Cradle Cap Treatment
What is Cradle Cap?
Technically known as “seborrheic dermatitis”, cradle cap is a fairly common condition in which scaly, dandruff-like patches appear on infants’ scalp due to the excessive production of sebum by the glands beneath the epidermis. The scales soon become thick, crusty and pale yellow in color, and are especially prominent if the infant does not have hair. Sometimes these patches appear even on the neck, ears, armpits and buttocks of the baby, causing the baby irritation and discomfort. The problem first occurs when the infant is roughly three months old and continues till s/he is a year old. However, cradle cap is not contagious in nature. It is believed that newborn babies’ bodies undergo significant hormonal changes in the first year, which causes the sebaceous glands to become overactive and lead to this problem.
Simple Tips to Treat Cradle Cap at Home
Though this is not a serious problem and disappears on its own, you may follow a few tips at home to treat this condition. Wash the baby’s scalp every alternate day with a mild baby shampoo. Though this will not prevent the overactive glands from producing excessive sebum, it will ensure that the oil and dead skin cells accumulated on the surface of the skin are washed away and minimize the chances of local infections. However, you should not overdo shampooing, as this may render the baby’s delicate scalp dry and make it more prone to breaking into scaly patches. You may also try applying a few drops of baby oil on the infant’s scalp and use a soft hairbrush to gently remove the scales from the surface of the skin. You may also dab a little lavender oil on the baby’s hair and leave it on overnight. The next morning wash the baby’s hair with a mild shampoo. This has a soothing effect on the baby’s scalp. You may also use a mixture of olive oil and almond oil on the baby’s scalp, but you should wash it away in a couple of hours after application. If the scales are hard and rough and do not come off easily on combing or brushing the hair, mix a little petroleum jelly with some mineral oil and let this mixture soak the baby’s scalp for some time. Then wash the baby’s scalp and hair with shampoo. If your baby has no hair, it is useful to gently rub his or her scalp with a washcloth for a few minutes after bath every day. This absorbs the excess grease on the baby’s scalp and reduces the itching and irritation.