Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

cradle cap on 3 year old - tips needed

19 replies

emargo · 21/02/2005 20:09

I have suddenly become obsessed with cradle cap that has lingered from baby-hood. What will get rid of it, preferably something gentle / natural to try first as I'll have to use it in the bath and he has excema prone skin. Any tips very gratefully received.

OP posts:

Pinotmum · 21/02/2005 20:10

baby oil rubbed into the scalp and left overnight then washed off was recommended in one of the baby books I had. My ds still has a little patch and keep meaning to try this. He is 2y4mo btw.

Original poster

emargo · 21/02/2005 20:12

sounds easier said than done with a 3 year old compared to a baby - maybe I could put the baby oil in for a few hours in the afternoon before his bath

OP posts:

Pinotmum · 21/02/2005 20:15

Emargom yes, I'm sure that would be fine - the whole idea I guess is to soften and loosen the skin so it comes away easily so you could do over over a period and a week and see if it has any affect.

blossom2 · 21/02/2005 20:15

the health vistor to little sis, said to massage some extra virgin olive oil (yeps the cooking kind) into the affected area, leave on for the whole day and then wash off with shampoo.
niece had a patch at birth and it completely cleared up, has not come back since!!

HTH

Pinotmum · 21/02/2005 20:16

Emargo not gom, sorry

Original poster

emargo · 21/02/2005 20:19

Oil is definetly worth a try then, just worried that as he's had it so long it might be a bit 'stubborn'!

OP posts:

welshmum · 21/02/2005 20:47

Emargo - much excitement in our house (well from me) dd has had cradle cap from birth (she's 3 in April) and nothing would shift it - I've done the olive oil and the special shampoo and all that stuff. Then I got this 'Scalp Remedy' from Aveda - very gentle stuff - originally for my and dh to keep our heads healthy. As a last resort I rubbed some in dd's scalp last night while she had her tea, washed it off an hour later in the bath and, hey presto, no cradle cap left - at all. It's like a miracle - that nasty scummy stuff has been annoying me for nearly 3 years. It's expensive but you only need a little bit and I think I would have paid twice that to get rid of the stuff.

mrspink27 · 21/02/2005 20:49

both dds have/had it. dd1 is 2.8 and she still has a tiny patch. thankfully it is hidden by hair now. dd2 6mths had a sheet of it... and i have had loads of advice.... tried it all with some success...
wheatgerm oil and lavender essential oil
olive oil
soft brush and brush it in direction of hair growth... does work but i guess not on a 3 year old
head and shoulders?? a lady at swimming said she'd used it on her baby and it hadnt come back.
my hairdresser recommended something called Phillip King(s)ly which is a psoriasis treatment, apparently it is quite expensive but very effective.
hope it helps, i have found that a concerted effort of brushing has helped my dd2!

Original poster

emargo · 21/02/2005 20:51

Oh Welshmum - I love the smell of Aveda shampoo so this is a fabulous excuse to treat myself to some once I have tried it on little DS. Will get some next time I'm near an Aveda concession - but your excitement is contageous!

OP posts:

welshmum · 21/02/2005 20:55

I know I am a bit over-excited but I just got a bit obsessed with it all in the end. She's so lovely I couldn't bear this scaly yuk on her head.
Emargo - it's not shampoo - more like a treatment that you're supposed to leave on - I washed it off quite quickly really.

melon1 · 21/02/2005 21:20

Very interested to read this - dd has what I think is a mixture of cradle cap and eczema on her scalp - do you think this treatment would be suitable for her?

Original poster

emargo · 21/02/2005 21:28

Melon, have you tried the olive oil approach? IMO it is the least risky with excema but I'm going to go for Aveda as their products are supposedly very natural.

OP posts:

jamiesam · 21/02/2005 21:35

Small hi-jack - where would you find an Aveda concession? My ds1, 3.5 still has stubborn cradle cap that will come and go! Is there a permanent solution to cradle cap?

And why oh why (?) did I call it a 'plate' of cradle cap when explaining to him the other day why I was putting baby oil on his hair. He won't stop talking about the plate on his head.

mrspink27 · 21/02/2005 21:40

have a look at \link{http://www.lookfantastic.com/cgi-bin/lf.storefront/en/Product/1261?kelkoo-uk=avedascalpremedythis}

mrspink27 · 21/02/2005 21:40

bum that didnt work! anyway.... this is the link !!!
www.lookfantastic.com/cgi-bin/lf.storefront/en/Product/1261?kelkoo-uk=avedascalpremedy

Surfermum · 21/02/2005 21:43

I used olive oil overnight and then a nit comb to lift the scales off - worked a treat.

jamiesam · 21/02/2005 21:44

Thanks MrsP

melon1 · 21/02/2005 21:45

Yes, have tried olive oil - left it on overnight, but it didn't really loosen the scales, which is probably the eczema - I'm using a special shampoo at the mo called capasal - I put an emollient on her scalp at night and then wash her hair in the morning with this stuff - she still has some flaky skin but it's nowhere near as bad as it was before - just wondered if there was something better

welshmum · 23/02/2005 19:32

Seeing as I got so excited the other day I thought I should update. DD's cradle cap has not vanished it returned after 2 days BUT I think it is less and I will continue treating it twice a week with this stuff and see how we get on. I didn't anyone to spend 12 quid on a bottle and then be disappointed.
Although it may of course have completely different effects on different children.

Flip