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Original poster

cradle cap- what is it?

32 replies

bumbly · 26/09/2007 21:07

been bathing 8 week old little one since birth only in water every few days

and skin suddenly gone really dry last night after bath on scalp...maybe cradle cap?

any advice? use oil? shampoo? water ?

OP posts:
LilyLoo · 26/09/2007 21:09

sounds like cradle cap. I was advised to leave it or if it gets quite bad some oil can help.

Original poster
bumbly · 26/09/2007 21:09

what type of oil?

OP posts:
scienceteacher · 26/09/2007 21:10

It's seborrheic dermatitis

You can get rid of it by rubbing baby oil on the scalp and then washing off the next morning. It might need a couple of goes to remove all of it.

Original poster
bumbly · 26/09/2007 21:11

you mean the baby oil you meant to put on when wet??

OP posts:
LilyLoo · 26/09/2007 21:11

i used baby oil.

Piffle · 26/09/2007 21:11

no need to get rid of it...

GodzillasBumcheek · 26/09/2007 21:12

Was advised to use baby oil in the bath water. It basically is dry, flaky skin. Shouldn't be picked off as it can get infected. Personally i just left dd3's cradlecap as it wasn't too bad, and it's nearly gone now (9 months, but been nearly gone for 2 months)

beansprout · 26/09/2007 21:12

Ds is 2.11 and still has this - should I be concerned?

GodzillasBumcheek · 26/09/2007 21:12

Apparently you can useolive oil but i didn't try it. Sounds gross!

Surfermum · 26/09/2007 21:13

You can get shampoo for it (but I can't remember the name).

I used to leave olive oil on overnight, wash it the next morning with the Dentinox (that's the name!) and comb it with a nit comb.

I was a bit horrified when someone suggested the nit comb to me, but it worked a treat.

GodzillasBumcheek · 26/09/2007 21:13

Erm, i don't really know!

scienceteacher · 26/09/2007 21:14

Baby oil onto a dry scalp

NappiesGalore · 26/09/2007 21:14

oh good question bumbly...

so, if a 4yo, 3yo and 20mo all have kind of gooy-ish flakes (not dry, more like thickened oily) on their skalps, but they obv have a lot of haor now too... how does one deal with that? or do you just leave it?

coz ive been leaving it largely for 4 yrs now an it aint goin anywhere...

Original poster
bumbly · 26/09/2007 21:14

baby oil in bath water for head??

also do you put baby oil on dry scalp??

confused

OP posts:
Twiglett · 26/09/2007 21:15

its just the skin cells growing at a faster rate than can be sloughed off naturally ..its a fairly natural stage for most babies and some young toddlers ..

massage in oil

you can try dentinox shampoo

don't worry .. its unsightly but not dangerous nor a lasting worry

don't pick it .. no matter how tempting .. don't pick it

Twiglett · 26/09/2007 21:15

olive oil massaged directly into scalp and skin

NappiesGalore · 26/09/2007 21:15

transaltion:
skalp=scalp
hoar=hair

derrrr

NappiesGalore · 26/09/2007 21:16

why not pick twig? what happens if you do? (other than them getting grumpy and teling you to bog off?)

MegBusset · 26/09/2007 21:16

I have heard that Dentinox can be a bit harsh. Would use olive oil first, or Epaderm (gloopy emollient stuff you get from the chemists).

DS had it all over his scalp, I would put Epaderm on before bed and in the morning, then during the evening bath I would use a sponge to gently scruff away any loose bits. Took a few weeks to clear but it is harmless and will go eventually.

Also do not pick!

Original poster
bumbly · 26/09/2007 21:17

oil will get hair really greasy so what do next?

OP posts:
MegBusset · 26/09/2007 21:17

Xposted NappiesGalore: because under your fingernails live lots of lovely bacteria that will get into the scalp and make the cradle cap infected.

MegBusset · 26/09/2007 21:18

Bumbly, the hair will be greasy while you're putting oil on, DS looked well manky for a few weeks and most of his hair fell out too! BUT it is only temporary and now he has lovely fluffy hair again.

NappiesGalore · 26/09/2007 21:20

ahhhh

ok.

(my nails are really badly botten tho, doubt theres anywhere for bacteria to doss down if they wanted to )

i wont pick i promise.

SO - you do oil one day then wash off the next? for a few days? and this will free them?
does it come back?

NappiesGalore · 26/09/2007 21:21

hair fell out???

they are at school/nursery... i think they might be a touch disturbed if that were to happpen...

Twiglett · 26/09/2007 21:23

if school-age children massage in the oil at night and then wash it out in the morning

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