How to Deal with a Baby's Cradle Cap

Cradle cap, or infantile seborrheic dermatitis, appears as an area of crusty, oily patches of scaly yellowish-brown skin on a baby's scalp. In spite of its somewhat alarming appearance, it is completely harmless and probably causes little or no discomfort to the infant. Resulting from a sticky buildup of sloughed skin cells and natural sebaceous secretions, cradle cap is not related to an allergy, infection, or condition of neglect. Although in many cases it will clear up on its own by the time a baby is several months old, it is easily treatable otherwise.

Things You'll Need

• Fragrance-free petroleum jelly, baby oil, or olive oil
• <br>Soft-bristled baby's hairbrush, a very soft toothbrush, or a clean dry washcloth
• <br>Tear-free hypoallergenic baby shampoo
• <br>Clean, warm water
• <br>Soft terrycloth towel

Instructions

1. About half an hour before bathing your baby, massage a bit of fragrance-free petroleum jelly, baby oil, or olive oil into the scaly patches on her scalp as well as the area immediately surrounding them. Allow this to remain in place until her bath time. This will help to soften the scales and make them easier to remove.

2. At bath time, wet baby's scalp with warm water and gently rub the scales with a soft-bristled baby's hairbrush, a very soft toothbrush, or a clean dry washcloth. Shampoo her hair with a tear-free hypoallergenic shampoo designed for use with infants. Allow lather to sit on scalp for a few seconds to help break down the petroleum jelly/oil, then rinse well with clear, warm water. Pat baby's hair and scalp dry with a soft terrycloth towel.

3. If the cradle cap recurs, spreads, or if it gets worse and is accompanied by sores, scabs, and/or the presence of pus, call your pediatrician. There are other conditions, namely scabies and certain fungal infections, that can resemble cradle cap. Occasionally, cradle cap may be a symptom of an underlying illness and a visit to the physician may be in order to rule this out.

4. If your baby has a severe case of cradle cap and home remedies do not work, or the cradle cap also affects the eyebrows and eyelids, your physician may prescribe a special shampoo or ointment to encourage softening and lifting of scales and soothing of any irritation or itchiness.

Tips & Warnings

• Although once it's gone, cradle cap doesn't usually return, you can help to get rid of any lingering flakes by washing your baby's hair two to three times a week. Use a mild, hypoallergenic baby shampoo and rinse well.

• When you are massaging your baby's scalp, be cautious over her fontanels, or soft spots.

• <br>Be very careful when handling your infant with hands that are slippery with oil or petroleum jelly. You might want to recruit an assistant for this part of the process.

• <br>No matter how tempting it is, resist the urge to pick at any loose scales. Doing so may irritate your baby's scalp and could increase the chance for infection.