Cradle cap - what are your tips?

[ohnelly]

Hi all, I know its probably been done before but I just wanted to know your tried & tested tips on getting rid of cradle cap. I have a DS age 15weeks who has it quite a lot. The shampoo doesnt really make much difference tbh and have tried babyoil on it before washing but nothing really gets it apart from picking it off! I know I shouldnt really do this & I dont want to make his head sore.
Do you think washing it more or less often makes any difference? any other tips please? thanks

[gleefan]

My DD had terrible cradle cap and everyone kept telling me not to pick it. She also had bad eczema which we got referred to a dermatologist with and the consultant, nurse and sister all separately gave me the same advice for cradle cap which was to put lots of olive oil on for a few days til it got really soft and easy to pick and then to pick it all off. It took a few days but I picked it all off (while feeding her - it was lots of fun!). She still gets a little bit of it now but she's never had it as badly again and her hair started to grow once I'd picked it off!

[InNeedOfCoffee]

Hello,

I got rid of my DD's by putting baby oil in her hair in the morning, leaving it in all day untill bath time, then using a baby comb to loosen it, wash out, took two attempts to get rid of it all.

Hope that helps

[Wordsonascreen]

bio oil

worked instantly after I had tried EVERYTHING

ds was 4 by the time I'd worked it out

[katiepotatie]

Almond Oil massaged in after bath, left overnight, use a muslin under head to protect the sheet, then use a soft baby brush to brush out loosened flakes in the morning. We did this for about a week or so, ds has never had a recurrence.

[mamasunshine]

Almond oil/olive oil and baby brush (and picking ) worked wonders!

[Numberfour]

I had to used nit lotion on my DS (aged 5) and that worked!!!!

However, I would not recommend that your little baby!

I would definitely second the call for using oil: Olive if you like the smell of greek salads and almond if you don't

Don't pick...... use a soft brush or comb.

[KatyS36]

A friend had major success with capitol, available from the pharmacy, with a 5 month old.

katy

[pud1]

my dd had terrible cradle cap. i was told to try vasaline by some one on her. it worked a treat. i put it on a night and it was gone by morning. all i would say though is if your ds has a lot of hair its really hard to wash out.

[Poledra]

I thoroughly recommend a nitty-gritty comb to get rid of the flakes after softening with oil. Spent a very satisfying time on Sunday morning combing all the flakes out of DD2's hair

[Habbibu]

Doesn't anyone just wait for hair to grow and hide it?

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

Why doesn't anyone pick it? I saw a gorgeous little baby one time must have been about 6 months old with a huge great big glob of greasy, scaly, scabby cradle cap sitting on top of his poor head, hanging on by a few hairs. God knows how the mother restrained herself as I had a job holding myself back from picking it off.

I have always picked DS cradle cap off, it's quite addictive TBH, like picking crusty snot out of their noses and ear wax out of their ears. I scratched it very gently whilst he would sleep and it would come off beautifully. My friends have all done the same so I don't really understand why people are so afraid to scrape it off, gently of course. I couldn't be arsed with all the faffing with oils and what-not. DS is fine with no ill-effects and it's never hurt him. Just pick it off.

[Habbibu]

Apart from on the fontanelle, Breastmilk - can't stand picking it off there...

[susitwoshoes]

olive oil at night, then comb it off with a nit comb the next day. Works a treat and deeply satisfying - DP was late for work cos he insisted on having a go.

[TurtleAnn]

Olive oil 30-minutes before a bath, then combed through backwards and then wash the head. My DS had a shaved head at the time so very short hair made it easier. I wanted to pick but restrained myself.

[TheNextMrsDepp]

Another one recommending olive oil overnight and then comb off.

DD2 still gets the odd patch, at 7 years old, but we just use Head & Shoulders and it disappears straight away. Possibly a bit strong for a little one, though.

[louii]

Thebreastmilksonme I totally agree.

I also find gently pulling hair where cradle cap is loosens it all off scalp, dd loves this and always sends her asleep.

[Honeydragon]

Aveeno lotion on whilst having a bath, shampoo off before getting out nit comb the flakes just lift off and is really satisfying.

In fact I'll come round and do it for you - where do you live

[mogdidabadthing]

Rubbed on some organic Waitrose baby head oil(?) stuff after bath and then picked it off softened cradle cap when breastfeeding.

[Beveridge]

If you pick it once they have a bit of hair, the hair comes off too.

I know because I did this tonight with a residual patch I have found on DD ...

[undercovamutha]

I struggled to get rid of DDs cradle cap for nearly FOUR years, and have finally cracked it by using a nit comb straight after a good shampoo with Dentinox cradle cap shampoo.

When DD was tiny, I used olive oil but it didn't work that well.

[ChequeredFlag]

I've used a soft nail brush a couple of hours after a bath, so the bits are starting to go dry out and go flaky again, they come off really easily, then pick at some of the more stuck on pieces to loosen them. Only takes a couple of days before it all went. This was with ds2, with ds1 I left it and he still has it now aged nearly 3, wish I'd ignored advice and picked his too.

[moajab]

I can also recomend the nitty gritty comb. I discovered this by accident after checking my older kids hair. It was even more disgusting than combing for lice! But it cleared the baby's head and it's not reoccured.

[ohnelly]

Im in North wales honeydragon but I love picking too so its ok lol!!
Thnaks everyone - ive got some olive oil in cupboard so ill try that first before I buy something else. The comb sounds a good idea too as his hair is quite long on top and it gets stuck in in when I pick so might be easier. Never had this trouble with DS1 - he was a bald baby. Didnt have his first haircut until he was 4 yrs old!

[ohnelly]

thanks even

[Honeydragon]

oh ok