|
Cradle Cap
Scientific name: Neonatal or infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis, also known as crusta lactea, milk crust and honeycomb disease.
What is Cradle Cap
Don’t worry your little bundle of joy isn’t half alien! Cradle cap is a very common scalp rash that appears in babies under 3months of age. Cradle cap is a yellowish or brown, patchy and sometimes greasy, scaly crusting of old skin that can appear on a baby’s scalp after birth. It is unknown the exact cause of cradle cap but it is thought to be caused by an overactive sebaceous glands in the skin of newborn babies that maybe to do with their mothers hormones still circulating in their body. This common skin rash can also occur around the ears, eyebrows or the eyelids. Old skin cells clump together instead of releasing and flaking off. Craddle Cap can last anywhere up to 12 months of age and affects around half of the babies born.
Cradle cap is not contagious or caused by bad hygiene or for that matter alien impregnation. It is not itchy or harmful to your baby. Baby cradle cap may only be of concern if it becomes inflamed, has signs of puss is raw, bleeding or spreading past the scalp. You should see your doctor if any of these symptoms arise. This kind of crusty scalp condition may require a prescription cortisone cream or a prescription seborrhea shampoo.
Cradle Cap Treatment
Aside from medicated creams and shampoos there are natural alternatives and things you can do at home to help clear up cradle cap.
- You can start with gently rubbing baby oil, olive oil or pure emu oil in to the scalp to help soften the scaly bits. Do this a few hours before bathing baby to let it soak in and dry slightly. This helps to make the scales lift away from the scalp easier.
- Wash baby’s head with warm water preferably with a shampoo made especially for cradle cap.
- Otherwise you can use normal shampoo. You can also add a drop of tea tree oil and mix it into shampoo if you feel like it, but you need to take care not to get any in their eyes.
- Pat dry baby’s head with a towel. Some of the flakey skin may come away just doing this. Use a soft brush or a comb and gently remove excess flakes from the hair. Do not brush too hard or try to pick the hard scaly bits out as this can cause inflammation and the scalp to become raw.
- Repeat daily until cradle cap has cleared.
Related Products
|
