Cradle cap is like baby dandruff.  It is often shows itself as flaky, dry skin or as thick scaly patches on the scalp.  Luckily it is harmless.  It isn’t necessarily all that pretty but except for some possible itching in severe cases there are no ill effects for your child.

Little is known about the cause of cradle cap.  Some experts believe that the abundance of hormones the baby receives during delivery overstimulate the oil-producing glands causing the build up.  What is known is that it is not caused by poor hygiene or by allergies.

There really isn’t anything you need to do to treat cradle cap.  It will usually go away on its own between 6 and 12 months.  If you are bothered by it you can try a few things to help get rid of it.  However, they don’t always work and sometimes you just have to wait it out.

• For minor cases of cradle cap some parents try shampooing your baby’s hair more frequently and brushing the scalp with a soft bristled brush or a cloth.

• For more stubborn cases some parents try treating the head with oil.  You can rub a small amount of pure oil (like olive or almond oil) on the baby’s head and leave it on for about 15 minutes.  The oil will loosen the flakes and you can comb them out.  Be sure to thoroughly wash your baby’s head after using the oil because if it is left on the head it will clog the pores and cause more cradle cap!

You can also talk to your doctor about what they recommend.  My daughter has cradle cap and it doesn’t really bother me at all so I hadn’t tried anything to get rid of it. At our last doctor’s appointment our pediatrician recommended trying Selsun Blue shampoo (the dandruff shampoo).  She said she used it on her daughter a couple of times and it really helped clear it up.  I have tried it a few times and it did help clear it up a little but she still has some cradle cap.  I figure I’ll probably just let it go away on its own since it doesn’t seem to have any affect on her at all.

Have you tried any thing to get rid of your child’s cradle cap?  Did it work?