How do you get rid of cradle cap?

Janette - posted on 01/16/2010

Yes use Baby oil...a creamy one....my daughters went away in a couple of weeks. Baby oile before bathtime, let it sit for a bit then wash it out with soap

~Jennifer - posted on 01/16/2010

Thank you for your replies to this question.

Nichole - posted on 01/16/2010

When my babies had this problem I used a baby toothbrush or a very soft toothbrush with a ton of baby oil. She will loose a little hair but not a lot. It worked without fail for my kids.

Tonya - posted on 01/16/2010

use baby oil and use the baby comb and comb it out. i had to do it and it works.

Barbie - posted on 01/16/2010

Aw, she sounds beautiful! Our pediatrician told us to take your baby shampoo (whatever mild shampoo you use) and massage it on a DRY head (ie before you wash). This did the trick for us. It only took a couple of times. Be warned, however, they usually do lose that downy hair no matter what you do! It's just how babies are...like losing the milk teeth so that the grown up teeth can come in! I don't blame you about the mineral oil. I would never put any kind of petroleum-based product on my skin, much less a sweet baby!

Bethany - posted on 01/16/2010

My eldest daughter was born with a similar situation. First, I'd ask your doctor to look at her head. If needed, a dermatologist may have to check her head. Despite difficulties and challenges, love every day with this gift from GOD!

Stephenie - posted on 01/16/2010

If the baby brush is making her hair fall out it is because that is still peach fuzz and it will fall out no matter what you do. You need to take either baby oil or olive oil with the baby brush and massage her scalp with the soft bristles. My daughter's hair fell out by the time she was five months, but not to fear she is 12 now and has a georgous head of hair anyone would die for.

Jolene - posted on 01/16/2010

Head and Shoulders shampoo.

Beth - posted on 01/16/2010

I used the baby oil and combing combination. I don't know that there is a true cure but until it went away, i just combing and picked it out the best i could. Hang in there.

Dorothy - posted on 01/16/2010

i used the same as most everyone else. baby oil, but i left it on overnight to soak in then when i bathed him the craddle cap just kind of flaked off. from memory any oil will work even the vege oil in the kitchen if u have no baby oil at hand

Kara - posted on 01/16/2010

Don't use baby oil, it's almost 100% mineral oil which just suffocates the skin among other things... There is a conditioning oil from Arbonne, it's enriched botanical oils (including sunflower oil, olive oil, avacado oil, grapeseed...etc.) it's all natural so you can feel good about it. Her hair will not fall out and it works well for cradle cap. It's $12 for a tube of it, it will last forever and can be used for other things, dry skin spots - it's got vitamin A & E.

Jessica - posted on 01/16/2010

My daughters pediatrician said that it will take care of it's self; however, if you use a washcloth or a baby brush whe shampooing her hair that will help as well as using vasoline and a baby brush. Hope this helps!

Deletha - posted on 01/16/2010

My child had a lot of hair too and a really bad case of cradle cap. We used baby oil, or try olive oil since it is natural, rubbed it in and would leave it over night. Use a baby hair brush, or even your nails to gently scrape and loosen pieces. Occasionally a piece of hair would fallout, but that was it.

Melissa - posted on 01/16/2010

Post a reply!My so is now 21 But when he was lil I used vasaline ,just put small amount on in the a.m. then when you bath him later in day it is soft and use brush. Let me know if that works for u

Alison - posted on 01/16/2010

Basicaly your issue is to 'fix' the situation.

DO NOT USE ADULT SHAMPOO ESPECIALLY THE ANTI DANDRUFF variety; they are full of chemicals particularly sulpha. This can exascerbate the problem and isn't healthy as there is a degree of topical absorbtion.

Basically what you need to use is a form of antibacteria/antifungal oil.

Massage this into your child's scalp and the oil will soften the dried skin so it comes away easily

Lavender oil is another good one and it shouldn't cause a reaction.

Baby oilis are parafin base which is quite harsh

Fiona - posted on 01/16/2010

dont worry her hair will fall out or rub of as she sleep , when she rolles around it is very fine hair .It will grow back just make sure you get her hair cut ,so it grows thick and strong.my daughter was bold till she was 2, now she is 9 and has lovley long thick hair.

Dana - posted on 01/16/2010

When my daughter was a baby she had the WORST case of cradle cap, and she was born with tons of hair. I used baby oil and one of those baby combs and, because of how severe her cradle cap was, it took awhile for it to go away, but that was the only thing that worked, and saved her long curly hair. Hope this helps.

Alison - posted on 01/16/2010

I used Tea Tree OIl Shampoo and my bub was only one month old. Don't worry about any hair falling out. At 3mths my bub looked like Friar Tuck and now has a luxurious head of hair.

Porsha - posted on 01/16/2010

You can also take a baby comb when you bathe your baby and gently scratch it with the comb while wet with shampoo but Gentle is the word and it will slowly go away with time but it apart of your baby so embrace it.

Sharyn - posted on 01/16/2010

Stopped reading 1/2 way down so not sure if anyone else has mentioned this yet. For a completely natural remedy, mix bi carb soda and a little water into a paste, smooth it thickly over the cadle cap and leave for a few minute while bub has a little kick about in bath. Then gently wipe off with a face washer, brings it off instantly.

Just a brief note to all mums, I read the follow article a while ago and was shocked, to learn little ones can suffocate if inhaling this product into lungs, until then had used babyoil in my children's bath and it was sitting on the change table (note the lids are NOT child proof).I have thrown out the baby oil as can't see the point of risking my little ones taking a mouth full of bath water with it in it. I have added the link to the article FYI. Have a read and then decide for yourself.

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article...

Mhairi - posted on 01/16/2010

I was advised not to use oil as it can clog the pores.

We made a paste of water and bicarbonate of soda and applied this to the scalp. Left if till it dried then washed it off.

Colleen - posted on 01/16/2010

hi shannon, use olive oil its done wonders on my daughters hair and she had it heaps bad. the midwifes told me not to use baby oil as they can get sick from it. i hope that helps.

colleen.

Mary - posted on 01/15/2010

Use dandraff shampoo

Sweetheart - posted on 01/15/2010

Saturate cotton balls with Johnsons baby oil, dab the cradle cap area until the scabs are fully saturated with the oil. The oil loosens the scabs so that you can delicately remove them without removing babys hair and without hurting baby. Please use comon sense when doing this because it may take a while to remove all of the scabs. Depending on the amount of cradle cap, it might take a while (days) so be patient. I watched my mother (whom is no longer alive but the best child care giver I know) do this with a child she was caring for.

Brenda - posted on 01/15/2010

baby oil on about 30 minutes before her bath ,and wash her hair with baby shampoo ,when she gets her bath ,,,her hair wont fall out ,just be genital

Heather - posted on 01/15/2010

My son is now 7 so this was a while back, but only one thing worked for us. I found a product called Gentle Naturals made by Baby Orajel - they had a cradle cap treatment. I had tried everything else on Ben's thick scaly patches but nothing worked. I used this product ONCE and the cradle cap was gone - it never came back. I don't know if they still make it but it was a miracle for us. Good luck!

Eileen - posted on 01/15/2010

I would leave out the baby oil but during bathtime if you have a really gentle comb/brush (we kept the plastic one that the hospital used at baby's first bath and it worked great) that will help. Ultimately the cradle cap will go away on it's own. And if some of her hair falls out......don't worry she's just getting started and will grow it back before you know it.

Samantha - posted on 01/15/2010

I applied and combed through baby oil after their nighttime bath and the cradle cap went (not overnight but it did happen he he) and they both have full heads of hair! Good luck.

Kelly - posted on 01/15/2010

We used the baby oil and a baby comb and it worked great, and my son never lost any hair from it either

Regan - posted on 01/15/2010

just before bed rub a 20c peice size of oil (olive oil works best) into baby scalp with ur fingers leave over night and wash hair in morning!!!! if u dont feel safe leaving it over night just a couple of hours will do (may need 2nd application)

Lisa - posted on 01/15/2010

HEAD and SHOULDERS shampoo.... our pediatrician told us to use it and it worked like a charm, and it smells good!

Ashley - posted on 01/15/2010

My daughter had it really bad all over her head, face and parts of her arms and legs. Her doctor gave us this cream is basically anti ich cream and its got 1%, i cant even remember the name of the stuff but its safe and it helped. If you take her to the doctor and ask about it or call a nurse i think they can help you get the right stuff.

Dijana - posted on 01/15/2010

I used Mustela baby shampoo for cradle cap and my daughter never had cradle cap... it is a little on the expensive side but so worth it...

Lynette - posted on 01/15/2010

Forever ago I wrote a blog on cradle cap on myspace, thought I would post it here.



Cradle Cap





I got this info from "Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child" 2nd edition ( A Practical A to Z Reference to Natural and Conventional Treatments for Infants & Children) by Janet Zand



Cradle Cap---



Dietary Guidelines-

*if u r nursing your child, avoid eating refined sugar. Both bacteria and yeast thrive on sugar.

* a nursing mother should avoid saturated animal fats. Eat fish, such as salmon, for essential fatty acids, and include an evening primrose or borage oil supplement in your daily vitamin regimen for a couple weeks. Follow dosage directions on product label.



Nutritional Supplements-

*give child muti vit and mineral complex to rule out nutritional deficiencies.

*for resistant cases apply a vit -b6 salve or cream to head 2x daily for 2 to 3 days

*Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacterium bifidum is an important supplement when fighting cradle cap, a nursing mother should take one dose, twice daily, as directed by product label. For a bottle feed infant give child 1/2 capsule or 1/8 tsp supplement once daily mixed in childs bottle.



Herbal Treatment- If skin on baby's head is very dry, massage their scalp with calendula lotion and vitE oil alternately. Almond oil can also be used. Allow the oil to remain on your infants's scalp for 15min. Then shampoo, gently comb away the loosened scales with a fine toothed comb. Both calendula and Vit E are helpful for skin irritations and will moisten and help heal the lesions.



homeopathy-

Sulphur is a general remedy for skin conditions. Use Sulphur for the infant whose cradle cap may be oozing and very itchy. Give one dose of Sulphur 30x or 9c, twice daily for 2-3 days

or

Thuja is for the child who is cooler and calmer and likes being snuggled. If Sulphur doesn't clear your infant's cradle cap, try one dose of Thuja 30x or 9c, twice daily, for 2 days



WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

WHEN SHAMPOOING OR COMBING THE SCALES FROM YOUR BABY'S HAIR, ALWAYS CHECK FOR SIGNS OF A LOCAL INFECTION. IF YOU NOTICE THAT THE AREA IS WARM AND RED, OR IS DEVELOPING AN INFECTED LOOKING DISCHARGE, CONSULT YOUR PEDIATRICIAN.



I just checked out cradle cap on my fav website earthclinic.com here

is what they had to say.......

---Brijette of Bettendorf, Iowa writes us, "My Chiropractor told me

to use vinegar on my baby girl's cradle cap. I applied it straight

and let it sit for 10 minutes before her bath. I've done this only

four times now and her cradle cap is almost gone already!!! Maybe

this straight vinegar treatment could work for other scalp problems

as well."

Be carefull it stings if you get vinigar in your eyes or on any cuts.

Hope the helps!

----Lynette



I always gently scrached my babys heads with a fine tooth comb, daily and it took care of it.

Beside the scraching part is so fun. (I'm kinda a monkey;) Also what

kind of shampoo are you using, the cradle cap could be coming from it,

if it contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Good luck

Amber - posted on 01/15/2010

It shouldn't make her hair fall out! but umm try your oils and also when bathing her make shure you wash her hair properly with a face washer... if her hair was going to fall out it would of by now i reckon!!! Go to you chemist and try any product they have!!! we wash our sons hair with a soaped up facewasher and he has nva gotten cradle cap so give it a try, not to get rid of it but to prevent it!

Sue - posted on 01/15/2010

Try SeaBreeze..i worked for mine when they were little...

Kristy - posted on 01/15/2010

ive used the baby oil on my 1st who is 7 now, and on one of my now 2yo twins i never brushed it through though, id just put a little on after his/her bath and lightly make sure it covered the cradle cap with my hand and within a couple a days it was gone! i know there is expensive stuff u can get from the chemist but i couldnt tell you how well it works if i find out from any more ppl ill pop back and let u know cheers! kristy x and good luck!!

Shelly - posted on 01/15/2010

i have four children and at some time or another they have had craddle cap..and i have allways used baby oil and brush (or sometimes a comb gently) and no hair has fallen out, but do keep in mind that babys hair does fall out (sometimes) on its own. good luck

Nicole - posted on 01/15/2010

Baby oil, and a baby brush works great! Most babies lose their hair a little bit or a lot anyway. My daughter is 17 months old and just started getting her hair back. I found most of it in her bouncer from when she rubbed her head back and forth, lol. I put baby oil on both of my daughters' heads from the time they were born until about 10 months. Niether one of them developed cradle cap, luckily. Plus the baby oil smells good and keeps "einstein" hair to a minimum! Hope this helps!

Susan - posted on 01/15/2010

The baby oil or olive oil will work, but what I used is a baby toothbrush, the kind with very soft bristles. It seemed to be able to work into the flakes better. My daughter had it for a long time, but finally out grew it. My boys didn't have it badly at all. I will recommend Avon baby shampoo, it is much better than j&j. I did hair for 25 years, and I know shampoo! That picture of your baby is just too cute!!

Kathryn - posted on 01/15/2010

Hello - we used to dab the area(s) with olive oil, took a while to work but was great

Lisette - posted on 01/15/2010

I used Olive oil for my daughter - it is a natural product. Another fantastic product is Paw Paw ointment (you can buy from Supermarket) - I use that everywhere, top & bottom!

Louise - posted on 01/15/2010

The best result I had was using Almond oil - it lifts the scales right off! Some little hairs can come out when the scales come off but that is totally normal. :)

Laura - posted on 01/15/2010

My little girl had cradle cap on her forehead and also in her hair. I used the baby oil on her forehead as I felt in her hair it made it look really greasy. So when I washed her hair, I gently massaged the shampoo with a baby brush. Worked a treat and I still continue to wash her hair that way at 6 months (she no longer has it - it had gone away after a couple of washes but she seems to like to have her hair washed that way). As for her forehead, the baby oil made it softer to gentle peel off and then I just continued for a while to use a baby moisturiser. Occasionally she gets a little cradle cap in her eyebrows, but I just make sure I put on a little moisturiser!

Beth - posted on 01/15/2010

If you are uncomfortable with baby oil, try olive oil. It sounds funny but it is healthier than the baby oil and works great! I used it on my babies and on myself to help with dandruff. For really persistent cradle cap, try massaging it in, then leaving in for an hour or so before washing out. Good luck!

Sally - posted on 01/15/2010

Puttin on baby oil and brushing won't maker her hair fall out in large quantities. You may find the odd couple of strands will come out. The best thing is a small amount of baby on area and shampoo as normal. There are also shampoos specific for cradle cap although you should not use this as you woud a regular shampoo as this is stronger. As your daughter gets older this will eventually sort itself out.

Lisa - posted on 01/15/2010

Baby oil and use a fine comb to comb it though. This will not happen over night will take some time

Melissa - posted on 01/15/2010

Baby oil (small amount) massaged in with one of those really soft baby hairbrushes then shampooed out works great. The brush will remove the flakes.

Jennifer 'Jeno' - posted on 01/15/2010

Wow, I am glad I read this. My son had it and his pediatrician told me to use an adult dandruff shampoo. I tried it and maybe it worked a little but it smelled so bad I just quit using it. He is now almost 3 yrs old and still has it! I don't do much about it b/c he does have hair so you don't notice it much unless you're in good light and looking right down on his head. But when I go to inspect, yikes! It is pretty bad right now. I try to pick at it with my nails and it comes off in chunks but he doesn't like it when I do that of course. Maybe I'll try the baby oil thing - he may not let me do it twice but I will try! I worry that if I never get rid of it, it will cause problems later. I even see it on my 5 yr old daughter's scalp sometimes but she has such a full head of hair it is hard to see and she doesn't like me to pick either!

Margaret - posted on 01/15/2010

Her hair won't fall out, hon--the baby oil won't hurt her and you can wash it out with baby wash after you massage her scalp. That really is the best way to straighten cradle cap out, because what you have is an extremely dry scalp.