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Cradle cap can usually appear on your baby's scalp in the first three months and will usually clear naturally by the time your baby is twelve months old. You don't need to treat cradle cap and in mild cases it will disappear in time. It is not harmful to your baby and most babies will not feel discomfort or be aware of it. It is not contagious and will normally not itch or irritate their skin.

The cradle cap can either be flaky and similar to dandruff or a yellowish oily coating or crusts on your baby's scalp. It rather irritates and bother parents, as it at times doesn't look healthy or attractive on a baby's head. It is a aesthetic condition, rather than medical, but is also presumed to inhibit your baby's hair growth.

Apart from your baby's scalp, cradle cap will occur in areas with oil glands. It might appear on eyebrows, eyelids, creases of the nose, around the ears and other skin creases. When cradle cap appear on other areas of the body, apart from the scalp, it is called seborrhoeic dermatitis. If your baby's cradle cap is severe, the area is itchy or inflamed, or your baby has seborrhoeic dermatitis you should contact your GP, who might prescribe a mild steroid cream.

Causes of cradle cap

The easy answer is, nobody know the cause or cradle cap. The condition is not related to poor hygiene, sensitivity or allergies. It is often attributed hormonal changes in babies after birth or to the excess of hormones a baby receives from the mother, which makes the baby produce more skin oil than necessary. Other theories say that cradle cap is due to the fast growth of skin cells that accumulate like an extra skin.

Treatments of cradle cap

Mild cases of cradle cap can be treated with baby shampoo and a light brush with a dry towel or baby brush. Brush your baby's scalp gently and without pressure. You can repeat the treatment a couple of times.

Most common is using baby oil or a natural oil, particularly when the cradle cap is dry and flaky. Rub a little bit of oil on your baby's scalp by massaging lightly and leave it on over night. Put on a light cap on your baby to protect the sheets and clothing. Rub the scalp with a dry towel or brush gently with a baby brush. Wash out the oil.

You can get baby shampoos specifically aimed at cradle cap which are massaged into the scalp and rinsed off. Be careful with your baby's eyes, as most of the cradle cap shampoos do not have the “no tears” formula. There can be rare cases of skin irritation.

Avoid using soap, as it can dry out your baby's skin and scalp. Most of the treatments need to be repeated a couple of times before it fully treats the cradle cap. Once the cradle cap disappears fully it is unlikely it will reappear.