Baby
TRICKS FOR TREATING CRADLE CAP
By Jill Tomlin
If light yellow scales appear on your baby's scalp during the first few
months of life, don't panic. It's a benign skin condition called cradle
cap. The causes are uncertain, though overactive sebaceous glands (the
glands that lubricate skin and hair) may be responsible.
"Cradle cap doesn't hurt or irritate the baby, and if you do
nothing, it will generally resolve itself," says Dr. Ian Holzman, chief
of newborn medicine at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York.
However, to ease the condition, Dr. Holzman suggests the following:
Rub a small amount of baby or mineral oil into the scalp a few hours
before bathtime. Then, just before the bath, run a fine tooth comb
gently through the baby's hair to comb the scales away. After washing
with a mild baby shampoo, you can run the comb (make sure it's been
cleaned) through the hair again. Avoid harsh shampoos, as they can make
the condition worse.
Though cradle cap can last for a number of months (and in a few rare
cases has persisted through the baby's first year of life), the
condition should clear up within a few weeks. However, if the condition
seems persistent or it looks as though the scalp is getting infected,
call your pediatrician.
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About The Author
Topeka, Kansas native Jill Tomlin writes about health issues for Your Baby Today
. Her work appears in national publications.
