Cradle Cap Skin Rash Causes, Treatments, Home Remedies for Babies
Cradle cap is the common name for condition newborns or
young babies develop, which causes redness and scaly patches
on the scalp. The baby gets a sort of infant dandruff, which
is caused by overactive oil glands on the scalp and face,
and the condition sometimes also affects necks, ears and
even armpits. It's upsetting when your beautiful baby
suddenly comes down with cradle cap, but don't worry: it
isn't serious, it isn't catching, there are treatment
options that may affect a cure, and even if you have to put
up with it for awhile, it will go away in time.
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Cradle cap's specific cause is unknown, but it seems to be
related to hormonal changes the baby experiences after
birth. The oil glands overproduce for several weeks to
several months, resulting in the condition. Although some
children have cradle cap even until their first year, it's
unusual for a toddler or preschooler to have it. If your
pre-schooler has something that looks like cradle cap, get
to the pediatrician to rule out other potential ailments
or allergies.
If the scaliness and redness spread to the face, neck or
armpits, or even the diaper area, doctors call cradle cap
"seborrheic dermatitis". Even though it looks
uncomfortable, as far as we can tell, it usually doesn't
cause the baby any discomfort, although it upsets parents
and makes them wonder what they're doing wrong. |
But you aren't doing anything wrong! Cradle cap is a
natural condition, and once your baby's sebaceous
(oil-producing) glands settle into a routine, you'll
easily get rid of it. The only prevention may be in
frequent shampooing, but even that won't stop oil glands
from making excess oil. If you look for home remedies on
how to prevent or even curing cradle cap, you may find
people discussing everything from adult dandruff shampoo
to petroleum jelly—substances not recognized as curing
cradle cap! But there are a few things you can do to
control the condition until it goes away.
Was your baby's hair more frequently, and use a soft brush
to brush the scales away. Some people swear by using baby
oil or mineral oil (most baby oil is just mineral oil with
a baby scent added), but others say it can worsen the
condition by increasing the oil even more on the scalp. If
you've been shampooing your baby's hair without noticing
any decrease in the flaking, try using oil. If you don't
like the idea of mineral oil, use a natural product such
as olive oil. Rub it on your baby's head, use a soft brush
to brush the flakes out with it, and then finish up with a
gentle shampoo. In this way, you're using the oil to
loosen the oily flakes and then washing it away so it
doesn't add to the build-up.
If you try the baby oil home remedy and the cradle cap
still doesn't decrease, you can get a special medicated
baby shampoo from your pediatrician. These shampoos
contain salicylic acid (the main ingredient in aspirin)
and another well-known dandruff cure, sulfur. But they can
irritate the baby's skin and dry the scalp, so use them
carefully after consulting with your doctor. For strong
cases of cradle cap or unusual amounts of spreading, the
doctor may prescribe a cream made of hydrocortisone to
treat the redness and rash.
If your baby's skin gets red and itchy, it may be that a
yeast infection has found a foothold on the irritated
skin. This most often happens in places with
creases—behind ears, around the face, under arms or in the
folds of the neck. If you notice the rash has spread and
your baby is acting uncomfortable, the pediatrician may
prescribe an anti-fungal cream product to kill the yeast
infection.
Continue reading more baby tips about When Can Baby Drink Water?
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