Zinc oxide (diaper cream) for saddle sores --why?

I've been reading old threads on treatment of saddle sores, where many folks recommend zinc oxide products like Desitin or Boudreaux's Butt Paste. I'm wondering if anyone knows exactly what these products do to help. Is it that they protect the skin from additional irritants so that it can heal? Or is there more to it?

For several months I had a small, painless cyst which I pretty much ignored, other than making sure to clean the area well in the shower. This weekend it got bigger and turned into a boil, which I drained and then cleaned the area with Betadine antiseptic. Now it has turned into a cyst again, larger than before but still just a raised bump under the skin. It hurts if I press directly on it but otherwise doesn't bother me. My goal at this point is to make it go away so it doesn't turn into something worse.

I started putting Boudreaux's Butt Paste on it but am not sure if it's making a difference. I'm washing the area with zinc-based dandruff shampoo (for its antibiotic properties) in the shower and following up with Betadine. I'm thinking of trying hot compresses next. I'm allergic to antibiotic ointment so that's not an option.

I'm just wondering if it makes sense to keep using the butt paste?

Thanks in advance for your input!

My understanding of using zinc oxide is to dry the area. Some people use it as a preventative, I would guess that the zinc oxide keeps surface moisture down and that would make the skin happier and more resistant to breakdown.

I personally don't use it. I use A&D cream without zinc oxide if I need to use anything at all. If I do get a saddle sore, I treat it like a wound with dressing etc. I wrote a post about this awhile back, I'll see if I can find it.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

My understanding of using zinc oxide is to dry the area. Some people use it as a preventative, I would guess that the zinc oxide keeps surface moisture down and that would make the skin happier and more resistant to breakdown.

I personally don't use it. I use A&D cream without zinc oxide if I need to use anything at all. If I do get a saddle sore, I treat it like a wound with dressing etc. I wrote a post about this awhile back, I'll see if I can find it.

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I imagine you're referring to this:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=51764

I don't have broken skin, and the cyst is in a spot that I really don't want to put any adhesive on. It's not stopping me from riding -- the day it started to turn into a boil, I rode 54 miles without any discomfort, wearing Gore shorts (with a fairly thick chamois) with Hoo Ha Ride Glide. In fact it was the most comfortable I've been on a ride in a while; my old saddle had caused problems due to the foam breaking down, and the new one I replaced it with is very firm, too firm for the relatively thin chamois in my LG Neo Power shorts.

I started using the butt paste two days after that ride. I don't plan to ride again until Saturday, in the hopes that the cyst shows some signs of going away.

So far the down side of the butt paste is that it's not easy to clean off your skin. I have to use lots of soap -- lather, rinse, repeat. But I guess a drying effect probably won't hurt, and I think the reason it takes so much soap to remove it is that it's designed to protect skin from the moisture that causes diaper rash, which I expect also won't hurt the situation.

Thanks very much.