Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream Review

Sudocrem, a go-to cream for households for over 85 years, has been trusted by both adults and children for its healing properties – and it has a permanent place on my daughter’s nappy change kit too, after using it since she was born to soothe and treat sore, red nappy rash. Out of all the nappy rash creams I’ve tried, Sudocrem is the most soothing on her delicate skin.

The classic formulation has been clinically proven to calm and repair babies’ sensitive skin by providing three primary benefits: to soothe inflamed or irritated skin with its emollient properties, to speed up skin healing, and to alleviate discomfort and irritation with a gentle local anaesthetic.

I like that Sudocrem keeps my daughter's skin clean. It helps to it heal because it contains benzyl alcohol, a mild antiseptic that fights off bacteria and other germs, hence why many teens use it to treat acne as well.

One downside of this cream is its thickness (it is a barrier cream after all), requiring several rubs before fully absorbing into the skin, which some parents may not like.

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How we tested Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream

I’ve been using Sudocrem with my now 22-month-old toddler since she was born. I use it as a preventative barrier cream against nappy rash, particularly if her skin looks red or sore, but also as an ointment to get rid of nappy rash.

During use, I scored this nappy rash cream on ease of use, effectiveness and value for money.

How easy is Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream to use?

Sudocrem can be used for a variety of things in addition to treating nappy rash including eczema, surface wounds, sunburn, minor burns, acne, bedsores and chilblains. As such, it’s a hugely versatile cream to have around.

I mostly use it for nappy rash and have found it very easy to use. It’s thicker than other nappy rash creams including Drapolene, Bepanthen and Childs Farm Nappy Cream, but it’s easy to apply on the affected areas.

There are different sized tubs available. I have the 400g tub at home, which lasts for months, but I like to keep the My Little Sudocrem version in my changing bag as it’s smaller and lighter to carry around. I send the 175g tub to nursery with my daughter for nappy changes, and my toddler's grandmother owns a smaller 60g version for whenever she babysits.

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How effective is Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream?

Very! I’ve found Sudocrem to be the most effective nappy rash cream I’ve used, particularly when it comes to particularly bad cases of nappy rash. While these have been few and far between for us, when my daughter developed a sore rash, Sudocrem cleared it up in under two days.

My daughter is prone to eczema so I've also used Sudocrem on small dry patches of skin when she's had a flare-up. While I've found it didn't clear those up entirely, it did help to reduce redness and irritation.

Is Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream good value for money?

Retailing at £10 for a 400g tub, Sudocrem is initially pricey, but lasts so long and is so effective that the price is absolutely worth it. The My Little Sudocrem 22g pot (£3) is much smaller and will need to be replaced much more quickly, but it’s also great to have on hand and store in your changing bag for nappy changes when out and about.

About the author

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet. Mum to a one-year-old, she is fully invested in discovering the best and most affordable baby products on the market, and sharing her knowledge and findings with other parents.

With over seven years' experience as a full-time editor, five of which have been spent writing, commissioning and editing pushchair product reviews and round-ups, Laura has a keen eye for what parents love and likes nothing more than putting together honest reviews to make parents' lives that little bit easier.

In addition to her work as a writer and editor, she has also appeared in a number of baby product videos for Mumsnet's YouTube channel.