We Tried The Viral Diaper Cream Hack To Heal Dry Skin. Here’s What Happened – Health Digest

Firstly, I didn’t want to risk breaking out into pimples by applying the thick cream all over the sensitive skin on my face. Per experts, most diaper creams contain occlusive ingredients that are great for soothing dry skin and locking in hydration, but they can be problematic for acne-prone skin because they’re comedogenic (highly likely to clog your pores). 

Since I was dealing with dry skin in one area, I resorted to applying the thick white paste only on that spot, after washing my face and before bed at night, for a period of one week. The diaper cream I chose for the job was Sudocrem, a well-known Canadian brand that’s been in existence since 1931. With 15.25% zinc oxide, the white cast and thick consistency of the cream was off-putting at first, especially since I usually only apply very light and watery creams on my face. It took a few days to figure out that I only needed a small amount (a tiny dab on one finger) to cover the area concerned. I had to really work the cream into the skin for it to spread evenly. The white cast never fully disappeared, which meant that some of it transferred onto my pillow every night.  

Zinc oxide has anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties, which would explain why I didn’t feel the urge to scratch my dry skin on the nights I put on the diaper cream. For someone whose skin gets itchy at night, this was a welcome relief.