Cradle Cap in Infants

Cradle cap is a scalp condition found mostly in small babies within the first three months of their birth. In this condition, dry and scaly patches appear on the surface of the scalp. It looks very similar to dandruff. Even though it is mostly confined to the scalp sometimes, it may spread to the neck, around the ears and eyebrows of the baby. In general, it does not cause any trouble to the health of the baby. Only in some severe cases, it may cause itching. Usually, these crusty patches disappear on its own after a few months. But some babies continue to have them intermittently for few years. Parents tend to get worried about cradle cap in infants mainly because it looks bad on their beautiful baby.

Causes

The exact cause behind this scalp problem in infants is not known. There is a misconception that it could be due to poor hygiene, infection or some kind of allergic reaction. None of them are true. Rather, many experts believe that it is triggered by certain hormones that the newborns receive from their mother just before birth. These hormones make the oil producing glands overactive which produces an oily substance in large amount. As a result, the greasy surface of the scalp hold on to the old skin cells of the scalp and do not let them fall off. The dried skin cells then appear as thick, crusty skin rash. This is absolutely a normal condition and it subsides as soon as the oil production of the sebaceous glands return to normal after some time.

Treatment

Cradle cap in infants does not require any treatment unless it causes itching. Then opt for some gentle home treatment. Here are a few simple remedies:

Oil Treatment: You can use vegetable oil like olive oil or a baby oil for this purpose. Take a small amount of the oil and massage it on those areas of baby's scalp where you can see the cradle cap with the help of your fingers. Let the oil sit on the scalp for half an hour or so. This will help to loosen up the dry scales. Then use a soft baby hair brush or a dry terry-cloth to remove the scales. The oil treatment should be followed by washing of the scalp with a normal baby shampoo. Never leave the oil on the baby's scalp as it can clog up the skin pores.

Shampooing: Apply the baby shampoo that you use regularly all over the scalp. Wait for a few minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. Dry up with a soft towel and brush the scalp. Brushing will clean up the dry scales that are left behind. When the cradle cap symptoms are severe, shampoo the scalp more frequently. If required, you can use a mild baby shampoo almost daily. As the scalp condition improves, you can reduce it to twice a week. However, too much of shampooing should be avoided as it can have adverse effect and may dry up the scalp skin and aggravate the symptoms.

Petroleum Jelly: Petroleum jelly can be safely used to get rid of cradle cap. Apply a generous amount of petroleum jelly on all those parts where the scales are visible. Allow it to stay on the scalp throughout the night. Next morning, you will find that most of the scales have fallen off. If some of dead skin cells are still left behind, then you can brush them off by gently moving your fingers.

In case, the symptoms are severe and home treatments fail to show any desired effect, then you must consult your pediatrician. They often prescribe medicated shampoo for treating the condition. If scalp inflammation is observed, then they may recommend topical application of cortisone creams on the scalp. However, do not try any of these medical treatments on your own without consulting a doctor.