Cradle cap is the name given to flaky, yellowish patches of skin which occur on a baby’s scalp usually within the first three months of their lives. The cause is not fully understood but it usually clears by the time a child reaches two to three years of age. It may last just a few weeks or even a few months. It does not generally cause any discomfort for the baby. It can be a little distressing for parents though as it can be quite prominent visually and you feel you want to do something to help.
The treatment of cradle cap is relatively easy. It is important not to pick at the patches of flaky skin so that infection does not occur. NB DENTINOX is currently unavailable – read about the supply problem by clicking HERE. ( I would recommend Dentinox shampoo – use half a teaspoonful of this as a shampoo on your baby’s scalp in place of their normal shampoo. I would recommend using it about twice a week until the skin clears, in my experience, this works within a couple of weeks! You can then use it any time the skin condition starts to come back.) If you don’t find that Dentinox does the trick I would try Capasal therapeutic shampoo – I don’t recommend it as a first treatment option as it doesn’t smell great..! It contains cold tar, coconut oil and salicylic acid which help to break down and soften scaly skin effectively.
I would recommend using a shampoo for sensitive skin such as Uriage 1st Shampoo or Elave junior sensitive shampoo for the time between flare-ups or episodes to keep the scalp in good condition.
I would also recommend rubbing olive oil into the baby’s scalp to soften patches and prevent flaking. It’s a little unsightly though as it causes the scalp to be very greasy but if you pop it on in the evening you can wash it off the next morning! Alternatively, Uriage Soin croutes de lait cradle cap cream is less greasy to use and is effective. See my product review here –https://www.wondercare.ie/blog/wonder-review-uriage-cradle-cap-cream-and-shampoo/
My new favourite product to complement the use of shampoos and creams or oil is the Pourty cradle cap massage brush
This brush has been specially designed to treat cradle cap – it reduces and removes it which helps to maintain a happy healthy scalp! I advise gently rubbing some oil or a product like uriage soin croutes de lait into the scalp after washing with something like capasal therapeutic shampoo or uriage gentle shampoo. Leave the oil in place for a couple of minutes – then gently massage your baby’s head with the cradle cap brush in circular motions – then repeat the shampoo to wash away the loosened cradle cap. You can do this daily until the cradle cap has cleared and then you can just use the brush to maintain a healthy scalp when washing hair.
Another product which WonderCare followers have found effective is MooGoo Scalp cream which is lovely as is a natural product – available in-store in Milltown totalhealth Pharmacy in Dublin 6 (not online but you can phone us on 012600262 to order – we deliver). Also, people like to use vaseline, almond or coconut oil massaged into the scalp.
You can find all of the products mentioned in this article available for online purchase and delivery from WonderCare – https://www.wondercare.ie/search/cradle
I hope you have found this article helpful and if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact me by sending a private message to the WonderCare Facebook page (www.facebook.com/wonderbabacare) or by calling me (Sheena) at Milltown totalhealth Pharmacy in Dublin 6 on 012600262. I’m always happy to help!
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