cradle cap type stuff in ds(9) how to treat

[southeastastra]

i'm not even sure if they can still get cradle cap, but he has alot of similar gunk stuck to his head, have combed out most with nit comb but it's obviously painful!

what is it and is there something i could use to get rid?

apparently lots of brushing helps, because it removes any dead skin from the scalp

so i would just go for regular hairwashing (every other day or something) with a mild baby shampoo (i know he's 9, but mild is good!) to moisten and loosen it
and make sure it gets a good brushing morning and evening!

It could be sebhorreic dermatitis - sort of like big chunks of greasy dandruff stuck to the scalp? DS had it and the GP recommended T-Gel medicated shampoo - that fixed it for DS.

yes exactly like that muminscotland will get some t-gel and get him brushing, thanks.

oh he has appointment at hairdresser tomorrow - will it still be ok - have managed to get alot out

It should be fine for the hairdresser, it's not catching or anything, just looks a bit manky!

My HV recommended slathering the hair in olive oil and then use a nit comb - worked a treat for DD but she was a lot younger has probably had a lot less hair than your DS.

thanks. i could pick it for ages!

I found head and shoulders helped when DD was younger. That was a mumsnet tip originally.

Oooh DS1 had this and I mentioned it to my hairdresser. She said it was more than likely he was not rinsing his hair properly and shampoo was being left in (I had already bought some medicated stuff from Boots).

He now makes sure that he rinses his hair more than normal and he now combs it properly. This has helped.

I should have said that the shampoo that was not being rinsed out properly was irritating his scalp and he was scratching it, which in turn made it bleed and then the sores/scaly stuff appeared.

I noticed that T-Gel was not to be used on children under 12. Does anyone know why?

My ds (10) has the same problem as OPs ds and he did use T-gel and it helped but not sure if I should use it.

DS1 is 13 so he would have been ok, however DH took him to the pharmacist in Boots and he told her what his scalp was like and she gave him a bottle of Oilatum. Tis about £9 a bottle though.

I don't know why T/Gel it is not to be used under 12 years of age...

Is it just a boy thing then?

i had this as a kid and my mum always used Vosene, seemed to work as its all gone now!

DS was less than 12 when he had TGel from the GP, but that was about 6 or 8 years ago so they've maybe changed the rules since then. Maybe worth asking the GP or pharmacist if its ok for younger ones if tey have this problem?

Your GP can certainly prescribe a shampoo that will work (don't know if it is T-Gel - ours wasn't a commercial preparation but cd have been the same stuff).

DON'T use olive oil on it, as there is something in olive oil which encourages cradle cap. I was gobsmacked when my GP told me this, as you see olive oil recommended everywhere, but he showed me his source for it, and indeed DS1's head did much improve when I stopped using olive oil.