Pregnancy

Your Baby

Shopping for Baby

Site Info

[?] Subscribe To This Site

Take Care of Your Newborn's Cradle Cap

What is Infantile Seborrhoeic Dermatitis or Cradle Cap?

My baby's scalp with cradle cap

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis, is a yellowish, patchy, greasy, scaly and crusty skin rash that occurs on the scalp as well as on other parts like ears, eyebrows, eyelids and nose.Cradle Cap is the term used to describe this disorder when it affects the scalp of newborns.It is harmless and is usually not itchy. It is most common during the baby's early months.

How to treat your baby's cradle cap?

Cradle cap usually clears up on its own within a few months but if you are concerned about cosmetics issues, follow this practical cradle cap treatment:

	Shampoo your baby's scalp frequently with a mild baby shampoo .
	Gently brush your baby's scalp with a soft brush or washcloth to loosen the scales.

When my baby had cradle cap, his scales didn't become loose easily so I found, like other parents, that rubbing a baby oil onto my baby's scalp was helpful.

	Rub your baby's scalp with a small amount of baby oil or olive oil.
	Let it soak into the scales for about 15 minutes.
	Wash your baby's scalp with a mild baby shampoo. Do not leave the oil in your baby's hair because the scales may accumulate and worsen the cradle cap.

How to prevent a cradle cap?

A gentle wash of your baby's hair two or three times a week with a mild shampoo should be sufficient.

When to call baby's pediatrician for cradle cap?

If your baby's cradle cap doesn't improve with your home treatment or starts to spread, do call your baby's pediatrician.

Return from Cradle Cap to Baby Skin Care

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.

SBI!

Welcome

My name is Sarit Bronstein. I'm a stay at home mom and a mother of four. On my website, I strive to share my own practical experience as well as my broader acquired knowledge, based on research and experience of others.