How can my mother get rid of her severe skin fold rash? Nothing seems to work!

I se4e a lot of good suggestions. I've used with success A & D ointment for babies and cover it with gauze or bandage. I get the A&D in my super market, but it is available in most places. I've also used Calmoseptine Ointment that is available in drug stores. If not go to Amazon on line. I know they have it. If the rash gets bloody then I use Silvadene cream. I always cover the effected area with padding.

Keeping it clean and dry is the only way. And that means dry all day. The doctor may say it's not fungal, but a moist, warm area is a breeding ground for fungal skin infections. All my mom could get from doctors was ointment type meds that just kept the area moist, so I tried powders.

At a facility she is probably getting showers instead of a good soaking bath. Probably not much you can do about that. Probably the best route for her would be to lay down in the bed after the bath with a fan or heat lamp to dry the area completely (and then some). There are two good powders to use - the Desenex that is used for athletes foot and another called Zeasorb AF. Hard to find the talcum powder puff boxes like used to be common Christmas gifts, but Walmart does have them. I dump out most of the scented powder and fill it up with the Desenex and Zeasorb and use the puff under stomach and boobs for my mom. If your mom is able to dust herself, leave it setting out where she can use it several times a day - definitely each time she goes to the bathroom.

Since hers is already bad, I would use some soft flannel type fabrics to place in the skin fold to keep the two layers of skin from touching each other for now. As it dries out more, you can do away with that. That's how I got my mom's all cleared up and have had no problems since. The most important thing, I think, is that this is a daily/all day thing to reapply the powders.

When my mom was still at home we used athlete's foot spray on her folds, and it worked *pretty* well.

Now she's in a nursing home they use something else. It keeps it under control much better. You doctor's PA should know better than what she's recommending.

There are absorbent thin sheets used for moisture management for skin folds and wounds. I got some from Amazon long ago and still use them from time to time for my mom under her breasts (I just cut small pieces as I need them). I use them in conjunction with Calazime cream. Probably any zinc oxide cream is fine - I've seen several others mentioned here - but I swear I have seen improvement in a matter of hours using Calazime.

It's true that you need to make sure it isn't a yeast infection - that may require other specific creams. (And I believe the cornstarch in most regular talcs is not good for yeast infections.) But I would still use any specialized ointment together with the absorbent fabric sheets.

Best of luck to you, and encouraging hugs to all on this forum!!

Try cornstarch.

I haven't read any of the comments yet. The first thing that crossed my mind was bag balm ointment. Originally used for chafing on cows udders due to milking. I've used it for years on chafed hands and feet as well as skin blemishes. The ointment is more effective than the cream.
What I would try would be to clean the area with a cotton ball soaked in a solution of witch hazel with a couple drops of tea tree oil. Then I would apply the bag balm to the affected area. A little goes a long way. Next I'd cover the affected area with sterile gauze. I'd do this two or three times a day.
Vermont's Original Bag Balm comes in a green tin for about 8$ at Wal-Mart, pharmacy store, or feed store.

I went to a wound care seminar once. Clean area with Hybiclense or other Derm recommended anti bacterial wash.

Nurse gave this rule of thumb: if wound is WET--dry it out with frosting of powder, like zinc oxide, cover with absorbing gauze, change often. Zinc oxide is drying. Aveeno Oatmeal products are soothing, take away itch.
If wound is DRY--provide moisture, cover with Aquaphor ointment. Leave uncovered or cover with light gauze. Repeat three times a day.
Unscented products only, recommended by Derms.
Use proven medical products, not tea tree oil, mannukah honey, Bag Balm, Shea butter, because people have sensitivities to many things. Read ingredients, diaper rash ointment has cod or fish oil which some are allergic too.

Go to Amazon buy medical grade Manuka Honey. It’s a antibacterial healing honey and it’s wonderful. It’s the only thing that healed my husbands skin graft after surgery I swear by it. It can also be used on the face for acne, or wrinkles. You can also eat it for stomach issues. Gird etc it’s gods gift for healing. Buy a good grade it doesn’t have to be the expensive one just make sure it comes from a reputable company usually Australia they have to stand by regulation. Also a low heat blow dryer to keep the skin dry blow dry once or twice a day. Do not use anything that has alcohol based product it’s too drying I would just wipe with a good baby or facial wipe then put the Manuka honey on . When buying make sure you pay attention to the ounces the bottles or tubs look bigger in the pictures. Over 8 ounce sizes are plenty a little goes a long way o bought a 10 oz jar it lasts over a year using regularly. Good luck PS also check a small area to make sure it’s tolerable some medical grades can sting or give burning sensation for s few minutes. If moms not allergic to honey it should be tolerated. Also if you can find Desinex powder and or gold balm powder in the baby section in the grocery store Wal mart sells it . It a foot powder really. !! But I used on my baby diaper rash and my babies never got diaper rash it works wonderfully too. Be careful of the zinc products though they are also very drying. For itch use cortisone cream not ointment it absorbs better than the ointment. Hope this helps I am a retired RN for Swedish hospital. And yes always follow or call you physician first before trying new medications on mom to make sure they are tolerated with the medication she takes orally if any, some oral medications can interact with topical creams and ointments so call first to make sure what you purchase are okay to use on your mom .

2 different things may be causing this chronic rash but the treatment is very similar. If the skin does not get "air" and stays moist and damp, she can develop a diaper rash type situation. Your treatments appear directed to treat her rash as this type, The second type of rash is caused by an overgrowth of yeast. Usually, this is present in people with diminished immune systems - the aged, babies, and chronic illness or cancer - in areas of skin that are dark, warm, and damp.

To treat: must create way that skin
gets more air - does not touch itself - use washcloths, towels... in folds
stays dry - after bathing, air dry without lotions or creams
stays clean - mild soap, warm water - daily
fight infections - yeast medication applied per directions

Depending on the severity of the skin rash and the person's immune system, it can take weeks for this to resolve.

Needs air and light to the area. Lay her in bed, use a towel or a pillowcase to hold the folds up away from the area so it is completely exposed. Gently wash, pat dry, and leave it OPEN to the air. A light rinse of Apple Cider Vinegar, diluted, and patted dry may help acidify the area as well. If possible put a small low wattage lamp a few inches away, like we used to do to "light bulb bake" baby rashes. If it does not clear up after a few days of this strategy, have her doctor do a skin culture. A simple sterile swab of the area and sent to a lab can tell you if there is yeast, staph, or strep germs underlying the problem, and can reveal the best treatment. Yeast does not respond to antibiotics, Staph can become resistant, so a culture will tell you which she has and the most effective counter measure. I was getting recurrent yeast infections in my naval, I have a belly flap from having 4 kids, so it would collect the damp icky. Only way I got rid of it was the vinegar rinses and letting it air dry over sevral days. Nothing else helped, not even Rx creams. I also had a Shingles outbreak in the same area a couple years ago and still get random popups of little scabby bits. They also respond best to vinegar and air drying.

Nystatin powder works for mom's skin fold rash. Has her doctor seen it? I mentioned the rash to her doctor and she suspected even before she saw it, like it is super common

I've used silvadine cream, diaper rash cream, or even monostat cream for female yeast infection. It's red and stinky because it's moist under her overlap. SDS or silvadine is a prescription the others are over the counter.

wash, pat dry, blow dry with hairdryer whatever. Dust area with nystatin powder (prescription)and prevent skin to skin contact by applying a clean, dry pillowcase within the skin fold 3 x a day and the skin will clear up. Once the rash has resolved you could apply desitin (over the counter) ointment/cream after her bath. And again before sleep - wash off old desitin and then massage in new desitin.

Hi Susie,
I saw all the answers here.
Anything- ointment, paste, honey, steroids,- that has a creamy base to adhere to skin isn't going to work.
I have something better.
In Korea, we use this on burn patients when skin pain is in constant pain.
Go to Korean supermarket and buy white potato starch. It's about $5.
grab handful (don't be stingy), and copiously, put on your Mom's folds/skin.
Doesn't matter if it falls onto her clothes.
Constantly, keep putting much powder on as possible.
This doesn't let skin touch the skin- keeps skin dry- powder is slippery.
this is superior than baby power- which is a horrible joke of a product with fragrance as irritant.
Also works for diaper rash- for babies & seniors.
Cara

Hi Susie,
Duplicate had to be deleted- which this site won't do. Below is the main message.

My mother had that a few times. Make sure under her breasts are completely dry. I applied Nystatin powder per her dermatologist and it cleared up quickly with no further problems. It is a common problem with our elders.

Simple Diaper Rash Cream daily or plain & simple sprinkled Corn Starch from Publix have to wash and dry area daily & apply til rash goes away

I agree with many others who immediately thought yeast infection (candidiasis). When I worked in Intensive Care, we didn't use talcum powder in skin folds because it most always had perfume in it. Now it has been shown to be related to ovarian cancer (not that it would be an issue for your mom). We used cornstarch instead. We, of course had to make sure the skin was completely dry before application, otherwise it just got lumpy. You could also try colloidal silver soap instead of antibacterial or moisturizing soap. Since the skin is painful and cracking open, this leaves your mom at risk for bacterial skin infection, if she doesn't already have one and it could eventually become systemic (get into her blood) and you don't want that. My BIL had this problem (he is morbidly obese) and he was growing MRSA(Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus--a bacteria) in his skin folds. The treatment with silver products took care of it. My point is, you need to get wound cultures of the areas that are open, possibly skin scrapings--a dermatologist is best. If you cannot get her to a doctor, perhaps he/she could order home care to come out to get the specimens, especially if they have a wound care nurse on staff. All nurses should be able to get wound cultures, and many wound care nurses know how to do skin scrapings. There is also a prescription product called EMLA that has a numbing medication in it that might work for the discomfort. I've never used it on open skin or inflamed skin, just intact skin prior to inserting an IV catheter, to decrease the discomfort from the needle insertion. Check with the doctor or pharmacist to see if it can be used on inflamed or open skin (or do an internet search) Plain Lidocaine ointment or gel (also Rx) might be OK; again, I've not used it on inflamed or open skin. Be careful as some topical numbing medications have alcohol or some other additive that can sting a lot when first applied.

Desitin works great for that.

Imho, your mother needs to seen by a dermatologist to address this rash STAT, especially since it's causing skin breaks. Do not let it manifest into something worse. Prayers sent.

I'm not your Mom, but I, too, get an itchy rash under the extra skin on my belly because of weight loss. And also under my breasts. It was diagnosed as a fungal infection, which when left untreated is very annoying and hurtful. I know that you can get a "belly belt" to put under her belly.... I never did but it may help. But the most uncomfortable I've been is with the itchiness under my breasts. My doctor prescribed Triamcinolone cream and it really helped a lot. Another doctor prescribed Betamethasone for my itchiness and that helped as well, maybe even better. Please have a doctor look at your Mom and mention the meds that I have typed here. I do not understand a double mastectomy for a rash and an itch. Your Mom must not be wearing a bra and maybe even perspires a bit, which only promotes the infection.
Good luck....hope this helps..

My son used to get bad yeast rashes as a baby. Our doctor told us to use something called Domeboro and soak cloths (in his case diapers) in it and leave it on the area for a couple of hours. This cleared his rashes up. After soaking, I would use Desitin. Good luck.

Try some lavender essential oil straight meaning undiluted both on the tummy fold and under the breasts. Or better yet mix it with pure organic aloe Vera to actually heal the wounds. Once healed use the lavender daily.
Another great wound healer is SilverGel by Asap365, it can be purchased online at SilverSolutionUSA.com.
I use the lavender remedy myself and have great success.
Do make sure your essential oils are organic and pure, not the crap they sell at the pharmacy or retail stores.
Edensgarden.com has fantastic oils that are pure and reasonably priced.
*note it might sting for a second when applying but just for a second.
Lavender essential oil is one of the greatest healing oils in the world. It’s also great for cuts, scrapes and burns.
In fact I recently poured scalding hot water on my hand when I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing. I immediately doused my whole hand in lavender essential oil, it stopped the pain in its tracks and the next day you’d never know I poured scalding water on my hand. I even used it on a really deep gash that needed stitches on my heel and it worked fantastically. Yes, it’s that amazing.
Believe it or not God gave us everything we need to heal ourselves.
**I don’t work for either company, I simply believe in natural healing. And do not recommend things I’ve not tried on myself.

Wash area and dry.

Rub a few drops of Oreganol(brand name) - Oil of Wild Oregano over affected area. Leave exposed until oil is absorbed into skin.

Take 2-4 drops in very small amount of water.

place 1/2 apron Or square of fleece material under belly to absorb moisture Be sure to keep it clean

I had a similar problem when laid up with a shattered ankle. It did seem like a yeast infection but I was also told that it was not.

I got rid of it by washing the area carefully with a soap designed for skin problems - cetaphil, castile, goat milk, or olive oil soap worked for me. Unfortunately it will hurt. Then coat the area generously with zinc oxide cream such as is used for diaper rash. Cover the creamed area with thin cotton or thick tissue and make sure that the folds will hold it in place. Repeat this daily. Once this clears completely, make sure that the area is dried very thoroughly after bathing and continue to place thin cotton cloth in the folds if sweating in that area is very noticeable.

Immediately after the area is healed begin to use this process: blot dry with towel after bathing, blow dry on cool, air dry if needed, apply antiperspirant, then powder. A nurse recommended this to me many years ago. It works!

https://healthhearty.com/external-yeast-infection#:~:text

Please go to the above website. It explains your mother's problem. It takes you from diagnosis to treatment including both allopathic and holistic medicines. It is a quick, easy, read and very informative. You would be wise to put your mother on the candida diet and give it a chance to work. I think you'll be pleased with the results. Good luck and GOD bless.

Too many responses to digest at the moment, but how does this PA know for sure it isn't fungal? Has he taken a sample and tested it? I'm not a doctor or in the medical field, but here is some information - if the symptoms match, I would take her to see someone else, probably best to choose a good dermatologist, mainly because the best treatment will require an Rx. The quotations below were specifically just the ones focused on skin/belly fold. Candida can affect multiple areas of the body and can be called many names, but who cares what it is called, she needs proper Dx and appropriate treatment! {added some add'l info and/or clarifications}

https://lluh.org/conditions/candidiasis-yeast-infection
(Loma Linda Univ. Health):

"What are the symptoms of a yeast infection?
Location:
Skin folds or belly button
Symptoms:
Rash with redness and skin breakdown Patches that ooze clear fluid Pimples Itching or burning."

AND

"HOW IS YEAST INFECTION DIAGNOSED?
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and health history. He or she will also give you a physical exam. He or she may scrape off a bit of skin or remove part of a nail and check it to confirm the diagnosis." {NOTE: scraping off some skin to CONFIRM!}

AND

"HOW IS YEAST INFECTION TREATED?
Yeast infection in the skin folds. These can be treated with anti-yeast powders."

Also:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/candida-symptoms-treatment#TOC_TITLE_HDR_5

"6. Skin and Nail Fungal Infections
Just like in your gut, there are bacteria on your skin that prevent Candida from growing uncontrollably.
All bacteria thrive in different conditions, including varying temperature, moisture or acidity levels.
That’s why a change in the environment on your skin can allow Candida to overproduce.
For example, cosmetics, soaps and moisturizers can alter skin conditions, especially the antibacterial varieties.
While skin candidiasis can affect any part of the body, areas that are warm and moist, such as the armpits and groin, are particularly prone to infection.
Itching and a visible rash are the two most common symptoms of skin fungal infections.
An overgrowth of Candida can cause conditions like athlete’s foot, ringworm and toenail fungus (21Trusted Source). {followed the link to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC419368/, primary discussion is around Athlete's foot, similar issue. However, it DOES mention cellulitis, which CAN be a serious infection and requires antibiotics - mom "bruised" her shin and developed cellulitis. It CAN be a killer! She had to take TWO rounds of antibiotics to treat that!}
While not life threatening, skin fungal infections can be very uncomfortable and significantly decrease quality of life."


My mother developed something similar. The MC nurse had suggested Gold Bond, however the doc Rxed Nystop:

"Nystatin
Brand name: Nystop
Description
Antifungal
It can treat fungal infections.

Brands: Nyamyc, Nystop, and Nyata
Availability: Prescription needed"

Sometime last year mom refused to stand/walk without major help, so she is in a wheelchair. She also has this issue in the belly folds (she is somewhat overweight - I am curious how tall your mother is, because 160 doesn't exactly sound svelte! My mother is about 144#. Due to kyphosis aka  "dowager's hump," or "widow's hump", most likely caused by osteoporosis in her case, she's probably around 4'9" now, if that. So, very roundish...)

Anyway, if regular doc (not the PA) still says this isn't due to candida, I'd get her to a dermatologist. THEY should be able to easily discern what this is and recommend proper treatment.

As with my mother, this condition may never truly go away. Sitting all the time, keeping the area "folded" and probably "moist" will encourage growth. Doc's Rx was actually for 11 or 12, filled each month. If she lives with you and you can find a way to keep it clean, dry and treated, it might be possible to eliminate it. Once clean/treated, maybe have her wear loose fitting top

Have you tried calendula oil ?

It was the only thing that cleared up my shingles.

Did the PA culture the rash? Do not take the following as actual medical advice; please ask a doctor.
It sounds like Intertrigo, which is very common in skin folds, but can be difficult to treat. It’s usually accompanied by an infection (fungus, yeast, bacteria), but the at home treatments are the same. Keep the areas dry and clean, and put something moisture wicking in the fold if you aren’t able to keep it open to air (expensive but works really well on hospital patients, can be cut into needed sizes, and reused if not soiled- DSS Coloplast InterDry
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O5V7LFW/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_ntxJFbBAVVSDB
Change it and clean the areas GENTLY but thoroughly at least once a day, twice if it is not too painful, and dry with a hairdryer set to cool. Keep clothing clean and don’t let your mom get overheated/sweaty. If there is inflammation, you can ask your doctor if a prescription topical steroid cream is recommended. Do NOT use baby powder; it has corn starch in it which will make intertrigo worse. Also, do not use talcum powder; it has been linked to cancer in post-menopausal women. How is your mom’s blood sugar? You mentioned this is fairly new. Excessive sugar intake or high blood sugar levels can worsen skin fold rashes. If the skin is broken/open/cracked, she really should have a doctor examine it soon. A prescription cream and prescription powder that work wonders when used together are: Nystatin ointment and Nystop 100,000U/Gm Powder. After the rash clears up most of the way, you can use- Lotrimin Antifungal Powder Spray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039NN81S/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_kwxJFbBBPVEBW
(yes I know it’s for jock itch) after she bathes to prevent it from coming back. Make sure the rash is mostly cleared up before using or it will burn! Otherwise it’s just cold when you first spray it.

I hope this helps you and your Mom!

Blessings,
Jessica