What's going on with son's scalp? (Pictures attached - don't click if squeamish!)

[BoxOfShapes]

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if anyone might know what my toddler could have going on on his scalp and how best to treat it?

He has these big greasy flakes which don't seem to bother him or itch, and it doesn't look red underneath. Thought just seborrheic dermatitis (I get this too) but when I tried to pull flakes out the hair easily came away with them in my fingers! Would that normally happen in this case?

I can't get him to a GP at the moment for obvious reasons and am wondering how best to treat it. Also want to check it's not something he could pass on, like tinea capitis.

He does have a history of eczema which is otherwise well controlled at the moment (tiny bit behind his ears).

Would be grateful for any words of wisdom!

My son has this. It is psoriasis. The doctor prescribed him some shampoo which even though it absolutely stinks it did the job.
He only got sore areas if he scratched at it and he has a small bald patch where it was really bad and thick and his hair came out when he scratched it.
Coal tar shampoo is meant to help also and the doctor said it can flare up with stress. My son is 11.

I noticed DS (now 10) had this in a couple of patches a few weeks ago - he had it quite badly when he was a toddler, but back then it all cleared with a couple of applications of olive oil.

Worked again this time - got a bit of olive oil in an egg cup, massaged it with finger tip onto the affected area. Then shampooed.

My son, now an adult, had quite severe cradle cap in patches until he was about 8. Nothing seemed to shift it. It went by itself.

Rub some baby oil on the worse bit and leave on for a while then comb through, repeat over a few days until it has gone

Cradle cap. So hard to resist picking it out, but yes, a lot of hair can come out with it.

My son had that when we used childs farm shampoo so we swapped to vosene tea tree oil shampoo and it went away.

@BoxOfShapes my son was only bothered when I was combing it out, otherwise it was just aesthetic

My son is two and after getting shampoo in his eye once he is terrified of having his hair washed and our compromise has been him writhing around while I use Johnsons as it doesn't sting eyes (I am sure it also doesn't do much good for sensitive skin). So I wonder if there might be a cream I could use on him instead, like Canesten (will look greasy but then it's not like we have to see anyone!)

Will try olive oil too. Thanks everyone for all the info

DD has exactly the same including hair coming away with it. The only thing that's worked is head and shoulders shampoo (pharmacist's suggestion as he said it was just as good as the specialist ones!) cunningly disguised in a children's shampoo bottle.

Cradle cap - DD had it just like that. Hers lasted until she was at least 6. Dr gave us some coal tar oil stuff to put on it and it gradually went away. She still has a dry scalp at 8, though.

My ds1 has the same at the moment, we’re using a mix of nizoral shampoo and an anti dandruff shampoo.
It seems to be clearing and is much better than it was.

Ours went away when we switched to ‘normal’ shampoo instead of the baby/children’s stuff.

Nizoral shampoo was prescribed for my DS cradle cap. It’s availavle to buy behind the counter at boots

www.boots.com/nizoral-anti-dandruff-shampoo-60ml-10025089

My DD had this, she had mild cradle cap when young and then a spot of seborrheic dermatitis when she was about 6/7. I started using an adults anti dandruff shampoo and it did the trick. I was also recommended to comb through coconut oil as well and then rinse.

All 3 of mine had this as toddlers. Cradle cap. Works everytime: lots of olive oil rubbed in, left over night then gentle scrape off in the am. Don't force any bits. Repeat and it goes.

@BoxOfShapes most of the time no pain or discomfort. Sometimes the skin is broken and a little bit weepy and that stings with the water in the shower. Sometimes itchy. If I don't pick it it mostly doesn't bother me at all.

Once you have got it under control with the cradle cap shampoo, I would also maybe try the neutrogena t gel shampoo as a regular use shampoo. DD has a very flaky scalp when using ordinary shampoo and this is really the only shampoo that keeps it under control.

Thank you both. I agree it looks like cradle cap (which he never had when little). I think that's what seborrheic dermatitis is.

Would cradle cap or psoriasis cause the hair to just come out in my fingers do you know?

My son had something very like this. It started behind his ears, and spread over his scalp (and I think at one point completely blocked up his ears). The doctors spent a long time trying to decide what it was, and eventually decided it was psoriasis - the debate was mostly because he was so young and "It can't be psoriasis, because children don't get psoriasis".

I was given a really thick coal tar ointment to plaster over his scalp, which cleared it up eventually. 18 years on it has never come back, so who knows, really?

I meant 8 years, not 18.

Might still be worth calling gp had to call mine today for my son and had a call back in 1 hr

Nizoral shampoo from the pharmacy.

My son had this for a loooong time - craddle cap.
We tried Dentinox and Nizoral but I do nto think they worked.
Sebco did help, but still took a long time to completely clear

That's what baby oil is for! Slather with baby oil over night, brush out with a soft baby brush in the morning. It will be gone!

Thanks again all. Glad your son's has cleared up now, Oakmaiden.

I might call GP to see if they have a slot for a quick phone consultation at some point as we have a bit of a history of skin issues. I have tricky skin, especially on my scalp, and had hoped my son had avoided those genes for the most part. Hopefully this will clear though!

Nizoral shampoo works for my flare-ups but I thought it seemed very strong for a 2 year old, esp. given problems around the oral version (links to liver damage and irregular heart beat)...but good to hear it's been prescribed and worked for people's children. I think I was first prescribed it aged 10 or so.