Whats the Best Cradle Cap Treatment for My Baby?

You have a new baby! Congratulations on your new birth! Many new mothers are disturbed to find their baby has the symptoms of a harmless, but unsightly, condition known as cradle cap. Believing their baby has a serious skin condition, many mothers become frightened and seek treatment for this rather common condition. Fortunately, theres no need for alarm since this condition shouldnt cause long term problems for your baby.

Just what is cradle cap and how does a baby get it?

Cradle cap is a harmless condition of the scalp occurring in infants and newborns It presents with visible scaling and mild redness. Its really more unsightly than anything and is basically a harmless condition that will resolve on its own over a period of a few months whether its treated or not. Its reassuring to know this condition is not passed from baby to baby or from baby to adult and shouldnt cause any pain or discomfort to your baby.

Because of the benign nature of this condition, cradle cap treatment should be minimal and should consist of proper shampooing and gentle removal of the scales present on your babys scalp. Usually baby shampoo is the best choice for your babys shampoo as its pH is such that it wont irritate a babys sensitive scalp. A soft toothbrush along with a small amount of baby oil can be used to remove the scales from a babys scalp, although this should be done gently to prevent further irritation to an already sensitive scalp.

If the symptoms of cradle cap fail to resolve over several weeks, a doctor should be consulted for further workup and evaluation.. Other scalp conditions can cause scaling including ringworm which is best diagnosed and treated by your pediatrician. If the symptoms of cradle cap persist despite your best efforts at home, your doctor may prescribe a medicated shampoo to help dissolve the scales faster and return your babys scalp to normal. He may also recommend use of a cortisone cream if there is extensive scalp irritation.

Can cradle cap be prevented?

The best way to prevent cradle cap is to shampoo your infants scalp every few days with a mild baby shampoo.

Its reassuring to know cradle cap is common and benigh condition that will completely resolve even without treatment. Fortunately, by taking the above steps you can initiate your own cradle cap treatment and speed up the process considerably. Pretty soon your new baby will have a shiny and scale free scalp!