. The only sucess I had was switching to a different diaper. I have no problems since, aside from normal diaper rashes occasionally due to teething and certain foods.

    As far as calling pampers or switching back to pampers -won’t happen. I filed a report months ago with the safety product commission (something like that). I say find out what the problem is with your product so other babies don’t have the same problem as our babies. I am an avid huggies user now. I also am loving huggies overnight diapers. I used to recommend pampers to new parents but know recommend huggies due to my twins experience and the cost involved going to the doctors several times.

    Good luck to you all, if you can’t get rid of the spots without steriod cream (which isn’t safe in the diaper area), SWITCH BRANDS AND THE SPOTS WILL DISAPPEAR FOR GOOD!

  70. pampers user

    My daughter has been wearing Pampers Swaddlers and then Pampers Cruisers since she was born. She has never gotten a rash from wearing these diapers. In fact, the only time she ever got any kind of rash, was when we tried a new brand. Without the absorb-away liner, my daughter gets horrible rashes (the regular kind that go away with A&D or Butt Paste).

    I’m definitely a Cruisers user for LIFE. I know that all kids are different and maybe my next baby won’t be able to use Pampers, but if I didn’t have these diapers for my daughter, she’d be walking around bare-butt all the time to try and avoid a rash.

    Sorry you’ve all had trouble but I know a lot of people who use Cruisers on their kids and they haven’t had any problems either. Good luck and I hope the rashes all go away.

    1. Amanda

      I also swore by Pampers. I wouldn’t change them no matter what everyone else used. My daughter used the Swaddlers until she grew out of them, and then on to the Cruisers. We used these for 10 1/2 months with no problems. Until THERE WAS. I am very happy that you havent had an issue with them, and I can only hope that you wont. But a month ago, I thought the same as you did. As parents, we are simply gathering here to discuss our situations, and the common denominator being the diapers. Ointments cant take care of the problem if there is an issue with the diapers, and we cant fix this issue unless all the parents step forward. As for my daughter, her spot that she had got about 5 shades lighter and shrank to half the size within 48 hours of switching her diapers to another brand. Obviously, there is an issue.

  71. Graysonsfour

    I think the few that have seen the rash pop up in the kids who don’t use Pampers might actually have an allergy or something else that’s causing it. It’s too much of a coincidence that SO many of us who are using Pampers are experiencing the same thing.
    I also believe that using creams and pastes aren’t really getting rid of the problem, just helping it a little. I’ve been using lots and lots of Vaseline over the spots and it helps, but it’s just acting as a buffer between his bottom and the diaper. It’s not actually doing anything. Just wanted to throw that in there.

  72. clothdiaperbaby

    I don’t think it’s the diapers…

    My dd had this round rash for over a month, but it can’t be pampers, because we use cloth diapers! We took her to the doctor an they prescribed something thinking it was due to fugal infection or something, and it made it double in size in one night! I used all the cloth diaper safe baby ointments/creams and none worked. finally I used triple paste, it worked wonderfully, but I hate that stuff, I don’t like putting steroids near my baby’s privots, that’s just asking for trouble. I now use burts bees ointment and it keeps it away. I know the area was always really dry, so I’d say give the baby lots of naked time to let the area breath, and use something like burts bees for night time only, and change often. This is a horrible rash and it spreads, and is sooo hard to get rid of, and tends to come back, but it can’t be the diapers.However I did use pampers cruisers for only 3 diaper changes this past weekend when we went to visit grandma and forgot her cloth diapers at home by accident, only 3 pampers diapers and she got a horribly red blotchy rash. It’s not like this picture though, and it’s went away with two nights of burts bees ointment, since we switched back to cloth asap. She just has sensitive skin.You can also try some hydro-cortisone creame (however you spell it). It took care of that round rash in just three nights, but only use it once in the morning, once at night, and only for a 3 day period, get it to go away, and use otc ointment to keep it at bay until your baby is fully healed. That stuff is magic.

  73. Amanda

    Hi again everyone. I wanted to let everyone kow that I took my 11 month old to her pediatrician to show him the red circle, as it has gotten painful for her. He said it is definately an allergy, that he feels is from the diapers. She now has smaller red circles around the larger one. I found that if you use a very thick layer of Bordeux’s Butt Creme, about 7 or 8 times a day, it seems to help with it getting worse, and has faded it some. But I have decided to contact pampers directly, and send them a report from my doctor, as well as a copy of these posts. Something needs to be done for these poor babies. I will keep you updated.

  74. same w us

    We JUST switched to Pampers Cruisers about a month ago and she’s started getting the same circle rash everyone is describing that’s NOT a ringworm… so we are going to switch back to pampers Dry… see if that helps… (she never had rashes like that before while she was using pampers dry)…

  75. Amanda

    Hi, I have been reading these posts, because my 11 month old just got the same thing on her butt cheek. She used Pampers Swaddlers for the first 5 months, and then we switched to Pampers Cruisers when she grew out of the Swaddlers. She uses the Pampers Cruisers size 3. Is what is weird is that she has used them for about 5-6 months, and just now got the round red bump. Have they switched the way they made the Cruisers recently? Is it possibly just the size 3’s that are causing the problems? The diaper seems to be the common denominator here.

  76. Shannon

    Since I switch from Pampers to Huggies my twins have had no problems. Don’t know how everyone else faired with the rash or if they switched diapers, but I am convinced it was the diapers as the spots cleared up as soon as I switched brands.

    With my twins-they both had the round spots, with the boy the spots didn’t seem to bother him what so ever-with the girl she was constantly trying to dig at them.

    Switch diapers and see if the rash clears up. Good luck to you all.

  77. Graysonsfour

    Three red spots. The biggest about the size of a half dollar and two dime sized ones…all on his bottom.
    My son is 16-months old and uses size 6 Pampers Cruisers. I love Pampers, but now I’m starting to realize the enormity of how wrong they may be.
    My oldest son, who is now 4, went through a bout of having a yeast infection when he was about the same age. The rash was on his private area and looked…for a lack of a better word: Slimey. It was very shiney and red…and none of the creams (prescribed or otherwise) worked. The only thing that took care of it was Vaseline. I applied it liberally for about a week and it went away for good.
    Now I’m dealing with a new kind of rash on my 16-month old. It’s red, but not scaly, or slimy. There are no pimples, pustules, or flakes. It’s just a pinkish-red, slightly raised, round rash. It doesn’t have the white or clear patch on the inside like ringworm presents with. It’s not flaky or patchy like psoriasis. It looks similar to pityriasis rosea, however it is not spreading as rosea usually does. Most of the diagnoses for the rash state that they should be itchy and bothersome…my son’s are not.
    I am going to conclude that it is caused by the diapers. I will switch brands and let ya’ll know what happens.

  78. Melissa P

    My son has a round eczema that looks identical to that. Only gets it on his top of his foot. He was finally allergy tested, and does have allergies, but that is not necessarily the cause. Look up disc eczema. Something like that. Did it get scabby? I had to use a RX cream with a steroid in it called Mometasome to get the round eczema to vanish. No cause, just eczema. Let me know what it turns out to be.

  79. Robbygirl

    ME TOO! My baby IS on the reflux medicine (for the gal who asked if anyone’s baby has reflux) AND he just started getting the spots too. Twice this week, one on each cheek but at separate times. I just read all this and my dear husband is off and running to get new diapers. We’re going to see if it clears up but if it doesn’t then perhaps it’s the reflux or the baby zantac he’s on. I will let you all know what we discover.

    Best,
    Robbygirl

  80. we too

    my daughter is 4 and she has 4 perfect round circles on her right side of her body all lower then her waist. each new one gets worse.

    the doctor said it is NOT RINGWORM and she has been given different meds nothing worked.

    she is going to the specialist now we shall see what happens.

    it could be GRANULOMA ANNULARE. very common with children 4 and younger.

    https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/granuloma-annulare/

    this rash could mean more problems or just go away on its own

  81. misty

    I am having this same problem my babysitter sent my son home with ringworm which it is not. The doctor told me to use a cream for it. Its just a rash. Well he still has it and its been a month. I am going to the store today to buy huggies. I currently use Pamper baby dry. I also use pampers wipes so I am going to buy different wipes to just in case will report back with my findings. Thanks everyone glad to know I am not alone on this.

  82. Shannon

    I took my twins to several doctors and the skin doc said that it was the diapers, they were irrating there skin. I am convinced that it is the Pampers cruisers. I used the swaddlers then switched to the cruisers and had no problems until pampers switched the design on the diapers. I used the cream the doctor prescribed-however the rash would keep coming back until I switched diapers and they have not had any spots since.

    I read the last couple of comments-that say they used huggies and have the same problem. But all I know is; that both my babies had this and my friends daughter had these and when we switched to huggies the spots disappeared.

    My only conclusion is to switch diapers to a different brand than you are using now and see if it clears up after a week. Something in the diapers is irritating these babies skin.

    1. JDaniel

      Well, we switched to Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diapers , and the spots are fading. Thank goodness!

  83. JDaniel

    My 9-month-old son wears Huggies diapers and he started several weeks ago with one perfectly round red circle about the size of a nickel. We treated with Dr. Flanders and it faded for a few days. Now it is about the size of a quarter & he has several more perfectly round spots all in the diaper area. They are very red but don’t seem to be bothering him. The doctor diagnosed it as a type of diaper rash cause from heat and moisture and says that he has seen it on many of his patients recently. He advised use of a hydrocortizone cream. We’ve been using that for three days but it doesn’t seem to be helping. The spots do fade from time to time, but then they’ll suddenly look worse than ever! Has anyone tried organic diapers and/or chlorine free baby wipes? That may be my next step. I’ve racked my brain about anything we’ve done, fed him, etc. differently but I can’t come up with any answers. After looking at pictures, I’m completely convinced it’s not ringworm. I just feel like it has to be some sort of allergen, maybe in the diapers that only certain babies react to. This is probably far fetched, but are any of your babies on reflux meds?

  84. Kat

    I never write too much on blogs, but I do have to share this with you. So, as crazy as it may sound – my son has been having this rash for 6 months all because of underwear. I don’t know why I did not put it together. It started when we began potty training. I would make him wear undies when he was at home, and the rash was not too bad. But when he was pretty good at going to the bathroom by himself we only used the diapers for nighttime and a nap. It got really really bad. It was spreading to his groin, and even upper corners of thighs.
    Last week we went to the allergies, who was AMAZING! We got tested for foods and Latex. Food was good, but Latex was a little off. The Dr said it does look like a combination of contact dermatitis from the underwear and a little fungus. We did a Nestatyn/Triamcianol cream just in case. I put on it on him for 2 days with no effect. Then I took the underwear off and put him back to pullups (I did make a small hole in them to take the padding off, so his little butt wont sweat all day) and in 2 days – EVERYTHING IS GONE! I did some research on internet, and they say that even thought it sais 100% cotton on our underpants, they do add a lot of stuff that can make people sensitive. So, here is my story, in our case it was not Pampers or diapers and we are rash free, I hope forever!

  85. Grandmom Susan

    I am a grandmom of an l8 month old girl. I see a lot of comments re: Pampers Diapers possibly being the culprit of this unknown rash. My granddaughter has that same round rash that started as a one inch patch and has now grown to a two inch circle rash. And we use the Huggies Diapers on her. She has been taken to the doctor twice about this and saw two different doctors and all they said was that “It’s a diaper rash.” We were given a cream to use, but it was burning her. We are at our wits end. The “2nd opinion” doctor said to use a product called Butt Paste, but even that is not working.

    AAAAAAAAAAyyyyyyyyyyyy.

  86. erica

    My son is 13 months now and he had this round patchy thing on his butt for over 2 months,,,the doctor said its ringworm and might be from the wetness of diaper,,but i change him soo often,,,i was using pampers swaddlers and it was fine untill i too switched to pampers cruisers,,,I cant believe so many people who have this problem are mostly the ones using cruisers,,I am switching ASAP… any suggestions?? he has very sensitive skin,,,

  87. Rebecca B

    I believe this is caused by the pampers as well. We used Swaddlers (which are the BEST diapers in the world) and as soon as we switched to the cruisers my son started getting these funky patches on his butt. He has had diaper rash before and these patches are NOTHING like diaper rash. I have tried cleaning with just a wet washcloth etc and nothing worked. This morning he had 3 patches and by this afternoon he now has 4 more starting up. I am going to switch diapers ASAP. We also buy our diapers in bulk so I still have a full sleeve of diapers left, but I guess I will donate them to charity for a needy family? I hate to do that to another child but if another family desperately needs them then I guess it would be a good thing.

    Anyhow, thanks for putting my mind at easy ladies! I’m glad I’m not the only person having this issue. Good luck everyone!

  88. Shannon

    I have been using Huggies for months now and my twins have not had any more problems.

    The creams only seem to clear it up if you’re using it -but as soon as you stop it comes back. This cream is not safe to use on a continuous basis. It states on the packaging that it is not safe on the diaper area. So please be careful. I would highly recommend switching diapers.

    By switching diapers you and your baby will be so much happier.

    Good luck to you all!

  89. kat

    Hello,

    My son has had the same exact thing for 5 months now. Pedi has no clue what it is. He said to use antifungal with cortisone (2%) twice a day. The rash went away completely, but then (while we were still using the creams) it appeared in one second. The same round spots, in exactly the same spot. I have tried everything – elimination diet and creams, and nothing helps. Ohh I am so frustrated!

  90. relieved

    My daughter had a spot that showed up a couple of weeks ago when I switched her from the Pampers Swaddlers to Pampers Baby Dry. The Baby Dry diapers caused a severe diaper rash, which cleared up. However, the round spot stayed. I immediately switched her to the Pampers Cruisers. The spot has gotten much worse over the last few days and is now spreading to her butt. She is constantly trying to scratch it. It sounds like what other mothers have described above. I’m so glad I found this. I’m going to switch diapers as soon as I can get to the store.

  91. K Phebus

    I posted a comment before about my son’s rash & diapers etc. I use Luvs now.

    I give his tushy as much fresh air as I can when changing him, wash with just clean water in that area, run tepid baths, not hot ones, and make sure the skin is DRY before AND after applying hydrocortisone cream – OTC 1% and then the Rx 2.5% when it’s bad. It seems to get worse if he is not dry, so for overnights I sprinkle cornstarch in the backside of the diaper and make doubly sure the H cream is dry by patting it on his skin – DRY before closing his diaper. I also went a size larger to give more air space in there.

    Good Luck Ladies!!

  92. Kellly

    My son has it on his butt too, and we just switched from Pampers Sensitive to the Cruisers.

    The description of pityriasis rosea from kidshealth matches how it erupted – https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/pityriasis-rosea.html

    When it first showed up I treated it with 1% hydrocortisone per the pediatrician – it didn’t go away but it stayed small until I let up on using the cream. Then it broke out into two more circles & some patchiness. The pediatrician recommended Lotrimin 3xday and it has mot really helped at all.

    So now I am going to switch to an eco-diaper for a while, wash with cool water frequently, get as much air on the butt as possible, and change diaper twice as often. I’ll also use the hydrocortisone sparingly, and let you all know how it helps.

    I’ve been a faithful Pampers consumer since my first child (Huggies caused bad bad sore rashes).

    1. Shannon

      Either it is a bad batch of products (although I don’t think this is the case). I heard somewhere (can’t remember where) that pampers change the design of their diapers from time to time.

      I know that I used Pampers Crusiers for quite a while with no problems, then around the time that my twins turned a year old, they started to get the round spots. It didn’t seem to bother my son so much, but my daughter was always trying to scratch at it. Around the same time I was having problems my friend had the same problem.

      After much frustration and several trips to the doctors, I realized that it was the diapers, so I switched to Huggies and sure enough, the rash finally cleared up. Haven’t had any problems since.

      I filed a report with the consumer product safety commission (I think that is what’s it called) and haven’t heard anything since then.

  93. Rebecca

    My son started having a few round rashes on his butt (mostly on his folds and groin) about 5 weeks ago and they are still there. It didn’t bother him so the doctor told us to keep an eye on it. But they’re getting bigger and it’s starting to bother him more. We’ve been putting lotion on it (the doctor said it could be eczema patches). We took him to see the doctor again and last two days we tried to put an anti-fungal cream on and that seems to have made it worse. :( I’m now thinking of stopping that. His rashes are big and round, but there isn’t a “ring” and he hasn’t been itching much until the last two days. This is why I don’t think it is ringworm. I am getting more and more worried and not sure what to do. The doctor also said it can be psoriasis, which worries me even more. I googled it on the web and that seems to be worse than pityriasis rosea. (I looked into pityriasis rosea because of an earlier comment.)

    We made an appointment to see a dermatologist but it takes forever to get an appointment. For those of you whose kids have had these round rashes for a while, did the 0.1% corticosteriod cream really help clear the rashes, or was it just a temporary improvement? Anyone has any luck getting rid of these rashes for good?

    Btw, do they spread to other parts of the body for your kids? Where are the rashes on your kid’s butt? The thing is my son is 2, but he is not on diapers anymore, so it can’t be a diaper rash in his case (and we only give him cotton underwear). So switching diapers is not an option for us. Ah, I hope this is not something serious…

    Thanks for sharing here!

  94. Ashleigh

    So, my daughter has had her rash for about a month. It is HUGE now. The Dr. already said it IS NOT ringworm, which was my first thought. I hate giving her any medicine or putting any cream on her. I am going to switch diapers. I to am a true believer in Pampers, my son used them until he was potty trained with no problem at all. But if Pampers is doing this to my baby girl, then I am going to have to switch. I just wish Huggies absorbed as much as Pampers. I am going to switch and see what happens.

  95. Shannon

    Yeah, it is the diapers. My twins have not had a problem since switching to huggies. My friend switched to Huggies and her daughter’s rash went away, but she wasn’t convinced that it was the diapers so she went back to pampers and the rash came back. Now she is convinced that it was the diapers.

    For those who are not sure it’s the diapers, all I have to say is: What is it going to hurt to switch brands for a month and see for yourself.

  96. Stephanie

    Yes, it is the Pampers. My daughter also had the same rash for about a month or so. I had tried the cream the dr. had prescribed and all. Well, until I switched from Pampers and began using Huggies brand, the rashes are now history.

  97. Mom of 2

    My daughter has the same rash. Nothing seems to clear it up. I am a faithful Pampers user. I never thought that it could be the diapers. We are going to switch and see if that helps.

  98. lulu

    well… ringworm is a NIGHTMARE…for me it all started with a spot on MY face…looked like a pimple! but my doc said it looked like a ringworm…in denial like many i couldn’t believe it!! i have 4 kids and none of them had it!! until… my 7 month old little girl came out with these spots on her butt…thats when i knew… ITS RINGWORM!!! you don’t have to be dirty people to get this!! you could have touch somewhere that someone else touch that had it and there you go, you get it!!!:(… just so you know…i found this out LATE!! when you go buy the cream (fungus cream) buy the best one… a doc told me that the cheap ones take double the time to heal!!! i didn’t know this until 3 wks into it!!! :( or get the rx for it!! good luck everyone…

    1. Shannon

      It’s not ringworm and I know that ringworm is not caused by dirty people. My older son has had that before.

      I’m telling you it is the diapers. I switched diapers in May and the rash has been gone since. Switch diapers for about a month and you will see.

  99. Classic Ruby

    Really old post but just in case someone comes across this…granuloma annulare can look exactly like ring worm…it starts off as a circle patch and then eventually becomes a ring, which can then seem to get bigger/spread. It’s benign condition. It can be sparked by a variety of things from diabetes and thyroid disorder to antibiotic use. Usually eventually it will go away on its own, however their are specific combination steroid topicals that speed it up.

    The walk in, gp, and several other doctors were stumped until I came across a dermatologist who identified it immediately. They can take a biopsy to confirm as well. Anyway this wasn’t an answer I saw suggested and I thought I’d share my own experience and hopefully it helps

  100. Kelly

    I always used Pampers Swaddlers until my son grew out of the last size, then I switched to Pampers Baby Dry or Cruisers and he started getting a round rash that started to get worse. My pediatrician said he had eczema and gave me a cortisone cream for it and it didn’t seem to work. So, I realized he started getting it at the same time I had switched diapers…so I bought Target brand to try out and see if it helped. Within 2 days the rash was gone! I now use Huggies or Target brand and have not seen the rash again.

  101. Keri

    Well my daughter got the same type of rash almost 16 years ago. The moisture in the diaper is what was causing it. It could be any of the things people have been talking about. Yeast etc. What I found worked was not always using baby wipes, but using a warm wash cloth to clean her up. Even if she just urinated. That shouldn’t stay on the skin either. It’s sterile when it comes out of the body, but quickly builds bacteria. I didn’t put a new diaper on right away either. The area needs to dry out. I used a little room heater on low heat. It really made a difference and she didn’t get rashes any longer. I didn’t do that everytime, but a few times a day.

    1. Shannon

      It not the typical baby rash your thinking of. Of course, you need to clean the area and let it dry before applying, cream. any idiot knows that.

      I took my twins to the dermatologist and he said it is indeed these diapers (pampers cruisers). After looking at the rash and checking out the diapers, he stated that babies’ skin is very sensitive and the lining in these diapers (particularly around the waist area) is very rough and as a result it is irritating them.(it is rough and itchy). He recommended a steroid cream to clear up the rash and switch diapers.

      Which I did and the rash is finally gone for good.

  102. toddlermom

    Not sure it’s the diapers… My 17th month old has a spot resembling the ones you are all describing. I’ll see the doctor Friday and will report any findings. We use cotton diapers through the day and Huggies at night.

  103. Jenny

    I cannot believe how many people have the same thing happening? I also use Pampers Cruisers and my 11-month-old has the rash… here’s the weird thing… my 2 1/2-year-old does not have it and he wears Cruisers as well? I purchase size 3 for the little one and size 4 for the older one. So they are not wearing the same ones. Please let me know if anyone figures out what this is?

    1. Shannon

      My tiwns wear size 4 and 6. So in my case it doesn’t seem to matter what size it is. My friends baby wears size 3. I Filed a complaint this morning with the CPSC. Hmmmmmmmmm

  104. Stephanie

    Check out this site to report an unsafe item: U.S.Consumer Product Safety Commission. There is a link on the page where you click on to report an unsafe product. Hope this helps. My daughter also uses Pamper Cruisers and have those rashes, for about a month now.

    https://www.saferproducts.gov/IncidentReporting

    1. Shannon

      Thank you for the suggestion on where I could report this, which I did do this morning. My twins rash is coming back and won’t seem to stay away unless i continue to use the cream (which is not safe). Note however that I have not switched to a different brand yet, because I bought the cruisers in bulk and well frankly with twins diapers are expensive. Maybe I will have to throw these out and just go ahead and switch.

  105. Shannon

    That is also the Cream (0.1% is a corticosteroid) that my doctor recommend and it is working, never did use the antibiotic. The cream has cleared it all up.

    The doctor said to let it breathe and go without a diaper as much as possible. And when a diaper is used to; wrap it loosely around the waist.

    What is up with these diapers (Pampers Cruisers). I tried checking on various sites and can’t seem to understand why there isn’t recall or something.

    I even tried to find a site that I could report this, but nothing. Any one have any suggestions? Which really sucks, because I loved pampers until this happened.

  106. Ana

    my 8-month-old son also has this rash and also wears pampers cruisers. I am going to try switching to a different brand. he has a dermatologist appointment this week so we’ll see what they say.

  107. Kimberly

    My grandson has had this same rash for several months now. My daughter has taken him to the Doctor twice. The first time they didn’t know what it was and told her to just watch it. If it didn’t get better in a few days they would try a antibiotic. Well the antibiotics did not work so on the second Doctor visit they didn’t do any thing.

    After reading everyone’s comments one of them mentioned “pityriasis rosea”. I did some research on the internet to find what they use to treat it. I found out that one of the treatments is to use a Topical cream . I had some Elocon cream 0.1% so I figured why not, we have used everything else. I put it on his rash last night and this morning I could see a big improvement in the rash. It’s not near as red and its looking better with every diaper change.

    I’m not a Doctor but it seems to be working so far.

    Hope this helps.

    1. Paula @ EasyBabyLife

      Hi there,

      It is great to hear that you’ve found an ointment that helps. However, I just want everyone to discuss using this cream on their child with the baby’s health nurse or Dr before applying it.

      ELOCON Cream 0.1% is a corticosteroid and according to recommendations, should not be used in the diaper area if the baby still uses diapers and should in any case not be used for longer than 3 weeks for any child younger than 4 years.

      There is also a recommendation that it should not be used for babies younger than 2 years.

      But if you speak to your baby’s doctor, he or she may very well recommend Elocon anyway, and provide help exactly how to use it.

      Thanks for the tip!

  108. Shannon

    I took my twins to the doctor this morning and well big surprise. He doesn’t have a clue what it is. He said it definitely isn’t ringworm. My son only has it in a couple small spots, my daughter has it all around the waist band area.The Doc prescribed an anti-bacterial – anti-inflammatory cream, said if it doesn’t help he will give her antibiotics.If this doesn’t clear up, I will have to take her to a skin specialist.For now, I will have to switch to Huggies, I am still convinced it’s Pampers Cruisers. Good luck you guys.
    One last thing the doc said to try to keep it moisturized looks dry) even with vaseline and to let her go without a diaper some -so as to let it breath.

  109. Pauline

    My son has this all over his butt and now he’s starting to get it around his lower abdomen. I showed it to the doc a couple of weeks ago and he said to use cortizone. Didn’t help. I’ve switched to Huggies. I was using Pampers Cruisers too. I’m also applying Lotrimin. We’ll see…If it doesn’t start to clear, I’ll go back to doc.

  110. debb

    My daughter is 14 months old and has the very same thing. I have been very worried but the doctor told me it was most likely a reaction from her chicken pox vaccination. I don’t know cause it is still there. I’m worried. Please if anyone knows let me know. She also wears Pampers Cruisers.

  111. Shannon

    My sons spots are getting really scaly looking and his twin sister has another spot on her private area. The spots all seem to be around the waist band area. Very strange, this is definitely not ringworm, my older son has had that before and these spots don’t look the same. I’m going to take my babies to the doctor for their annual shots on Tuesday and will ask the doctor then. I will let everyone know what i find out.

    1. Shannon

      Then again maybe it is ringworm-I just got done looking at quite a few pictures of ring worm and it looks very similar to what my baby has on their butt. Still makes me wonder if there is something wrong with these diapers.

  112. Tom

    My son has the same rash on his butt also. He has had it for three weeks. We have tried alot of different creams and no real change. His twin sister does not have it. I thought it was diaper rash, but it never goes away. We have tried lotrimin in case it is a yeast infection, and neosporin in case it was an infection, but again no real results. We are taking him to the doctor Friday…It really does not look like ringworm. We are potty training and use the pull ups, but at night use the Pampers Baby Dry Diapers. This is strange that everyone has this at the same time.

  113. Shannon

    I’m unsure what it is (kinda looks like ring worm-however it is lighter and some are inregular round spot-which isn’t common with ringworm). Ringworm typically is perfectly round and is lite pink in the center with a dark pinkish red circle on the outside.

    I haven’t asked the doctor yet, will in a couple weeks when they go in for their checkup. I’ll post when I find out and what they say to get rid of it. Until then, I’ll try various home remedies.

  114. Dena82

    My daughter has the same rash and now I’ve notice 2 more on her buttocks. I’ve been putting A&D ointment on the rashes. But it’s not helping any. Has anyone found out what it is and how to get rid of it? It’s not bothering my daughter, but its bothering me. My daughter also uses Pampers Cruisers.

  115. Shannon

    Seems funny to me so many people are having the same problem. I have twins who both have this all over there butt. Girl has two round spots, and the boy has several that seem to be spreading.

    I have a question for everyone (what kind of diapers is everyone using). I am starting to think it is related to the diapers because my friend’s baby has the same thing.

    I use Pampers Cruisers and my friend uses Pampers Baby Dry Diapers or Cruisers?

  116. sallymom

    My daughter has this round rash on her bun too as well as a yeast infection in the diaper area. I think it may be an extension of the yeast infection too. I’m going to try monistat on it and see if it helps.

  117. jen

    Sounds like ringworm. My son had a little rash on one side of his butt and I thought at first it was eczema but it grew and turned into a ring. I started using an OTC cream but it didn’t help. Then it spread to the other side and up to his lower abdomen. It doesn’t seem to bother him except the spot on his lower abdomen…he always tries to scratch it when I’m changing his diaper. He was just at his one year check and the doctor confirmed it. He prescribed a cream and I’ve been using it twice a day for 5 days but this is persistent.

    I have not contracted it and I’ve read that not everyone is susceptible to ringworm…you can be immune to it.

    I did notice tonight that it’s starting to dry up…so hopefully it’ll be gone soon.

    Good luck and I am so glad to see that it’s more common than I thought. I have absolutely no clue where he could have gotten this. We are clean people – honest – and I was freaking out a little. I guess inside the diaper is just good breeding ground for fungus. Yuck.

  118. just me

    if it is crusty or flaky it is eczema just put some cream for eczema on it and it will go away in 3 to 4 days

  119. Cara

    My boys’ get these round rashly areas. Their doctor told me its eczema. Use Eucerine cream, the really thick kind. Also A&D works well!

  120. illy

    Ring worm.