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Original poster

Crusty cradle cap - please help me cure my "scabby headed wean"!

37 replies

peedieworky · 31/08/2011 22:22

Hi - my DS is 3.5 months old and has had a tiny wee bit of cradle cap at the front of his head for weeks now It was very mild - just a bit scaly - so I left well alone as I'd been told he'd grow out of it. However, it has got much worse over the past few days and at the back and sides of his head (where it rubs on mattress/playmat/carseat...) it has become raised, thick and crusty and can weep. GP reassured me it was just cradlecap but shrugged as to remedies, as he was more concerned with patches of eczema which were starting nearby. So! He is getting emollient cream for the eczema. He is bathed in plain water (not every night) and we don't use any shampoo with him. I had smeared it with a bit of the emollient we got for the eczema but it did naff all. I was hoping for some natural remedies as am concerned that anything stronger may irritate the eczema. Would really appreciate your wisdom! Was in a shop in Glasgow today and was appalled when an old dear sympathised with the plight of my "scabby headed wean" Sad

OP posts:
Sofabitch · 31/08/2011 22:24

Olive oil works a treat on cradle crap. Don't pick it though you could infect it.

hopenglory · 31/08/2011 22:25

olive oil, leave it on for a while - and then a fine tooth comb

Original poster
peedieworky · 31/08/2011 22:30

Hi. Thanks for speedy replies - did you shampoo the oil off after? I haven't been using shampoo and a quick google search made me worry that I should be.

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Original poster
peedieworky · 31/08/2011 22:31

(spot the anxious, guilt-ridden first time Mum...)

OP posts:
MrsHairyWhitemouse · 31/08/2011 22:32

If it ever looks red or swollen, then it's infected

Yes to olive oil, then brush off the flakes. If you need to remove the oil, just use baby shampoo.

Dc3 has some behind his ear and I am a natural picker...it such a temptation!

hopenglory · 31/08/2011 22:32

I think I left it on - I never went in for washing the kids much when they were little :o

PattySimcox · 31/08/2011 22:34

DD had it til she was 3. Second olive oil although I must confess to enjoyingpicking at it Blush

BertieBotts · 31/08/2011 22:35

I found the cradle cap shampoo quite good - I can't remember what it's called but it smells of roses and you can buy in in Boots. I think it should be quite easy to find.

1catherine1 · 31/08/2011 22:36

I'd go back to the GP and ask him/her if it would be ok to use just a little bit of cradle cap shampoo (detrinox one can buy anywhere nearly). It might only need to be done once. It cleared it up on my DD in one wash and it hasn't been back.

And as a general rule - no, you do not need to shampoo your baby. Clean warm water is really enough but personally I do love the smell of baby bath so I use that too. Babies don't really get that dirty anyway - unless you're taking them out in the garden and rolling them around in the grass and dirt Hmm

CurlyhairedAssassin · 31/08/2011 22:38

Ds 2 has eczema and he had awful cradle cap. I put up with it as it didn't bother him (found dentinox shampoo useless) then when a child in a supermarket asked"what's all that stuff in his hair?" I thought enough is enough and googled.

I massaged baby oil into his scalp, left it over night then shampooed it off next night. So left it for 24 hours. It seemed to really soften the scales enough to be washed off during the shsmpooing. Not all of it obviously but it was a damn sight better. Did it a couple of times a week at first and then just when it looked like the scales were building up again. Olive oil would work as well as baby oil I'm sure.

vespalover · 31/08/2011 22:40

We had the same problem - extra virgin olive oil twice a day, also tried almond oil which was good. Just leave it on all day/night and top up frequently. I did pick it off though!

Graciescotland · 31/08/2011 22:40

I second olive oil. Leave it on blot off any excess with a towel.

MrsHairyWhitemouse · 31/08/2011 22:42

Doctor can prescribe antibiotics or anti-fungal creams and if your dc's has got to the weepy stage then maybe it should be? Maybe double check with the HV if the olive oil doesn't start to work its magic after 3-4 days.

wilkos · 31/08/2011 22:43

a word of warning - if your baby has loads of hair olive oil can be a nightmare. i followed the olive oil advice on dd, after 3 days she had the same amount of cradle cap and just really greasy smelly hair Blush

Original poster
peedieworky · 31/08/2011 22:48

Great. Thanks everyone. I have some Johnsons baby shampoo belonging t DH but never thought it was that mild, given fragrance, so was about to start asking for shampoo recommendations next! Will give olive oil a go before hitting harder stuff! Really appreciate the responses.

OP posts:
Original poster
peedieworky · 31/08/2011 22:50

DS is a badly boy! Finally this is a positive thing... Wink

OP posts:
suebfg · 31/08/2011 22:50

My DS had quite bad cradle cap when he was young. The special shampoos just irritated it. The only thing that worked in the end was picking it off carefully - despite the advice to the contrary.

Original poster
peedieworky · 31/08/2011 22:51

Gah! Typing on phone. Meant to say baldy boy

OP posts:
GalaxyWeaver · 31/08/2011 22:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PottyRefusnik · 31/08/2011 22:58

Both of mine had cradle cap and the only thing that shifted it properly was Dentinox Cradle Cap Shampoo. It was excellent, I had to use it for months though because each time I stopped using it the scales would come back.

The olive oil is good for getting rid of the thick scales, but I found only the shampoo stopped it just coming back straight away again.

hdoodle · 31/08/2011 23:19

Mustela foaming baby shampoo - not the regular one, but the one that comes in a pump. Worked better than anything else!

Mspontipine · 31/08/2011 23:26

I see, to remember Dentinox working. Don't pick - apparently it can damage the hair folicle and you won't be wanting a "baldy headed wean" Smile

Mspontipine · 31/08/2011 23:27

I see seem!

Beamur · 31/08/2011 23:27

Mustela stuff is glorious. Their nappy cream cured my DD of recurrent nappy rash!
My DD is 4 and still has a touch of cradle cap, I comb it with a fine toothed comb to lift any loose scales then put on olive oil for a while. I found that it was quite hard to wash off though and the tip I got given afterwards, was to apply shampoo neat to the hair before wetting it to get it all out. It worked well, but small patches do still reappear. I don't wash her hair more than once a week though. One of my friends swears that having cradle cap helped her kids from getting head lice as much as their sibling who had none!

waitingfornaru · 31/08/2011 23:58

In my experience, this is caused by eager use of shampoos and/or not rinsing thoroughly.

I removed all of it with a nit comb. It's never come back.

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