Diapers and diaper rashes

The diaper-wearing population has expanded from infants and children to include adults, especially the elderly. Nurses caring for patients over a wide age range are commonly asked for advice about diapering choices, and for guidance in evaluation, prophylaxis, and treatment of diaper rashes. Two different diaper types, disposables and reusables, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. A systematic approach is presented for the nursing evaluation of common diaper rashes and their differentiation from rarer skin eruptions of the groin and perineum in diaper-wearing persons.