What to do about cradle cap?
To manage and get rid of cradle cap, it generally suffices to adopt a few daily measures for the care of your child's scalp.
- As a first step, wash your baby's scalp with a gentle, soap-free shampoo that has a physiological pH (the skin's natural pH) and that is suitable for newborns.
- When cradle cap crusts are very thick, it is recommended to apply a fatty substance to the scalp two hours before shampooing in order to soften the crusts to facilitate their elimination. Some healthcare professionals recommend the use of liniment as a fatty substance to treat cradle cap.
- After shampooing and rinsing the hair, brush the scalp with a small silk bristle brush to gently remove crusts. It is possible that some hair may fall out with the crusts but don't worry, it will grow back very quickly.
All the actions carried out to treat cradle cap must be done gently because the scalp is already irritated. Overly aggressive care risks maintaining the inflammatory cycle and becoming uncomfortable for the child.
Above all, do not attempt to remove cradle cap crusts by scratching with a fingernail or comb, as this will cause irritation and significant hair loss.
What is the best shampoo for cradle cap?
When the condition persists, there are many solutions available in pharmacies to remove cradle cap crusts. Don't hesitate to ask your pharmacist or physician for advice. There are products (with different galenic textures: lotion, emulsion, cream or gel) and/or shampoos for cradle cap. Favor the use of products enriched with fatty substances that will help loosen the crusts, but also containing gentle keratolytic active ingredients so as not to attack the child's scalp. The keratolytic ingredients will help to gently peel the flakes of skin stuck by the sebum away from the scalp.
These care products are used every day to remove cradle cap crusts until the scales completely disappear (a set of dead cells accumulating on the surface of the scalp).
As a complement to treatment, apply a gentle shampoo specifically for babies.
These care products are used every day to remove cradle cap crusts until the scales completely disappear (a set of dead cells accumulating on the surface of the scalp).
As a complement to treatment, apply a gentle shampoo specifically for babies.
When should you consult a physician?
Taking care of cradle cap does not necessarily require immediate consultation with a physician. It is natural that you do not always know what to do against cradle cap, so do not hesitate to ask your pharmacist for advice. They will be able to support you and advise you. You will also need to be patient and allow time for the treatment to take effect, because even when cradle cap is well cared for it can take time to disappear. A single shampoo or a single application of a suitable product is not always enough.
However, in certain situations, it will be necessary to make an appointment with your attending physician:
- When the crusts don't disappear in a few weeks despite regular cleansing care for your baby.
- If signs of infection are suspected: increasingly yellowish and/or smelly crusts.
- If the cradle cap crusts extend to the entire head or even the body (buttocks, skin folds, etc.)
- In case of strong inflammation that manifests itself by an increasingly irritated and red scalp.
- Finally, as soon as your child's behavior seems to change with, for example, unusual crying or feeding difficulties.
Your pediatrician may even, in rare cases, prescribe a topical corticosteroid with low or moderate activity for a very short period of time to reduce irritation and inflammation in order to soothe the skin. Exceptionally also, a topical antifungal may be prescribed to limit the proliferation of the yeast of the Malassezia genus involved in the appearance of cradle cap. These treatments prescribed in exceptional situations should not lead you to forget the usual cleansing regime.
Once cradle cap has disappeared, and in order to avoid its reappearance, limit the number of shampoos to minimize irritation with a daily rinse. And gently brush the scalp daily to prevent clumping.