Babies Hair Loss and scaly patches

[lynniep]

My DS (5 wk) has just started losing his hair at the front. I've read about baby hair loss and I know its common but what concerns me is that his scalp appears healthy apart from in the places where his hair is/has fallen out. He has thick hair everywhere else i.e. where his scalp is fine.
In this area the skin is patchy and scaly - possibly like cradle cap but not as severe because its skin coloured, not yellowy. I'm worried then that its not 'natural' baby hair loss but caused by these patches.
I'm using baby oil to try to moisturise the patches, but I'm rubbing his hair away when I do it, which is quite distressing. Any similar stories/ideas?

My DD lost her hair on top too and she had scaly bits where it came off just as you decsribe. No idea if it was cradle cap or not - it didn't look like a thing to worry about, so I didn't.

Firstly, it will grow back, so do not stress. DD now has a fine head of hair!

Secondly, throw away that baby oil - it won't do either of you any good. If you want to use something on it then get yourself to Boots and ask for a tub of Epaderm. Use it to wash your baby's hair in the bath (just use a little bit, add water, rub and rinse). It cleared up my daughter's skin very quickly. Although I should say that I didn't use this until she was about 5 months old as I didn't want to use chemicals on her when she was really tiny.

HTH

Sounds kinda like the cradle crap my ds had, the hair would come away with some scaly bits.
Used olive oil on his head, seemed to help.
I think coconut oil is the best though.

Olive oil works a treat with cradle cap.

throw away the baby oil and try emulsiderm to wash scalp, and your ds with.
You could use 50:50 liquid soft paraffin:wsp which is cheap over the counter to moisturise scalp with,its like a more liquid vaseline, and if things then aren't improving bring to GP.

It might be a fungal infections called ringworm which (as the article suggests) has nothing to do with worms.

could be scalp ringworm but less likely at 5 weeks. Unless other children in family have scaly scalps with/ without hairloss. I'd still go down the route of intensive moisturising and if not improving then see GP.