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

[peedieworky]

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"

It's not rubbish Galaxy if it applies to me, we all have different experiences of this condition. But there is no applied evidence to prove or disprove really, is there? I never used shampoo on my second child and he developed it, my first child did use shampoo and they had it.

Either way, nit comb removed it for good.

My experience is individual to my child, that is all.

My eldest's was dreadful but after lots of other doctor and herbal tries in last ditch attempt I used Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream
I put it on at night every other night and rubbed it in bathed in the morning...it was brilliant

Another vote for olive oil. I've never forgotten the amazing way it lifted off as I rubbed gently with a circular motion into dd1's bonce. She rather enjoyed it I think - went to sleep in my lap.

Wow - you lot really know your stuff ! Snuck in last night with cotton wool ball dipped in olive oil and smeared all over DS's scabby bonce reachable areas while he slept. The big scabs have gone down loads and masses of the scales flaked off easily with his soft hairbrush. Haven't washed it as his head didn't feel greasy - think the flakes must have sucked it all in. But will keep an eye and maybe shampoo off in a couple of days if leaving a residue. Thanks again everyone!

Coconut Oil is amazing.
As well as being an excellent moisturiser coconut oil is (when in contact with our skin) antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial.

On DS I put it on after his bath and shampooed it off the next night. Beware though as it will smell after a few hours (a chemist I spoke to said that this could be a by product of the reaction between the oil and the fungus)

It is solid at room temperature (well below about 25 degrees C), but becomes liquid when in contact with the skin.

Also I have found it the best thing for nappy rash, and when mixed with table salt it makes a great exfoliator for me - no more ingrown hairs

Dentinox was the rose-smelling shampoo :)

I've heard that Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream is really useful on kids too - very good on little cuts, scrapes and irritations. Smells nice too. Not exactly cheap though!

olive oil overnight, then a light brush with an old soft toothbrush.

waitingfornaru but your second child might have had it anyway, even if you'd not used the shampoo. DD, like GalaxyWeaver's child, had it and we didn't use anything other than water on her head until she was gone 1.

OP I assume it would be fine if you leave it alone (provided it's not infected or weeping) as I did bugger all to get rid of DD's and she now (18mo) has a lovely thick head of hair and no cradle cap, it just disappeared at around the 9 month stage. If anyone else comments on your scabby-headed wean, tell them not to be so rude :)

I used olive oil and dentinox and although they worked at first I found that they stopped and in the end just turned it yellow. I did find the boots cradle cap cream very good and used a baby brush against the hair to remove the cradle cap after it had been on a few hours. Some hair did come out with it but I think it was just dead hair stuck iykwim.

Quick update! Used olive oil to clear it - twice daily for over a week was so stubborn. Resisted picking.. Now using Waitrose bottom butter which is keeping it at bay and has the added bonus that he no longer smells like a chip!