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What are cradle cap?
Cradle cap is to babies what dandruff is to adults. Its name “crust of milk” comes from the resemblance of the rash to milk that has leaked onto a baking sheet.
There are two types of cradle cap :
- the dry form appears in the first weeks of life in babies, hereditarily predisposed to having oily skin.
- wet form is accompanied by oozing and is part of allergic eczema in infants.
How do cradle cap manifest itself?
These cradle cap take the form of yellowish, scaly patches, a little oily, caused by too much sebaceous secretions from the scalp. They settle on scalp, eyebrows, fontanelles (membrane spaces between the bones of the skull) and sometimes also on the whole body. If they are very unsightly, cradle cap can also become very itchy …
They are due to an excess of sebum and appear from the first months. Don’t panic, this little skin problem is benign, especially if the little ones tend to have oily skin.
How to treat cradle cap?
- Above all, do not scrape the cradle cap dry which could lead to further irritation of the scalp or even superinfection with bacteria.
- First of all, gently massage the cradle cap with sweet almond oil or liniment to soften them, one to two hours before the bath. And we do not hesitate to massage this area, even if it is soft. Baby’s brain, located below, fears nothing. Then we give him a light shampoo, by lathering without rubbing too much.
If your baby has a hairy head, we use petroleum jelly and then gently comb his hair to remove the scabs.
Attention, lsweet almond oil is not recommended in case of allergic ground. For other babies, the risk of developing an allergy from contact with sweet almond oil is minimal.
A little “natural” pro tip: pour a little oil in the bath, especially if baby has cradle cap all over his body.
Cradle cap: and after?
If you notice the appearance of pimples or inflammation, a doctor is consulted who will prescribe a more appropriate cream.
How to prevent cradle cap?
No need to shampoo daily, which could dry out Baby’s delicate skin. Washing every two or three days is sufficient, except in periods of strong heat or if baby is sweating a lot of the head.
There are shampoos specially adapted for cradle cap. We do not hesitate to ask our pediatrician or dermatologist for advice.