Woman’s Unexpected Use for Diaper Cream Goes Viral, Dermatologist Reacts

A woman suffering from continual breakouts decided to take unconventional measures and covered her face in diaper rash cream.

Zaia (_nvrseeme) shared a video highlighting her conundrum and showing her face smothered in the thick product, garnering 3 million views and 301,500 likes on TikTok.

“I do know is that my skin barrier has been destroyed. So to fix that, I saw on TikTok that the girlies are using diaper rash cream for their face because of the zinc that it has in it. So I’m gonna try that. I’m gonna try that, because nothing’s working,” she said in the video after sharing her confusion as to the source of the skin irritation.

The skin barrier is the outermost layer of the skin, acting as a protective shield against environmental irritants, bacteria, and moisture loss. When compromised, it can lead to sensitivity, redness, and breakouts.

Expert Weighs In

Dermatologist Dr. Kate Viola told Newsweek that the active ingredient in diaper rash cream is zinc oxide, which acts as a physical barrier.

While zinc oxide has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it also decreases oil production and absorbs excess skin oils, resulting in drier skin.

“Diaper creams can be helpful to patients who are very dry during this time, but are not appropriate for acne prone skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, or those who may have skin allergies.

“I also do not recommend using diaper cream following an active ingredient such as a retinol/retinoid because this will truly occlude and further irritate the skin. When using any new skin care [product], try a spot treat first on the neck or wrist to ensure safety and efficacy and always look at the ingredient profile,” she advised.

However, Viola cautioned that diaper rash cream is not recommended for acne-prone skin due to its ingredients, which can potentially cause irritation.

“Many of my patients have started using diaper cream on the face for dryness and irritation during the winter months in addition to their babies’ bums,” she said.

Social Media Reacts

Zaia shared an update three days later, revealing that the treatment had made clear improvements, but she now had to determine what was triggering an allergic reaction in her home.

“My doctor basically told me that it’s clear that I’m allergic to something in my house,” she said.

TikTok users had mixed reactions to her experiment.

“Ngl I thought you were doing a KISS makeup look,” joked one user.

“Take zinc and Vitamin A together.. Everyday!” suggested another.

“Day two of using! Woke up with no new breakouts and my previous acne was not angry!” said Whitney.

“Been using Sudocrem for YEARS it’s so good,” added Hazel.