Bathe Your Baby No More Than Once Per Day
It may be tempting to think that bathing your baby more often will help get rid of cradle cap. However, the opposite is true! Bathing your baby too frequently can dry out their skin, which will cause their sebaceous glands to release excess oil which may be the reason behind your babys cradle cap to begin with!
Bathe your little one once per day at most. Just make sure to clean their diaper area thoroughly when changing dirty diapers. Wipe their bottom with our Cleansing Wipes, which are paraben-free and safe to use on newborns all the way up to adults!
Thats right, mom you can use these wipes as well since they do a super job of gently removing makeup. Keep a pack of wipes in your diaper bag for your baby and in the bathroom for yourself!
In addition to wiping their bottom with every diaper change, keep your babys skin clean with a gentle micellar water, like Mustela’s No Rinse Cleansing Water.
Just apply our micellar water to your little ones skin using a soft cloth, diaper wipe, or cotton pad and then pat dry. Theres no need to rinse it off with water! That convenience makes it great for keeping your little one clean while youre out-and-about or traveling.
Consider A Mild Medical Cream
If regular shampooing does not help, a healthcare professional may recommend a mild corticosteroid cream or specialist shampoo.
Speak to a doctor before using these products because they can sometimes cause irritation or allergic reactions. Since cradle cap is a benign condition, the risks of these creams may outweigh any possible benefit.
Mild cradle cap does not usually require any treatment. The baby may need to see a doctor if the condition is severe or making them uncomfortable.
Yeast infections can sometimes develop on the affected area. If caregivers suspect the rash has become infected, they should speak to a doctor. Signs of infection include:
- the skin looks red
- the scales start to leak fluid
- the affected area feels warm
- the affected area smells unpleasant
The doctor may prescribe medication to deal with the infection. This might be an anti-yeast cream.
In rare cases, infants who have seborrheic dermatitis all over their body, suffer from diarrhea, and are not putting on weight may have a problem with their immune system. Caregivers who observe these symptoms in a baby should take them to see a doctor.
Brush Your Babys Brows
If your baby has flakes or scales on their brows, this tip might be useful. Just like you brush your babys hair every day , youll want to brush their eyebrows to help loosen and remove flakes.
Remember to be gentle and use a soft-bristled brush once per day. In many cases, you can find baby brushes specifically designed for cradle cap that are intended to be gentle and prevent irritation.
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Are There Any Tests For Cradle Cap
Unfortunately, no. But if you visit a doctor, he or she will be able to diagnose cradle cap just by looking at your babys skin. And that can be relieving during the high-stress days of early parenthood.
Remember, cradle cap is mostly harmless and usually clears up on its own. Often, it goes away by babys first birthday, but in some children, it may not clear up until they are between two and four years old.
Still, there are a number of methods you can safely try to aid in the removal of cradle cap at home. Just keep in mind that when dealing with your babys delicate skin, it is always important to be careful with the products you use, choosing those that are natural and safe.
What Is Cradle Cap
Cradle cap is a harmless skin condition that appears as yellow scaly patches surrounded by a red rash on the scalp of babies. About 7 out of 10 babies develop cradle cap between two and six weeks of birth.
Your baby is not in any danger. Cradle cap has no negative effects on your babys general health and doesnt affect sleep or feeding. It usually disappears over a period of weeks or months and typically isnt seen after 12 months of age.
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When Should I See A Doctor
See a doctor if you think your babys skin is infected. It may be infected if:
- the skin looks red and inflamed
- the rash is weeping or smelling
- the rash is spreading
- the cradle cap continues to worsen after your baby is 3 months old
- your babys scalp is very itchy
Complications Of Cradle Cap
Sometimes the skin under the cradle cap can become infected, or eczema can develop underneath it.
Both of these conditions should be treated by a doctor, who may prescribe a course of antibiotics or an antifungal cream or shampoo, such as ketoconazole. A mild steroid cream such as hydrocortisone may be recommended for an inflamed rash.
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How Can I Treat My Baby’s Cradle Cap
Things you can try to get rid of cradle cap
Burts Bees Baby Shampoo And Wash
Burts Bees Baby Shampoo is another excellent choice for a gentle shampoo and wash that can be used for cradle cap and beyond. Its plant-based formula has soy proteins for natural moisture and a light fresh scent that will make you want to eat your baby up after bathtime.
10 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
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Can You Pick Your Babys Cradle Cap
While it may be tempting to pick and scrape away little pieces of cradle cap yourself, try not to do this. Picking at cradle cap can leave sore patches, making your little one susceptible to infections.
If you start to notice some redness or if the area looks swollen, reach out to your babys pediatrician for observation.
What Treatment Is Available For Newborn Baby Cradle Cap6
Treatments for cradle cap span from things parents can do at home to topical creams available at the pharmacy. Treatment for newborn baby cradle cap includes:
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Washing a babys hair frequently. A healthcare provider may suggest special shampoo, but otherwise use unscented baby shampoo. Find more tips on how to bathe your newborn baby.
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Brushing hair regularly with a soft brush to loosen cradle cap flakes. If you notice that some hair falls out in the process, dont fear. It will grow back! Applying baby oil, vegetable oil or petroleum jelly at night to keep the area moisturised. Avoid using peanut oil, however, just in case your baby has allergies, and note that olive oil has not been shown to be effective when used on skin.
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Using corticosteroid cream or lotion should cradle cap be very pronounced or does not appear to be going away.
As cradle cap is being treated, parents should avoid using soap or adult shampoos and try to avoid the urge to pick at crusts that are not coming off on their own.
Picking crusts can make the area red and inflamed and can prevent it clearing up.
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Babyganics Infant Cradle Cap Cleansing Oil
As my pediatrician described it, cradle cap is really an oil slick, so it might seem weird to add even more oil to the situation. But, as it turns out, oil can help soften the scales of cradle cap so that you can remove them. It also hydrates the skin so that its not encouraged to produce even more oil. The combo of sweet almond oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, and olive fruit oil in this Babyganics cleansing oil is the ideal non-allergenic, fragrance-free formula to treat your babys scalp. It also comes with a handy scrub brush to gently get rid of the flakes as you bathe.
8 of 10 Image Credits: Amazon
Natural Fixes For Cradle Cap
You notice a patch of skin on your newborn babys head that looks odd and unattractive. What could have caused your perfect little one to have this imperfection? Did you do something to cause this unsightly patch?
Before you become alarmed, especially if youre new to the parental world, your baby is most likely experiencing cradle cap, which is ultra common and although not visibly desirable, will not cause your bundle of joy any serious discomfort. If your baby was older, it would simply be called dandruff rather than cradle cap.
Often confused with infantile eczema, cradle cap doesnt typically cause significant itching, which often occurs in cases of eczema. Like eczema though, cradle cap is not contagious, and its not caused by poor hygiene. So breath easy and read on to learn how to naturally fix this common problem!
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What If Babys Eyelids Are Affected
Occasionally, a babys eyebrows or eyelids may be affected. This is not harmful to the eyes but can be annoying when the eyelids stick together and the baby is not able to open the eyes. Here are three suggestion for how to treat cradle cap on face and eyelids.
- To clean the eyelids, use a cotton swab with dilutedno-tear baby shampoo.
- Use a teaspoon of baking soda added to a cup of boiled water to clean the eyelids.
- Gently clean the eyelids and eyelashes with OcUsoft pre-moistened towelettes.
When Is Newborn Baby Cradle Cap A Problem7
In many cases, newborn baby cradle cap is an inevitable part of a new life and rarely problematic, though you should talk to your GP or health visitor if:
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Cradle cap covers your babys body
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Crusts begin to bleed or otherwise leak fluid or if you notice swelling
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Treatment for your newborn babys cradle cap doesnt seem to help
These could be signs of other dermatological conditions or an infection that may require treatment.
Be sure to look at our other in-depth articles on common baby skin conditions and baby advice on our Parenting Community, like the below:
3. , Check if your child has cradle cap, accessed 09.08.21
4. , Which children are at risk for cradle cap?, accessed 06.08.21
5. , How is cradle cap treated, accessed 06.08.21
6. , Things you can try to get rid of cradle cap, accessed 06.08.21
7., See a GP if, accessed 09.08.21
About the Author
Dr Stephanie Ooi
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Taking Care With Shampoos
Shampoos are available over the counter at pharmacies to loosen cradle cap. Check the patient information leaflet before you use these for any ingredients your child is allergic to, and follow the instructions carefully. You should avoid getting any in your babys eyes as these shampoos are stronger than baby shampoo. Speak to your pharmacist for advice. If the shampoo or other treatments worsen the condition, stop the treatments and see a doctor as your baby may have eczema.
Shampoos that contain ground nut oil or peanut oil are best avoided in children under 5 years old.
Cradle Cap: Causes Prevention And The 10 Best Treatment Methods
Welcoming a baby into the world is both a wonderful and confusing time. Along with all the joy and love parenthood brings, there are many concerns youll face once your little one makes their appearance.
Your newborn can develop a number of deficiencies and conditions from eczema to jaundice and you may not know what they are or how to deal with them. One of those Whats this here? conditions is cradle cap.
But before you start to panic and rush your baby off to the emergency room, let the experts at Mustela put your mind at ease about this all-too-common skin condition. Along the way, well answer questions such as:
- What is cradle cap?
- Should you be worried about cradle cap?
- How common is cradle cap?
- Is cradle cap painful or contagious?
- What does cradle cap look like?
- How can you tell cradle cap apart from other conditions?
- What causes cradle cap?
- Are there any tests for cradle cap?
- Does cradle cap have an odor?
- Can you pick your babys cradle cap?
After we answer the most common cradle cap questions, well show you nine ways to prevent and treat this common skin condition.
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Home Treatment Of Cradle Cap
Mild cradle cap usually gets better without treatment after a few weeks. It may help if you:
- Loosen the crusts by massaging the scalp with mineral oil at night, then wash the hair with a baby shampoo the next morning, gently lifting the crusts off with a soft brush . Try this each day until your babys scalp looks clearer.
- Use a mild antidandruff shampoo if the other treatment is not working be careful, these shampoos can irritate a babys eyes more than shampoos made for babies.
The cradle cap can come back, even when treated properly, because the glands continue to produce sebum for several months after birth.
How To Treat Cradle Cap At Home In 3 Simple Steps
New moms often face the problem of treating cradle cap when their infants are only a few months old.
On this page, we will share with you some tips on how to treat cradle cap. Getting rid of this condition is not always easy and sometimes despite your efforts, it keeps coming back.
The good news is, that cradle cap harmless. Skin conditions like this one are common and will go away without treatment over time. Yet, many mothers still find cradle cap repulsive to look at and are desperately trying to find a way to treat it.
Do all babies get cradle cap? The condition does not affect every baby. Statistically, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians , it affects roughly 10% of boys and 9.5 percent of girls.
When does cradle cap start?
The most common age for infants to develop cradle cap is about 3 months and it lasts until they are 12 months old. Rarely, it occurs in infants younger than 1 month. Only 7% of babies with cradle cap will have it until their second birthday.
Cradle cap is also known as infantile or neonatal seborrhoeic dermatitis. They sometimes use other names: crusta lactea, milk crust, and honeycomb disease.
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Elsewhere On The Body
- Bathe your baby every day with a medical emollient as a soap substitute, or add an emollient bath oil to the water, which will help loosen scales and moisturise dry skin. Take extra care when lifting your baby out of the bath as their skin will be slippery!
- Use a medical emollient rather than cosmetic baby products , which may contain fragrance and other ingredients that can irritate the skin. Moisturising the skin with an emollient will help prevent further skin flaking and infection. Please see National Eczema Societys Emollients factsheet for more information on emollients.
- If the skin looks sore, your doctor or health visitor may prescribe a mild topical steroid cream apply it very thinly once or twice a day, as prescribed, to the sore areas of skin only.
- A good time to apply emollient is after bathing. After applying the emollient, wait at least 10 minutes before applying a topical steroid. It is important to leave a gap between the two treatments to avoid diluting the topical steroid and/or spreading it to areas unaffected by eczema.
- Keep the nappy area clean and dry. Check nappies frequently while the skin is sore and change as soon as they become wet or soiled.
- At each nappy change, apply a water-repellent emollient as a barrier to help protect the skin . Dont use plastic pants over cloth nappies as these can make the problem worse.
What Causes Cradle Cap
The exact cause of infant seborrheic dermatitis is unknown. Overproduction of your babys oil-producing sebaceous glands or a type of yeast in the oil may contribute to your babys condition. The glands are on the babys scalp. Scientists think the changing hormone levels in the mothers body during pregnancy may cause a babys sebaceous glands to overproduce. Normal skin cells are naturally shed in a process called desquamation. However, the cells will remain stuck to the scalp if there is an abundance of oil. This causes no harm to your baby.
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Newborn Baby: How To Ease Cradle Cap
So, you are settling back at home cradling your newborn, when suddenly you see some dry, scaly bits on your newborns scalp starting to form.
But theres no need to stress
What you are seeing is the effects of something called cradle cap harmless non-contagious skin patches that can suddenly appear underneath your babys crown, behind their ears, on their forehead, in those yummy-looking skin folds, or even in their eyebrows!
Ok I know your first instinct may be to think – eww, how do I get rid of it! But lets just hit pause for a second, and first explore what cradle cap is, why it occurs, and how to treat it with care.