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Children's health

Does anything actually work for cradle cap?

21 replies

Smerlin · 05/04/2014 17:12

Have heard so many different theories on products to use! We tried the Dentinox shampoo which didn't help. It went away for a while but is now back worse than ever. What is actually worth trying??

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seasalt · 05/04/2014 17:18

Rub baby oil into it and leave for a few hours then comb out the flakes and wash hair. Do regularly.

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Endymion · 05/04/2014 17:19

Ds had horrid large crusty area. I got coconut oil (from chemist, came as solid lump in a tub) and massaged it in before leaving overnight. The next day the flakes started to lift. I kept repeating with the coconut oil for about 4 nights. ( over the course of a fortnight because hated the oiliness before the next hair wash and didn't want to send him to preschool with the oil slathered on).

It was amazing - scalp completely clear now and no return.

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DubBgoodToMe · 05/04/2014 17:22

I was told olive oil. Did the trick Grin

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SunnyRandall · 05/04/2014 17:25

My dd still had cradle cap age 4. We had a brief hot spell and she got v hot and sweaty and one night i washed her hair and huge areas of scaley scabs just lifted off her scalp. I combed it all out and now her scalp is perfect!

Had tried all sorts before that.

So I suggest a nice holiday somewhere hot.

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Bithurt · 05/04/2014 17:25

My son got this a couple of times. My hv asked if I was using johnsons shampoo which I was but she said to change it as it's perfumed. I went onto simple and he never got it again.

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Rommell · 05/04/2014 17:31

Capasal shampoo. I got it on prescription from the dr. I had been fucking around with oil and combing for bloody ages with some success but not much. I put this stuff on once and it went away immediately.

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callamia · 05/04/2014 17:37

I covered DS in Vaseline one morning, left it a few hours and then combed. Half his baby hair came with it, but it was coming out anyway. It was a pain to wash out, but it worked.

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LtGreggs · 05/04/2014 17:43

Give it a wash with normal adult shampoo (maybe alongside the oil method).

We discovered this by mistake when away from home and forgot the baby shampoo - used the adult stuff (with eyes tight closed) and the cradle cap, which had been there on & off for years, just washed itself out. I think the baby shampoo is very mild and just not tough enough for the job. An occasional wash with proper shampoo since keeps it at bay.

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starfishmummy · 05/04/2014 17:48

With DS (who was not a tiny baby) I put conditioner on and then combed with a nit comb.

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MyNameIsSuz · 05/04/2014 17:55

The only thing that worked for us was Dentinox shampoo, coconut oil etc just made him greasy! There are plenty of good suggestions here, give them all a punt and I'm sure something will work!

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TomMartow · 05/04/2014 18:07

Another one for olive oil - rub it in, leave it for a bit then gently comb out with a very soft toothbrush. (Then wash hair with shampoo obvs).

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AugustRose · 05/04/2014 18:07

DS2 (then 2) had quite bad cradle cap that I hadn't noticed because he had long hair. I used the baby oil method, rub it in leave it on for a few hours (or overnight) then comb out the cradle cap - it worked a treat and it never came back, although it did take a few normal wash to stop making him look like he had slicked back hair :)

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VenusDeWillendorf · 05/04/2014 18:16

We tried the EVolive oil, and it didn't work, and in fact my babe reeked of olives for ages, it was disgusting. The skin didn't lift off, rather it stayed stuck on and went green.

I'd try coconut or jojoba oil or another seed oil like grape seed if you want to go the oil route.

Otherwise an anti dandruff shampoo will do the trick. Don't try ground up aspirin paste as it might go through the skin into the blood.

Dentinox left on for the entire bath time and then rinsed off last worked for us. (10 minutes on)

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WandaDoff · 05/04/2014 18:23

For those getting greasy hair after the olive\coconut oil etc, try putting shampoo on before wetting the hair when washing out.

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legoqueen · 19/04/2014 20:57

Aveda shampure shampoo worked for DS after years of trying other products.

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Rosa · 19/04/2014 21:03

Almond oil. Its far more delicate than baby oil and Olive oil . Massage gently leave and then finely comb . Doesn't leave the head greasy , dosen't irritate.. Its great on slightly dry baby skin as well. Buy a small bottle ghough as it does expire...

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babySophieRose · 23/04/2014 09:03

I have tried shampoo's and oils, but didn't help. Its disappeared in a week from just being out and about in warmer and dryer climate. So, when weather improves, just let it breathe, you could also remove some of the flakes by hand and comb. Other suggestion is to cut off the hair and get a cream from GP which will get rid of it in few days, but have to be hairless.

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HopefulHamster · 23/04/2014 09:22

My DS had it really bad - Dentinox on its own wasn't working. Shit loads of conditioner massaged into his scalp, left a bit, then Dentinox to wash it off did clear the worst of it. He's now 3.5 and still has a few tiny bits - if your kid has a bad case I think it's futile trying to get rid of it all, it doesn't really matter if you get to just a bit left.

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Smerlin · 30/04/2014 23:54

Well I used the coconut oil overnight and then combed it out in the morning with a nit comb which was gross! Seems to have worked although her poor scalp was a little red for a few hours. Next time I would use a different oil though as the coconut left her head smelling weird for a few days!

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Frontdoorstep · 01/05/2014 18:53

My ds didn't have that bad cradle cap tbh. The hv told me that the best way to get rid of it was to just scrape it off, which I did. Hv did also say that she was n't really supposed to recommend that method.

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AMillionNameChangesLater · 01/05/2014 21:42

We were told to use a small amount of head and shoulders. Works a treat. We use H&S whenever we clean ds1's hair, so about twice a week

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