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General health

Terrible cradle cap - what to use?

13 replies

pooka · 07/01/2006 18:34

DS has had cradle cap since he first had his hair washed. Is now 17 weeks old. Have tried the following:
Dentinox shampoo (aggravated it)
Rosehip oil (no effect)
Olive oil (no effect)
Aveeno cream (seems marginally better).
Thing is - am not convinced it is cradle cap as it extends below his hairline onto his forehead. It's obviously itchy (he waves his head around trying to scratch it, particularly on dh's stubble and then it looks red and sore). It also smells a bit cheesy (particularly at the moment as I'm not washing his scalp).
Any advice would be HUGELY appreciated because I was his kissable head back. NOW!

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hornbag · 07/01/2006 18:35

Did you keep the olive oil on overnight? I found that doing that for a few nights helped with DS cradlecap

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PandaBear · 07/01/2006 18:37

Only thing I found helped was Olive oil soaking in for an hour or so - the comb scalp with a nit comb. It's a bit disgusting but my DD2 didn't wince so it obviously doesn't hurt. I tried everything before this, but this worked and it hasn't come back since.

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pooka · 07/01/2006 18:38

Thanks both - will give the olive oil another go. May also see HV for advice about whether it is actually cradle cap.
Thanks

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fairydust · 07/01/2006 18:40

metanium who do an excellent cream for nappy rash have brought a new one out for cradle cap - and if it's anything like the bottom cream it'll be excellent

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fairydust · 07/01/2006 18:41

metanium most good chemist's sell it

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Surfermum · 07/01/2006 18:42

Oil oil and a nit comb worked a treat for dd too.

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LIZS · 07/01/2006 18:49

Could it be infected excema ? dd 's cradle cap got infected at 12 months and she needed Cortisone to stop the irritation. She's now 4 and it has only really cleared up in the past year or so.

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corblimeymadam · 07/01/2006 18:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

JiminyCricket · 07/01/2006 18:58

I put the Olive oil on half an hour before the bath, then comb and shampoo with a tiny bit of shampoo (not very well iyswim, so that the hair is still a bit oily but not disgustingly so) then the oil works on the scalp overnight and you can comb the flakes off again in the morning and shampoo again. Works a treat and I only do it once in a while.

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pooka · 07/01/2006 21:08

Thanks for all these suggestions. Will check with GP about possible exczema.

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mcmudda · 07/01/2006 21:11

Pooka - my ds (3.4) has always had cradle cap. We used dentinox for years until it just wouldn't shift. It had gone abit yellowish so I took him to the GP, who said the cradle cap had turned into an infection and he prescibed Nizoral shampoo which is very strong. Maybe not suitable for your tiny baby though. Definitely get it checked out with GP.

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PotPourri · 07/01/2006 21:25

We'v ehad a similar problem. Dentinox is rubbish! I haven't met anyone that it worked for. We found that most went when we rubbed it with a soft bristled nail brush in teh bath, and then a good rub with teh towel when she came out. It comes back in little patches, so we are using olive oil. But it sounds like what you have said, it smells a bit and looks quite orange, plus DD has always liked rubbing her head against things (mainly soft though)