Desitin

Maximum Strength.

About this product

A zinc oxide-based diaper rash cream with a maximum-strength formula, designed to prevent and treat diaper rash and protect the skin.

Full ingredients

Zinc Oxide (40%), Petrolatum, Cod Liver Oil, Lanolin, Talc, Glycerin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Beeswax, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance

Guru Score

82%

Yay

3 experts · Moderate agreement

3Gurus

3Yay

0Mixed

0Nay

What they liked

Fragrance-free option avoids irritating ingredients
Can repair a damaged skin barrier

What they flagged

Nothing. None of the experts who reviewed it raised a problem.

What the gurus are saying

The zinc oxide concentration in this maximum strength formula earns praise for exceptional soothing and anti-inflammatory effects, making it a top pick for diaper rash prevention, especially when babies have frequent loose stools or diarrhea. However, dermatologists split on which Desitin version is best: some favor the maximum strength, while others prefer the daily formula to avoid irritating ingredients. It can also help repair a damaged skin barrier on the face.

Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take June 2026

Type

Cream

Key actives

Vitamin E

Formula notes

Contains fragranceNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Dr. Daniel Sugai

720k subs

✓Yay

"I use Desitin, the purple, the max strength that has a higher percentage of zinc oxide, which is very soothing, anti-inflammatory. I'll just put a small amount on the behind when I did any kind of diaper change, to protect that skin as much as possible, especially if the baby is having loose stools or frequent diarrhea. [...] My top two would have to be Desitin the purple, not the blue, and Boudreaux's Butt Paste."

Doctorly

3.58M subs

✓Yay

"Any zinc-based diaper rash cream, fragrance-free is going to be very effective here. Desitin has great options for this. You can use this on the face to help repair a damaged skin barrier during this 7-day healing period."

All 2 takes from Doctorly

Red Rash Around the Mouth? How to Treat and Prevent Perioral Dermatitis

"I've done a lot of ingredient research on all the different types out there and I think probably the best option for this would be to actually use the Desitin in the blue. I think it's like 12 or 13% zinc oxide, it's their daily one that one has a good amount of zinc oxide in it but it also doesn't have a lot of the irritating ingredients that you can find in some other barrier creams."

How to Heal Your Skin Barrier in ONE WEEK | Dermatologists Explain

Dr. Sam Ellis

883k subs

✓Yay

"There are so many good ones out there. I typically just recommend looking for one that has zinc oxide in it, so Desitin is a really common one."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Sunscreen filters

Sun protection is the best evidenced way to slow visible ageing, and the filters are what does the work. Mineral and chemical filters both protect when a product is applied thickly enough and often enough, which is where most people fall short rather than on the choice of filter.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Desitin Maximum Strength?

A zinc oxide-based diaper rash cream with a maximum-strength formula, designed to prevent and treat diaper rash and protect the skin.

Is Desitin Maximum Strength worth it?

Yes. All 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 82%.

What is Desitin Maximum Strength's Guru Score?

Desitin Maximum Strength holds a Guru Score of 82%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.