What can I do to get rid of this cradle cap?

Jessica - posted on 06/10/2011

Thank you to everyone who gave suggestions! I finally got rid of it, and the thing that worked was leaving baby oil on it overnight and washing her hair really well the next morning. There are only a few little flakes left, but those should brush out very easily. I'm so glad that I didn't have to cut her beautiful hair. Thanks again everyone!!

Bethany - posted on 06/09/2011

Coconut oil. And it smells so good too!

Keisha - posted on 06/07/2011

My childrens doctor to me to use kids sulfur 8 and gently
Comb the scalp while the shampoo is in the hair. It worked wonderful I only had to wash I once with the kids sulfur 8 and it never came back. An I also used natural oils for moisture like almond oil, olive oil and etc.

Kimberly - posted on 06/07/2011

thats awsome sweet

Tonya - posted on 06/07/2011

my daughters doctor told me to rub her hed with baby oil and use a baby tooth/gum brush and within a few weeks it should go away..It worked great!

Kimberly - posted on 06/07/2011

well i would agree dont cut her hair and make sure all the shampoo is out of her hair but i would also say some form of oil after wards. its not just an old wives tale that oil works. and cradle cap happens to alot of babies i just put a little oil in my sons hair and made sure all shampoo was out and left the rest depending on how bad it isnt anything to really worrie about

Julie - posted on 06/07/2011

DON'T CUT HER HAIR! There is a reason it is shedding her outer skin ... possibly too much shampoo is being left in her hair after her bath.
Rinse her hair well.
Do not use baby oil or any other old wives tales remedies.
love her ♥

Kimberly - posted on 06/07/2011

olive oil olive oil. lol olive oil. the best thing i have ever found i have had one of the worst cases when i was a child, and my son had it. its very common. but olive oil works wonders.

Dajona - posted on 06/07/2011

get the doctor to subscribe something for her

Amanda - posted on 06/07/2011

both of mine had it and i just use baby oil massaged it into their heads then brushed their hair for a good 5 to 10 mins then washed there hair and it never came back

Angie - posted on 06/07/2011

I put a very light amount of lotion to my daughters head, it seemed to work. You can wash it out the next day if it gets into her hair.

Lauren - posted on 06/07/2011

Use a mild oil..maybe one from a health food store? apply it onto her hair after you use a mild shampoo (I use original sprout hair and body baby wash)and use a soft bristle brush to gently loosen the flakes. make sure you rinse out ALL of the shampoo and make sure her hair is totally dry before she goes to bed.. If none of those help, i'm sure it will clear up on its own and it's not dangerous so don't worry too much and don't cut all her hair off!

Genevieve - posted on 06/07/2011

My daughter had it for a long time and her doctor said to use baby oil on it for a few days in a row and it should start to peel off. And it work pretty well. I used her baby hair brush to help loosen it.

Tia - posted on 06/07/2011

I found the best way is to place a face cloth on their head obviously making sure not to cover eyes or nose during their baths and very gently pour warm water on the facelcoth to keep it moist and warm. and make it a nice long bath with fun. Then when you see it has gone a little soggy then comb her hair with daddys comb(Not puting the spikes gainst her head but the comb alomst flat with her head so being careful not to scrape her delicate little head) and do this every night for a week or so until the cradle cap is gone I advise not to wash her hair untill the craddle cap has gone. the soap sticks to the craddle cap and makes it thicker with every time you wash it. If this doesnt work dont worry it wll go away.....

Danielle - posted on 06/07/2011

Use Morrocan oil. It's expensive but it works and it absorbs in completely so that there is no oil left behind getting on everything. If it doesn't seem like it's bothering your baby, then really, don't worry to much about it. My little girl had it until she was just over 2 and it never bothered her and her hair grew in beautifully!

Julie - posted on 06/06/2011

My daughter had really persistent cradle cap, and she's 9 months now, and we just figured out it is due to a milk allergy. We switched from breastfeeding to formula at 8 months, and it caused the eczema to flare up not just on her head but all over her body. Poor baby. =( We switched to a hypoallergenic formula, and her cradle cap was just gone in a couple days, and her skin is clearing up too. My pediatrician also prescribed a topical steroid, because the cradle cap was so bad it was itching and she was scratching her head until it bled, but the steroid didn't work until we figured out the milk allergy, too.

Sarh - posted on 06/06/2011

My daughter had long hair and had it and my son has short hair and had it. All I had to do with both was washed their hair/bald head (haha) and before drying their head I used a baby comb and just continuously combed it, sat there for about a half hour! After one or two times of that it was gone.
And cutting her hair wont get rid of it! It is on her scalp not in her hair. My son barely had any hair and still barely has any hair and he had it.

Mindy - posted on 06/06/2011

They have stuff at walmart for cradle cap but my doctor actually told me to use dove bar soap and it would clear up in 4 or 5 days

Gem - posted on 06/06/2011

Olive oil on a cotton wool ball!! It works x

Bronnie - posted on 06/06/2011

have also heard baking soda and water works too :)

Susan - posted on 06/06/2011

my son (he is now 15 months got his first hair cut at 9 months cuz he was confused as a girl a few times) had the same probelm what i ended up doing was a combination of a few different things. First i took a baby hair brush put the baby shampoo on it and sat there and scrubbed his hair for a few mins then rinsed it and when he was done with his bath completely ive always lotioned him down from head to toe hair included. I only had to do this for a couple weeks if that and as long as i keep up w the routine (lotion his hair when it gets washed dont need to scrub it anymore) it hasnt come back. Hope this helps.

Dana - posted on 06/06/2011

I would imagine that if your son has had it before and you've been dealing with this for 6 months with your daughter, you know all the treatments.



Are you sure it's cradle cap or is it possible that it might be eczema? My doctor told me that my son and cradle cap and it turned out to be eczema -which needs a totally different treatment.

Kimberly - posted on 06/06/2011

our doctor recommended a mild dandruff shampoo to use a few times a week then told us to comb her hair with a fine tip comb morning and night

Donelle - posted on 06/03/2011

Like everyone else is saying..... Baby oil and a good scrub worked wonders on all 3 of my scaly babies!!

Bonnie - posted on 06/03/2011

Rub mineral oil or olive oil into the scalp, let it sit for a bit then comb it out.

Mary - posted on 06/02/2011

My son had cradle cap and my Dr. told me to pick at it and comb it daily. the most important thing is to also wash it every day and gently scrub with your fingernails. That worked perfectly for my son. If I went 2 days in a row without washing his hair with aveeno shampoo and body wash, the cradle cap would come right back! I was told to try putting baby oil on his head as well but just washing daily alone took care of the nasty issue:) I hope this helps!

Kari - posted on 06/02/2011

My pediatrician told me to brush olive oil on my babys head and let soak for 30min.. The wash off with a dandruff shampoo (be careful not to get in the eyes) and then use a comb to comb it out... Olive oil also helps with dry patches of skin...

Alicia - posted on 06/02/2011

i used olive oil, let it sit for baout 15 minutes, then combed it out with a baby comb. then washed her hair. to get all the oil out i had to wash it twice, but be sure you use clean water to rinse with or the oil will go right back into her hair.

Alisha - posted on 06/02/2011

Both my son and daughter had cradle cap. I used mineral oil and it worked great. I just rubbed it in their head and used a baby comb and combed it right on out. Wash their hair also. You should only have to do this for a few nights or so...if that.

Rachel - posted on 05/31/2011

my boys had cradle cap and i used olive oil on their heads. it works amazing and is all natural. i put it on, put a hat on and left it for a bit and gently combed it out. it worked great for me :)

September - posted on 05/31/2011

The best thing to do in my opinion is to leave it alone. It will go away sooner or later.

Danielle - posted on 05/31/2011

My daughter had pretty stubborn cradle cap too, and when she reached about 6 months I was fed up with it as well. I doused her head in baby oil before bed (and I do mean saturated her head). In the morning I gently combed it out so that she didn't lose too much hair. I continued this for a week and even though I gave her bathes I didn't actually wash her hair during this time so that the baby oil and the natural oils in her scalp would loosen the scales. Finally, at the end of the week the scales were almost completely gone. I gave her hair a good wash and it's never come back. She is now 9 months old.