I've picked my babies cradle cap

[Hayxx]

Hi all

I've picked my 3 month olds cradle cap this morning but now I'm reading that I shouldn't have because of infection risk and now my anxiety is through the roof and I'm panicking, we've been out all day I've just wiped his scalp with some warm water and cotton wool and the was a bit of pink on the cotton wool, however, his scalp isn't visibly irritated. What should I do now I feel sick with guilt x

You won't have done him any harm! It's very unlikely to get infected. If it does start to look a bit sore, just get a pharmacist or HV to have a look - but it's really unlikely.

He'll be absolutely fine! I went to town on my baby's cradle cap; I couldn't stand it, had to get it all off. As long as you do it gently and don't hurt their skin (which it sounds like you did) it won't get infected

Your baby will be fine @Hayxx 😊 anything that leaves open raw skin will be an infection risk so definitely better to avoid picking it and just keep the area clean.

My DS had quite a bit of cradle cap at that age. About once a fortnight or so I used to use a small amount of baby scalp and hair oil and gently rub that on his head and leave it to soak for a while then use a really soft baby hair brush and do little circles over is head and it would lift away any loose cradle cap. I’d do it about an hour before his bath so that I could wash all the excess oil out after 😊

I got rid of cradle cap using normal shampoo none of the baby stuff was any good and the hair was gorgeous after . I'm a hairdresser and it was fine

I picked cradle cap off all mine and they were fine.

Someone recommended the following to me and it's amazing: soak their scalp during a bath, then use a nit comb to gently take it off.

They'll be fine and you really don't need to worry! I must admit I bought the expensive cradle cap oil stuff and left it on overnight - that really helped and it combed right out! Keep an eye but unlikely to get infected at all x

Cradle cap is one of the joys of having a baby, lush!

I picked it all the time! Happy times as they were napping! Don’t worry.

Buy cradle cap shampoo in future. X

I'm sure baby will be fine. I know you just want it gone. We used coconut oil on dgd about 30 mins before bathtime then washed it out with baby honey shampoo. It was amazing. The combination almost seemed to dissolve the cradle cap. After 2 weeks most of it had disappeared.

Coconut oil worked into the scalp, left for an hour or so, then combed through with a bit comb and washed out in a bath works for us. Mine is 2.5yrs old and still gets it, I do the coconut oil every couple of months and it's fine. Cradle cap isn't itchy or sore for them, it doesn't look great but I wouldn't panic about it. They grow out of it eventually

I did it a few times - I didn’t know at first it’s not advisable. Nothing happened.
I would say change his bedding and maybe put a clean soft cotton hat on him. It’s probably more to reassure you tbh.

My health visitor gave me unscented moisturiser and said that I should rub it on. I did that and the cradle cap went all soft and then it came off really easily.

Don't worry OP, you are doing a great job. You are looking after your kid and and paying attention and that is great.

My sister picked off my babys cradle cap.She thought it was baby food stuck to his head.He was absolutely fine 😂

😳😂

Oh please don’t worry!
Many of us have had a little pick, I can’t remember what now but I read about it when mine were little and it’s a normal (if unsightly) thing for them to have, perhaps use something oily to rub in to soften it for a bit before rinsing in a bath. Or just leave it and stick a hat on 😂

DD’s was so thick it had to come off. It seemed like it itched. Once she got older and still had it she told me it itched. I soaked it in oil before I rubbed and lifted and I never used any real force. It would come off in big, thick pieces.

I was so happy once she was old enough for dandruff shampoo. She needed it until she hit puberty.

Put olive oil over their scalp. Leave for a while (half an hour maybe - can’t remember now) then wipe scalp over with a warm damp cloth. Works like magic. Other oils may work too? but olive oil definitely worked for me.

Oh I loved to pick both my babies cradle cap. They would drift off to sleep while I did it so I'm assuming it felt relaxing for them too 🤣

Ds2 had cradle cap for ages eww. Olive oil and one of those soft baby brushes. I found it disturbing tbh, they will be fine.

I used to pick cradle cap off mine all the time. And I squeezed their molloscum. I just regret they didn’t grow into spotty teens.

It’s FINE.

Thank you all for your advice and reassurance, my anxiety went through the roof to the point of tears!

I used olive oil and a baby comb. It just wasn't going on its own or with special shampoo.

Oh you poor thing. It's all so anxiety inducing. You've already had heaps of good advice. My now teenage DD had 'Google Images' worthy cradle cap (like, worst case scenario-only seen in medical textbooks cradle cap). I think I ended up using Nizoral, which is pretty big guns but totally safe for cradle cap. I would use a small comb, just a normal hair dressing comb, and very gently scrape and lift out the 'crumbs' after washing her hair. It really, really worked a treat.