Cradle Cap : a Minor Illness

Illnesses can be termed as the most irritating things that can plague life. Not only irritating but also painful, troublesome and expensive. They affect the normal flow of life and can disrupt it considerably. And if the youngest member of the family happens to suffer from it then the happiness of the entire family can go for a toss. Serious the illness graver would be the situation. One illness that sets panic bell ringing is cradle cap. However, it must be understood that contrary to public opinion cradle cap is not serious yet; being an illness it is an irritant and therefore need to be addressed seriously. It would, however, be a good idea to first understand what a cradle cap is. Well, cradle cap can be termed as infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis and it happens because of the hormonal disorder in sebaceous glands which make it hyper active making it pass through placenta to the baby during pregnancy. This leads to the growth of skin cells on baby’s head.

The best medication for this problem would be to apply baby oil to the affected area and after some time when the oil softens and loses scale it should be brushed or combed gently. Another way of attending this illness is washing the affected area by baby shampoo. Though such an activity can be extremely painful and, therefore, avoided in the harsh winter months.

It is worth mentioning here that cradle cap improves with time. And if it does not then the best thing would be to consult a doctor and use the medicated shampoo or cradle cap cream as referred by him. However, people, under no circumstances should ever use force to get rid of the layers. This can lead to unnecessary complication and situation getting worse.

cradle cap, it must be understood, is not a serious illness and is easily curable. All that is required is the adherence to doctor’s advice and patience.