Cradle Cap in Newborns: Caring for Baby's Scalp
Simple Home Treatment for Your Newborns Cradle Cap
What are the signs of cradle cap?
- There is patchy scaling or a thick crust on the scalp
- Skin that may be greasy and covered with flaky white or yellow scales
- Flaky skin or dandruff
- There might be some slight redness
Does cradle cap bother my baby and what causes it?
Cradle cap is not contagious, and does not make them itch. One cause of cradle cap is thought to be hormones passed from the mother to the baby before birth. The hormones cause an overproduction of oil in the oil glands and hair follicles in the baby's scalp.
Do I need to take my baby to the doctor for cradle cap?
In most situations, you should not need to take your baby to the doctor. It usually clears up with home treatment.
If any of the following happens, take your baby to the doctor.
- Caring for baby's scalp at home is unsuccessful
- The crusting or scaling spreads to your baby's face or body
Your baby's doctor may recommend a stronger shampoo to help dissolve the scales. Hydrocortisone cream applied daily or every other day is sometimes helpful to reduce redness and inflammation.
Another factor which may cause cradle cap is a yeast (fungus) called malassezia that grows in the oil glands along with bacteria. Anti-fungal treatments that are effective in treating cradle cap, support the idea that yeast is a contributing factor.
What can I do to get rid of cradle cap?
These simple tips can help you easily manage baby's cradle cap at home.
- Wash your baby's hair once a day with a mild baby shampoo. To loosen the scales, use a small, soft-bristled brush and run it over baby's scalp. Then rinse off the shampoo.
- Baby oil, mineral oil or petroleum jelly can help loosen thicker crusting and scaling. Apply the oil about an hour before giving baby a bath. At bath time, put a little mild shampoo on your baby's scalp, gently rub baby's scalp or use a soft brush to loosen scales and rinse off the shampoo.
Published by Karen Bishop
Karen Bishop is a full-time freelance writer who has hands on experience in many areas including home remedies, home organization, decorating, parenting, grand parenting, pets, crafts, chronic pain issues an... View profile
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5 Comments
Post a CommentExcellent article, I remember doing most of these things for my four sons and they worked! parentsbabieschildren.blogspot.com for new and old parents.
Great ideas, I remember when my daughter was a baby and had cradle cap!
I always wondered what the heck cradle cap was. I've heard the term but didn't know!
Good ideas. This is so hard to get rid of.
Important resource for new mothers. Well done!