Cradle cap- did you intervene or just leave it?

[princessx]

My 14wk old ds has quite bad cradle cap and his dad is making it his personal mission to get rid of it. I think all the interfering with it is making it worse, and I'd like him to just leave it alone to sort itself out.

He's washing it vigorously with the cradle cap shampoo about once a week, and putting on olive oil or rubbing it with a towel almost every other night.

I can't stand it but he looks after him every night for 2 hours when I put our daughter to bed, so he does it all then .

I'm seeing the health visitor about it next week, but I don't imagine she'll say more than use the shampoo every now and then.

Anyone got any words of wisdom? Presumably it would sort itself out if left alone?

[AmandaLF]

My son had it but not as bad. I found the cradle cap shampoo worked then I went onto using infaderm shampoo that I got in asda. My hv said not to use Johnson's shampoo as its perfumed. He's never had it since.

[HellesBelles396]

ds had it, I was told not to shampoo and not to rub, just to oil. 12 years ago though so treatment has probably changed.

it will go with time anyway.

if dh causing no discomfort, let him get on with it.

if you're worried the health visitor can give him the best advice.

[tilder]

I can't resist picking it. In all honesty though it just seems to clear up on its own in my kids. Took 4 years for dc1 but once their hair grows you can't see it anyway.

If it doesn't physically hurt, does the obsession with it matter?

[Iwaswatchingthat]

I oiled their heads with olive oil then combed it off with a fine tooth comb. So satisfying. Cleared up in no time. Would recommend.

[Goldmandra]

If you put oil on it and leave it overnight you can comb it out very easily the next morning.

I couldn't leave it because I thought it looked horrible. It does go away by itself eventually although that can take years rather than weeks.

[princessx]

Thanks all, I feel a bit more reassured now. Not sure if it's causing ds problems, his scalp is quite red raw looking which I don't like.

[spottyparrot]

It will go away by itself but it can take years. Both my dc are clear of it now aged 5 and 7 but it really did take 4-5 years!

[Dahlen]

My DS had it.

I oiled occasionally if it looked sore, but mostly left it alone.

I found a nit comb is perfect for getting rid of it once hair comes in.

[MooneyRara]

Oh tell DP to take it gently poor little soul! It sounds like he is really being a bit harsh. That could have made his skin raw in itself.

I have a baby the same age - a few weeks back he had a build up on one eyebrow, I just put a tiny bit of olive oil on it (little bottle from the chemist) and wiped it away a few minutes later on a soft cloth.

My other son had it for years and I never knew about the olive oil. Never pick at it. It really hurts them.

[babySophieRose]

We did remove some of the loose bits, but it it was gone in a week when weather improved and baby was out without hat ( last summer). So I think that the warm and dry air killed it.

[nancerama]

There are different kinds of cradle cap. We did the oil thing and it did no good at all - I just ended up with a baby that smelled like a salad. In the end it cracked and started bleeding. I took him to the doctors and they told me it was eczema related. One application of hydrocortisone cream and it was gone for good. He was entirely bald, which helped with applying the cream!

[Mehrida]

DS had it quite badly but he also had tonnes of hair so I had to just leave it as the one night I used oil on it he looked like he'd been working in the chippy all night.

It flaked away gradually as it grew out with his hair, and it was extremely satisfying to peel it away!

It all finally disappeared by about 8 months so he no longer looks like the before picture of a baby Head+Shoulders advert.

[MiaSparrow]

I heard (I think from an HV at the time) that it's like a fungus and the olive oil just feeds it - we tried it with DD but to no avail. Coconut oil worked much better for some reason. It's one of those things - you have to get the balance right, so don't overdo the oil but don't let it dry out too much either. It'll go. Try not to pick or you'll get clumps of hair coming out too!

[coronalover]

I tried using oil but it made DDs head smell horrible! I took her to the gp as I was worried it was fungal, he checked it, said she was fine and suggested vaseline. I slathered it on for a few nights then used a baby comb to remove the vaseline and the cradle cap. It worked a treat, also made easier by her lack of hair!

[IWillOnlyEatBeans]

My gp prescribed a mild anti fungal cream for ds who is around the same age.

I applied it yesterday. The cradle cap has gone today!

I ignored it with my older ds. He still has it now age 3! I wish i had treated it when he had less hair. Have been using the special shampoo for two years now to no avail

[Goldmandra]

Try not to pick or you'll get clumps of hair coming out too!

That sounds quite dramatic but actually the hair which comes out is hair which would normally have fallen out naturally but remained stuck in the flakes of cradle cap. You're not pulling your baby's hair out by removing loose flakes

[2boysama]

I was told to use olive oil with ds1, just made problem worse, like cradle cap was plastered on, finally I tried washing his hair with moisturizer and brushing hair back from face before rinsing, after several weeks no more cradle cap. When ds2 started with cradle cap, I did same thing and within a few weeks it had gone.

[blueberryupsidedown]

you must leave the olive oil in for quite a while, don't rub the bits or pick it right away. Put oil on, leave over night at least 5 hours during the day, then comb it out with a fine comb very gently. Don't pull, pick, scratch or rub with a towel.... it will irritate the skin for sure.

[LittleMissLucy]

My DS had terrible cradle cap but extremely sensitive skin so any treatments actually hurt him. I stopped doing anything but had to oil and gently comb every few weeks up until he was about 4 1/2. It took forever to go and sometimes I thought we'd never see the back of it.

[Iwish]

My da had it and Vaseline was my saviour lol! Smothered his head in it, left if on and washed it off in the morning.
Worked a treat and got rid of it after a few days xx

[LtGreggs]

Mine had it for years - until 3/4 and still get patches now at 5+

Discovered eventually that the trick is to occasionally wash with normal adult shampoo (instead of the mild kiddy stuff). That sorts it out. If old enough, tell DC to tightly close mouth and eyes before you begin! If younger, you can do this without too much trouble if you go carefully & tip head back as you wash to keep it out of eyes - a second pair of hands helps.

[Root99]

I was prescribed Capasal (shampoo for scaly scalps with coal tar and coconut oil) by my GP for my 7 month's cradle cap a few weeks ago. Unfortunately it's made it worse! Olive oil was working quite well. I think I'll go back to that.

[KeepCoolCalmAndCollected]

My DS had a very severe case of cradle cap when he was a baby. I used almond oil but to no avail. Then went to a brilliant GP who prescribed a shampoo which had to be applied daily for one week. Sorry can't remember the name, but it was in a brown bottle and it had a very strong smell. It really did totally go after one week never to return. Might be worth asking your GP or Pharmacist.

[AnitaManeater]

Olive oil and a nitty gritty comb. Leave the oil in until the cradle cap goes a greyish colour, slide the comb under and lift off. Lush.

[Hermionewastherealhero]

We used the dentinox shampoo and it went within a couple of days- easy peasy