Tip-Top Treatment For Baby Bottoms

Until recently, mothers have had to rely on adult over-the-counter antifungal creams to treat their babies' cases of diaper rash complicated by yeast infections. For the first time, a prescription product-Vusion™ (0.25% miconazole nitrate, 15% zinc oxide and 81.35% white petrolatum) Ointment-is available and is indicated and specifically formulated for the treatment of this condition, called diaper dermatitis complicated by candidiasis (DDCC), in infants 4 weeks and older. Confirmation of DDCC is determined by microscopic evaluation for presence of pseudohyphae or budding yeast.

DDCC is a highly prevalent rash in infants that can cause great discomfort and distress. Typically, DDCC infections are characterized by a rash of bright red patches with irregular, raised borders and white scales on the surface. The main patches are often surrounded by smaller patches and painful sores or blisters.

Infants often get DDCC when their diapers chafe and break the surface of the skin, making it easier for microorganisms such as yeast to invade the skin. Other risk factors for DDCC include diarrhea, prolonged diaper rash, skin hygiene and the recent use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The condition can occur anytime of year, but DDCC is often triggered in the winter months when the use of antibiotics commonly prescribed for illnesses such as ear infections is at its peak.

Treatment options have included the use of antifungal products, steroids and combination products that are not specifically approved for the treatment of DDCC or for use on infants.