Causes and Treatment of Cradle Cap

Cradle Cap is not a life threatening situation. It appears as yellow or white scale on the scalp and near the ear region of babies. This condition can become alright by itself once the child reaches six months of age. However, in some other children it can extend for a longer period of time.

Some babies are seen to have cradle cap recurrently. You can cleanse the scalp of your baby using a mild shampoo to remove the dead skin. Though the exact reason for this problem is not known, some experts are of the opinion that the hyperactive sebaceous glands in the baby’s skin can lead to this condition.

As far as the symptoms are concerned, this condition is characterized by yellow, fatty patches on the scalp region. This layer can cover the entire scalp in some babies. Though this condition is not itchy, it can be quite embarrassing as it may seem unsightly and can also cause mild irritation to the baby. Over a period of time the scales tend to fall off on its won without any form of treatment.

You can apply baby oil over the scalp and leave it overnight. Then you can clean the scalp of the bay using gentle shampoo and water if you wish to eliminate this problem in a short while. You can also use a face washer to rub off the scales gently after washing the hair of the baby. If you try the baby oil home remedy and still don’t find the situation to get any better you can use specially formulated baby shampoos containing salicylic acid. But you have to use them carefully after consulting a doctor as it can irritate the skin of the baby easily.

For unusual cases of spreading or serious cases of cradle cap the doctor may recommend the use of a cream containing hydrocortisone to treat the rash and inflammation. If the cradle cap appears to be persistent and doesn’t fall off with these methods your doctor can prescribe a medicated shampoo containing ketoconazole. Repeated oil massage treatments may be undertaken for getting a natural cure from cradle cap. If this fails to give results, the creams and medicated shampoos can be made use of.