Fighting Cradle cap

You have the cutest little blessing, and then you realise she has cradle cap. Don’t worry cradle cap is not itchy or painful – so your baby shouldn’t be in any agony!

However, we can all agree it does not look appealing to the eyes. So what does it look like?

1. Well it can appear like patches of greasy and yellow crusts
2. The crust can flake, leading to the skin appearing red
3. Here is a surprise you may not have been aware of – cradle cap can appear on other parts of the body! This includes eyebrows, nose and nappy areas

What causes cradle cap?

Unfortunately, science has not be able to offer a clear answer and as yet, it is unknown. What we do know is that it cannot be caught from another baby.

What are the steps you can take to help get rid of cradle cap?

• wash your baby’s hair regularly with baby shampoo and gently loosen flakes with a soft brush
• gently rub on baby oil or a vegetable oil (such as olive oil) to soften the crusts
• use baby oil, vegetable oil or petroleum jelly overnight and wash with baby shampoo in the morning

Must avoid – according to nhs.uk below are points to avoid

• do not use peanut oil (because of the allergy risk)
• do not use soap
• do not use adult shampoos
• do not pick crusts – this can cause an infection

NB: it is important to note that whilst your baby may loose hair with the flakes, your baby’s hair should grow back

Check out some of our cradle cap treatments below

Ref: nhs.uk. 2020. Cradle Cap. [online] Available at: <https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cradle-cap/> [Accessed 19 August 2020].