What is Cradle Cap?
Cradle Cap is similar to dandruff and is a common skin condition in infants where yellow, oily patches of scales appear on the scalp. It is called seborrhea when it spreads to other areas like eyebrows. It can occur in children up-to 3 years of age and flare-ups last for several weeks and then subside.
Symptoms of Cradle Cap
- Infants between 3 to 9 months of age develop oily, thick, yellow patches or scales.
- Skin rarely itches, but maybe slightly red in affected areas.
- Presence of scales around the eyebrows, behind the ears or rarely in the skin creases of the groin
Causes of Cradle Cap
- When excessive release of sebum (oily substance) accumulates in the glands, skin cells die and wear off producing oily scales.
Cradle Cap: Home remedies
- Soften and loosen the scales with a warm oil massage and leave it overnight or cover the scalp with a moist warm towel for an hour. It is important that the towel remains warm.
- Then with great care wash the baby’s hair with a mild baby shampoo and rinse thoroughly. Avoid dandruff shampoo on infants as it could cause harm.
- The remaining scales can be loosened, by brushing the baby’s hair daily with a soft bristle brush. Later use a fine-tooth comb to remove the scales.
Preventing Cradle Cap
- Gentle shampooing twice a week, daily hair brushing and regular applications of oil may prevent recurrence.