Hi,
Cradle cap is the common term for infantile Seborrheic Dermatitis that affects the scalp of the newborn or child.
Seborrheic Dermatitis is a skin condition that causes scaly patches and red skin. It occurs on oily areas of the body, such as the scalp, face, upper chest and back.
Cradle cap also known as crib cap, appears to be a greasy, yellowish, scaly rash that appears in patches on the scalps of a newborn and infants. Cradle cap is common in infants and usually improves by 8-12 months. It is not contagious and is rarely serious.
Signs and Symptoms of Cradle Cap -
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- Mild to moderate redness.
- Dandruff or skin flakes.
- Patches of scaly skin or crusts on the scalp.
- Greasy skin with white or yellow scales.
Cradle cap usually starts on the scalp of the child and can spread to the area behind the ears. It can appear in patches on the nose, eyelids, groin, armpits, and backs of the knees.
Causes of Cradle Crap -
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The exact cause of cradle cap is not known. However, it is not caused due to poor hygiene, allergy or bacterial infection.
Cradle cap is formed when too much sebum is produced by the overactive sebaceous glands present on the scalp which results in preventing the old skin cells from drying and falling off the scalp and instead stick to the scalp and cause scaling, itching and redness.
The Sebaceous glands become overactive due to the mother’s hormones in pregnancy or through breastfeeding.
Treatment of Cradle Cap -
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1. Washing the head of the child daily with mild shampoo.
2. Gently brushing the scalp with a soft brush to loosen the patches and scales and get rid of them. The patches should not be scratched or picked as this may cause infection.
3. Massaging the scalp of the child with a good moisturising oil and letting it soak in for a while and then brushing the scalp with a soft brush to remove patches and scales and following up with a shampoo. Leaving oil may aggravate the cradle cap.
4. If the above methods don’t seem to help, then the doctor may suggest a medicated shampoo, antifungal creams, topical steroids and antibiotics depending on the severity of the condition.
Medical attention is needed if there are signs of redness and inflammation on the affected area, patches look irritated and bleed, affected area spreads to the face or starts to appear on the body, signs of fungal ear infection or signs of thrush appear.
Prevention of Cradle Cap -
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Prevention of the cradle cap is not possible as the exact cause of its development is not known. However one can take proper care of the child’s scalp to prevent any such conditions from developing or reoccurring.
Regular oiling, brushing and washing the scalp of the child helps to maintain the health and pH of the scalp and helps to prevent any such conditions from forming and promotes healthy hair growth of the child.
You can buy hair oil/cream that soothe cradle cap from :
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