Treatment for Cradle Cap

When my daughter was a baby, she got cradle cap pretty bad. Someone suggested using rose water lotion, and it worked. You just apply it to the area then wash. You don't need to put it on too thick. I'd try to keep it out of the baby's eyes as you rinse (just wipe a wet--more damp than dripping--cloth front to back of the head).

Good luck!

My son had cradle cap and doc said just to add a little mineral oil to his scalp and comb through with a fine tooth comb. We didn't try it because his only lasted a couple of days, but maybe you can try it out.

My pediatrician recommended baby oil for my daughters' and it worked like a charm. I would just gently rub some in and leave it in. I would wash it out whenever we bathed them and then when necessary reapply a very small amount.

My son had cradle cap when he was about 2 months old. Although it doesn't harm the baby, it looks terrible. What we did was put a little oil (baby, almond, or even just plain vegetable) on his head and let it soak in for awhile. Then we took a toothbrush or washcloth and lightly scrubbed his head. This got rid of all the dead skin. We had to do this every few days for about a month and then it went away.

Breastmilk will get rid of it right away and it is the most safe and natural way to treat it. I used it for my son and not only did it get rid of it but it didnt come back. Good luck

Looks like one or more other posters recommended dandruff shampoo. My son had bad cradle cap as a newborn and someone said to try Head & Shoulders. We tried it, and it worked like a charm!

My ped. recommended to just brush the head or hair a lot esp. after a bath. Sounds like you received a lot of other great suggestions, too.

castor oil...ask the pharmacy they can tell you .Worked great!

Olive oil worked for my son!

I used olive oil before my baby's bath, just rub some on, leave for a few minutes, and run a comb through (I did this part in the bathtub)...then wash!

S.,

I used a product called Gentle Naturals that helped eliminate the scaly stuff. I think I bought it at Target. Before I discovered this product, I used baby oil on the scalp and a very fine comb. I massaged the baby oil into the head and let it sit for a few minutes before bathtime. I'd then run the comb through the hair a couple of times. Of course, my kids were reeeally hairy so it took longer, but definitely worked. I'd then wash the scalp a few times with regular baby shampoo to get rid of the oily residue. I hope this helps. Good luck to you!

my 3yo son had it and i kept trying to work at it w/ extra shampooing and cradle cap treatments and whatnot. it turned into eczema. now my 7mo DD has it and i've not done anything to it except only use water to wash her hair (no shampoo, unless she has truly dirty hair (e.g. food in it), b/c it can contribute to buildup) and just use a soft bristle brush before and after bathing to work it up a little. i've gotten much better results w/ this bambino.

Olive oil - allot of it and let it sit -
the first time I tried it I tried getting it off my childs head to fast and ended up making her bald on one side (seriously)

the 2nd time (a day or 2 later) I took my time and everything (the cradle cap) came off and her hair stayed - I was mortified she was bald on one side - but eventually all that baby hair comes out anyway -

Hi!
There is a "shampoo" type stuff that you can buy. It has Winnie the Pooh on the bottle and it is cradle cap treatment. You just rub it on the scalp and brush it and then rinse it off. It worked for my baby!

Good Luck!
L.

My pediatarician suggested rubbing baby oil on the cradle cap right after a bath and using a soft tooth brush to rub it off. I just used baby oil or baby lotion on it after every bath. Hope this helps.

Apply a lot of baby oil, let it soak, then use a fine-tooth comb (and shampoo and repeat and shampoo and repeat!). Good luck!

Hi S.. The only way I know has worked for me. My mom said she used it on my brother when he was little too. We went out of town and she stayed with my kids for the weekend and when we got home my sons cradle cap was gone. You get baking soda and mix it with water until it makes a pretty thick paste. Then rub it on the areas that have cradle cap. Let it dry until it starts to flake off. Then rinse it. I'm not kidding....it is amazing. And it is so much less expensive than buying special shampoos at the store that usually don't work. Good Luck!!

My doctor recommended T gel. take a small amount and work it on to the spot with a soft brush, then rinse. he did not recommend using it everyday, but every other day.

Hi S.!
I was given this advice and passed it along to many other people and now we all swear by it. Paul Mitchell baby shampoo works miracles. You don't have to get it at a salon either. I found it at Meijers and I was told that some Targets have it now too. I had tried everything before my hair dresser told me about it. I even used baby oil and tried to comb it out. All the things I tried took a lot of time and really didn't get rid of it. With the shampoo all you do is wash the hair like usual and it disappears. The best part is that I didn't have to worry about chemicals that are found in products not made for babies. I hope you give it a try. There are a lot of ways to waste your time that just don't work very well. I didn't know about it when I had my first, but I wish I had! Good luck!

S. when my baby's had cradle cap I would but shampoo in their hair (bath time) and with a comb, comb through their hair making sure to scratch at the cradle cap. Then I would put vasline on their heads, not a lot but also comb through this several times scratching at the dead skin. It may take a few days but if you keep at it it will clear up. This was suggested to me by my pediatrician.

Our Peditrician told us that oil was actually the worst thing to use on a baby that has cradle cap b/c cradle cap is actually caused from built up oils on a baby's head. She recommended that when giving your baby a bath, shampoo his hair and gently massage the scalp (like a beautician does to your hair when you get it washed at the salon <of course not as rough>). This worked well for my little girl!

S.,

My Dr. told me to put vasseline on my daughters head after getting her out of the bath to keep the moisture in. It works, but I didn't like how her hair looks afterwards. I guess it'd depend on how much hair your little one has if you want to do that or not. Good luck!
Amie G =)

My daughter had tons of hair and bad cradle cap until she was almost a year old. My OB recommended I use Neutrogena T Cell shampoo (for adults/dandruff control) but warned to be extremely careful not to get it in baby's eyes. Well, for that reason I waited a year to try it and it cleared it right up! She told me it also keep baby's hair from falling out.

The best for cradle cap is to use baby oil and massage onto the scalp about 5min. prior to washing your baby's hair. When you do wash the hair use Johnson & Johnson no tears, or similiar product so that you can really scrub the scalp with your fingernails or comb, so that you can flake off the patches. It does take persistence and patience as it may take a week or more for you to notice a difference.

And remember, it is nothing you did right or wrong for them to get cradle cap -- it just happens to some babies and not others.

Hope this helps!

The best thing that I have found for Cradle Cap is Arbonne's Body Oil from their Arbonne Baby Care line (ABC). It cleared up my nephew's cradle cap in a little over a day. It will provide the necessary moisture to the baby's scalp without leaving the skin/hair looking and feeling oily. Arbonne's products are formulated without mineral oils, and that's why they are absorbed so quickly into the skin. It really is an amazing product. I use it on my son's excema with tremendous results. All of Arbonne's products are dermatologist and pediatrician tested (not just approved!!!) for optimal quality! Also, the entire ABC line is formulated without nut oils for all those little ones with nut allergies! You can read more about the ABC line by going to www.kristenstemple.myarbonne.com and clicking on "Discover ABC". If interested, you can purchase straight from the website by clicking on "shop online". The ABC system (hair and body wash, body lotion, body oil, herbal diaper rash cream, and sunscreen) are the best product available for our little loved ones! What ever you choose, good luck!

Baby oil will soften it and allow you to peel it off.....

Gently massage with Extra virgin olive oil. Leave it on for at least 10-min. Then wash and rinse baby's head with warm water. Watch for soft spot. You can also use it for baby massaging, soothing a diaper rash or make your own diaper wipes. I've only used it for the cradle cap. It really does work. Have to be careful of products with mineral oil for it will only make it worse.

You can buy treatment next to baby shampoos at Babies R Us or any grocery store.
If it persists, you can use any adult non-prescription dandruff shampoo (Selson Blue, Head and Shoulders, etc...).
If it still persists, talk to the doc. You can get a steroid cream that you use for a week at a time with a week break. The steroid cream was the only thing that really helped my son and every time it started to get a little bad again, we'd just use it a few days and it would go away for a few weeks. It's also good for the icky baby acne they get.

I used olive oil and it took care of it and it never came back. Good luck.

sometimes baby oil will help with it. put it on after you wash the baby's head. if that doesn't work you will have to be extra careful but selsun salon works well. I used the selsun salon on my youngest and after like the third or fourth wash the cradle cap was gone. D.

What I have found that works is to put a little bit of baby oil on the scalp for about 20 minutes prior to a bath. Then take a comb and comb out all of the flakes. Be sure to the clean the head very well to get all of the baby oil off. We also only try to use shampoo on our baby's hair once a week. More often will dry out their scalp.

S.,

My daughter had a very terrible case and I tried everything! Though, the best advice I got was to take a very small amount of Head and Shoulders, lightly dilute with baby brush and massage and rinse out. I worked instantly and she has the best head of hair to this day!!! ") I know it sounds a bit odd, however, I did try everything and all the remedies seemed to make things worked until I tried this. I hope that it works for you. Take Care!

W.

I tried the baby oil route at 1st but it just made the cradle cap worse for my son. My sitter put Bag Balm on him but that didn't help either. (Though it did for her kids) My Ped. suggested hydrocortisone. Now THAT took it right away! I saw the difference in a few hours! He also said if that didn't help completlely to wash with T-Gel shampoo but keep it out of his eyes, of course. Plus, after a bath massage the scalp with a baby brush or baby comb to lift the dead skin cells off. Hope it gets better for you.

I always used baby oil on my kids and it seemed to work really well. Now they have come out with some stuff you can get at any drug store or Target or Wal-Mart and it treats cradle cap. They sell it in the baby product section next to the baby bath and shampoo.

Try Mustela - a more upscale baby product line. They have a foaming shampoo that worked really well when 2nd son had cradle cap. The pediatrician recommended Head and Shoulders for my first son and that didn't help at all.

after a bath when the hair is clean, rub some olive oil or almond oil* into the scalp and cover the head with a cotton cap. Do this twice a day for three days. (not the bath, just the oil)
When you wash the hair again on day 4. lightly scrub the scalp with your fingers to help break up the dry skin. Then use a baby brush to further loosen the skin from the scalp, and a fine tooth comb to get it out of the hair.

This works, but the cradle cap will return in a few days. I think they have to grow out of it.

* I use a product by Noodle & Boo called Ultimate Baby Ointment, but have used almond oil too. Be warned - the baby's head will lightly stink

I just used a tiny bit if selsen blue for a few baths. Cleared it right up.

I always used baby oil and rubed it in then use a fine tooth comb and gently comb it out. I've read recently thought that if you use regular dandruff shampoo, it will work too. just be careful not to get it in baby's eyes.

My now 14 month old had long hair & really bad cradle cap when he was a baby. I would put baby oil &/or baby oil gel in his hair, leave it in for about 5 minutes, & then comb his hair for about 5-10 minutes, removing a lot of cradle cap. I did this every day for about a week & it kept getting better & better until it was all gone! It worked really well for him! Good luck!

My pediatrician told me to use baby oil on my son's head. I applied it and waited a little while. Then I took a baby comb and combed a little at a time (you don't want to cause sores or pull the hair out). I did this every time he had his bath until it was gone. He actually enjoyed it. It took the itch away. Good Luck!!!

Hi S.
My mom is a 35 year veteran in the hair industry and when my little guy had craddle cap she instructed me to by a soft baby brush and massage olive oil in to his hair every other day or so...use the soft brush to help lift the dead skin and then let him sleep with it on. In the morning you will need to rinse the head or wash it good with a washcloth...but it totally worked!
good luck
D.

Hi S.,
I use baby oil. Just gently rub some of the oil into the scalp and leave it on for a few hours, then using a baby comb, gently comb thru the hair and you will see the cradle cap will be soft and start to come out. After you have removed some of it with the baby comb, just shampoo and it should be fine. You may have to do this a few times, if the cradle cap is thick. But it has always worked for me.
L.

Hi S.,

My youngest daughter suffered from terrible craddle cap as an infant and still gets it on her ears from time-to-time. I used to sit with her and rub petroleum jelly on her head and then wipe it off until the craddle cap was gone.... only to return again. I recently found a soy clensing bar that seems to have taken care of the problem for good. (It is also great for moms and dads skin, too.) I am now a distributor for the company that makes it. If you would like to know more visit www.miabelladreams.com/miabellaproducts.html

T.
Mom of two girls
www.mynewjobathome.com

try hydrocortisone 1% - it has completely helped my daughter. good luck!

If you are nursing you can take fish oil and it will get to your baby through your milk. I did this with my second daughter and it cleared up in a week and never came back. If your not nursing you can go to a health food store and they can recomend somthing safe to give your baby.

yeah, my son had that really bad till about 6-7 months. The best thing I found for it was to rub olive oil (NOT baby oil) on his head at the start of a bath, and at the end of the bath (15min or so) back comb it with a small fine tooth comb. All of the cap will flak off like fish scales. After the first few treatments, you don't have to do it as often, maybe once every other week. All the best, God bless!

S.,

Have you ever heard of Arbonne International? It's a 27 year old internet-based company. They have a natural, botanically-based baby wash that I'm pretty certain will take care of it and if it doesn't, they'll refund your money. They also have a lotion, oil and diaper rash cream. I can also show you how you can save 35%.

S.

A lot of responses you received talk about using baby oil and I wanted to the share the following information from a Certified Infant Massage Instructor about mineral oil because it's the main ingredient of baby oil.

Mineral oil is a common ingredient in many household products. It is found in lotions, soaps, cosmetics and motor oil. Mineral oil is a clear liquid oil with no scent and will not spoil. It is produced as a byproduct of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil. Mineral oil is the leftover liquid, and because it is abundant, it is very inexpensive. In fact, it is more expensive to dispose of mineral oil than to purchase it.

Mineral oil is the main ingredient in many baby care items as well. Baby Oil, Vaseline® (petroleum jelly), baby wash liquid soap and baby lotions all contain mineral oil as a key ingredient. As mentioned above, manufacturers can buy it very inexpensively and it will not spoil.

The problem is that mineral oil is foreign to the human body and has many harmful effects, especially on infants. Mineral oil acts as a thin plastic layer on the skin. It is difficult to absorb and clogs the pores, which slows the skin's ability to eliminate toxins. Remember, the skin is the body's largest organ and plays an important role in maintaining overall health!

Once the oil is absorbed, it is broken down by the liver. But because it is an unnatural product, the liver must work extra hard to remove it from the body. And once the oil is present in the intestinal tract, it will absorb all of the fat-soluble vitamins found there. It is essentially stealing important vitamins from the body, which the body will not be able to replace. This can eventually lead to nutritional deficiencies. Studies have also shown forms of pneumonia caused by mineral oil decreasing lung function, known as lipoid pneumonia. Because of these dangers, the medical community has condemned the use of mineral oil taken orally or as in ingredient in medications.

Given these harmful effects, when caring for babies, it is best to use all natural products. Many caretakers know that babies love to put their hands in their mouths. This also means that whatever is on their hands is also going in their mouth, and into their bodies. It is best not to chance your baby's health with mineral oil and petroleum-based products.

This is especially true for infant massage. Use of an all-natural, vegetable or fruit-based, unscented oil is best. Natural oils are easily absorbed and digested by the body. And oils with added vitamin E will actually benefit the skin and act as an antioxidant. It is also best to avoid scented and aromatherapy products until your baby is one year old. Fragrances and essential oils can be highly allergenic and cause rashes. And scented oil during a massage will create sensory confusion for the baby, prohibiting many benefits of the massage.

Write back if I can be of any further help.

I actually just found something that has worked WONDERS for my daughter's cradle cap. She's almost 8 months old now, and I have struggled with it for months. Absolutely nothing had worked, not even what doctors were suggesting. I was in the baby section at Wal-Mart last week, where they sell the wipes and baby bath things, and I found something called Gentle Naturals Cradle Cap Care. It was pretty inexpensive, and at this point I was willing to try anything to get rid of it, because her's had gotten bad. I have been using it for about a week now, and her cradle cap is 90% gone. It's not greasy and it's really light, and it smells great. You only need a tiny amount and a soft brush, and that's it.

At every bath time I used a little baby oil on the scalp, then brushed it in with a brush. Then rinse really well and shampoo as you do normally. My son cradle cap went away in about two weeks and has not been back. I know there are shampoos out there you can buy, they are expensive and not sure if it gets in their eyes what happens. I know baby oil is a gentle and not expensive.

Good luck

K.

I used baby oil and a soft brush. My dr also suggested head and sholders shampoo and if i used it to make sure it didn't get into his eyes

I greased my son's head a few times with mineral oil -- no smell -- and then comb out with the baby comb you get at the hospital. Then I got in the habit of brushing his head with a soft baby brush at least a few minutes every day and that really kept the cradle cap at bay. With my second child I just started the brushing pretty much from birth and we never had a problem.

We have always treated it with baby oil. You put the baby oil on about 20 minutes before a bath and let it soak in. Then, before the bath, comb through the scalp/hair. If the cradle cap is in the eyebrows, our doctor recommended something less runny, like vasciline. Hope that helps.