Cradle Cap - Looks Like Dandruff

Baby Cradle Cap

Our body constantly produce new skin cells at about the same rate as we lose old and dry skin cells. Because dry skin falls off, often, this process goes unnoticed.

In many healthy infants, new skin cells on their scalp are being produced faster than the old skin that falls off, resulting in an extra layer of old and dry skin (cradle cap).

What is cradle cap?

Cradle cap is a form of seborrehic dermatitis a skin condition that are common among new infants. It is a crusting and scaling rash caused by the drying of excess oils excreted from the baby's body.

Normally, as our skin dries it falls off. In infants, the sebaceous glands in their skin are hyper-activated causing these glands to secretes an oily substance (sebum). This greasy substance keeps the old skin cells attached as it dries creating a flaky, dry skin that look similar to dandruff. In a more severe case, it may create a thick, yellowish, oily, waxy scale or crusting patches.

Often the sebaceous glands in infants are hyper-activated because the extra hormones produced by the mother are passed to her child just before birth. Once your baby's hormones level levels out, the condition will go away.

Cradle cap can occur in any baby. Although it is unsightly and distressing to look at, it is a harmless and a non contagious scalp condition that usually appear in the first three months.

This condition tends to cease after your baby is 6 or 7 months old.

Which area of the body does it affect?

Cradle cap generally affects the scalp, head, eyebrows, and areas behind the ears.

Treating Cradle Cap

As long as it doesn't bother your baby, cradle cap doesn't need to be treated. In most babies, the condition is gone well before they are one year old. With that being said, it sometimes does itches.

Until your baby outgrows the conditions, there are things you can do to ease your baby's discomfort.

• Preventing rapid scalp growth is not easy or desirable, frequent gentle shampooing may prevent the build up of scales.
  
  
• To remove the build up of scales more easily, rubbed a small amount of baby oil onto the affected areas to help soften the scales. Wait several minutes, soft brushing should help to remove these scales build up.