My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Children's health

Cradle cap

11 replies

Pickles77 · 19/11/2012 11:35

Hi,
My 9 wk old DD has cradle cap. I'm using dentinox and a cradle cap cream (both stink?!) it seems to be working but it's making her really smell. I'm not sure if it's normal.
It seems to be moisturising her scalp but the smell is like a mouldy rotting smell? Not her cute baby smell.
Thanks for any help or advice

OP posts:
Report
IShallCallYouSquishy · 19/11/2012 11:39

When my DD had it badly at about the same age I massaged olive oil into her head for a good 5 minutes then brushed her hair firmly but gently with a baby brush. Then washed her hair with the dentinox shampoo. This gets a good load of it off. I did it every night for a week and while at 6 months she still has it mildly I find consistent use of the dentinox keeps it down.

Report
Pickles77 · 19/11/2012 11:42

Is the smell normal?

OP posts:
Report
Lillyaan · 19/11/2012 13:19

Its usually Shampoo (ANY kind) & soapy water which cause cradle cap.
Best to use is olive oil - let soak in & remove scales with a soft combe.
It dosen't hurt.

Report
Hesperan · 24/11/2012 10:44

We had mild cradle cap but using borage oil every 24 hours for a few days made it go away. Borage oil is the same as starflower oil and the most usual way it is sold is in capsules as a skin supplement. It's an even more pure form of oil than olive oil - so cradle cap doesn't increase with it. You could also massage it in and remove with a comb.

There's a study in Sweden that shows it seems to work. You can google it. This seemed to be one of the few things that was evidence based when I was l

Report
Hesperan · 24/11/2012 10:47

Sorry - posted too early. Should have been

When I was looking at it as lack of consensus about what cradle cap is (fungal infection or body producing reaction to no enough oil).

The starflower oil doesn't smell much and once it sinks in isn't too greasy.

Report
Hesperan · 24/11/2012 10:48

Last post - I just bought the capsules and sliced top off with mail scissors. One capsule would do a couple of applications as my ds's cradle cap was very mild.

Report
starfishmummy · 24/11/2012 11:01

I found a fine toothed comb better than a brush for ds - a plastic nit comb did the trick (and is still in use for regular nit checks!!)
When Ds was a bit older I found putting on a load of mild conditioner and combing it through lifted the scales too.

Report
NAR4 · 25/11/2012 18:42

Its the cradle cap cream that smells so horrible, not the cradle cap itself.

I used Olive oil on all of mine. Rubbed it in well at night and then gently flaked off any cradle cap in the morning.

My youngest had very dry skin as a baby, so I used coconut oil, which smells really scrummy. Waitrose sell it. I found most eczema or dry skin creams left her smelling slightly mouldy and I hated it. Purepotions do some really good cream, as well, which doesn't smell mouldy. www.purepotions.biz

Report
tazmo · 27/11/2012 20:56

I used olive oil but gp told me to pick off the scales when it got so bad, it was obvious it wasn't attached to the head as it were. Go to the gp if it ever looks inflamed and red. My kids still have it but their hair covers it well!

Report
MrsWooster · 27/11/2012 21:00

as Taz: DS still has it at 2.4 and it's just a thing - gives me something to pick at when we're cuddling! My friend's boy still had it at 10... it'll go in the end.

Report
CheungFun · 27/11/2012 21:02

I tried Dentinox with DS and it did help, although I didn't like the chemical smell of it much!

I found olive oil really helped a lot, I slathered loads of it on DS's head at night before bed and left it on overnight. I recommend putting a muslin cloth underneath your LO's head at night if you try the olive oil approach otherwise you might get grease marks on the sheets!

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.