Australia's most popular nappy brand announces major change

Australia's most popular nappy brand has announced a major change to the product for the first time in a decade.

Huggies newborn nappies will now include a zinc-enriched layer to help protect babies from nappy rash and other skin irritations.

Popular nappy rash treatment products such as Sudocream and Curash already include zinc to help treat skin irritation in babies and toddlers. Zinc is also included in sunscreen products.

Huggies says they made the change after surveying 1000 Australian parents who said they were losing time, money and sleep over nappy rash.

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86 per cent of those surveyed calculated they spent an average of $405 on treating skin irritations such as nappy rash, 41 per cent were concerned enough about their newborn's nappy rash they lost sleep and a further 38 per cent said they were concerned over their child's skin.

Mother-of-three Michelle Korkis who has recently welcomed her third child, daughter Alessia, spoke on behalf of Huggies, explaining she'd been through "plenty of nappies" and understood "what skin irritation is like."

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"I've been through nappy rash creams, I've done tummy time with nappy free time just to try and address the issue however I'm very excited about this new product," she shared.

"I'm pretty cautious as to what I do put on her skin in regards to what skin barriers I do use."

Paediatric dermatologist, Dr Deshan Sebaratnam, speaking for Huggies, explained that baby's skin can be "30 per cent thinner than adult skin."

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"If you think about it infant skin is going through a transition stage," he explained, adding that some of those transitions include skin irritation that is "a little bit more serious and needing medical attention."

"Zinc has been used for decades by dermatologists to help with establishing the barrier function of the skin," she said.

Huggies spokesperson Gabrielle Davidson called the new nappy range a "game changer" for parents.

"Doing anything they can to protect that delicate skin from irritation is really important," she added.

The medical information in this article is general in nature. Please always seek advice from your doctor to ensure that it addresses your specific health needs.