Cradle Cap - Latonia,KY

Updated on November 05, 2008
A.M. asks from Latonia, KY
54 answers

Anyone have any good recomendations for a very mild case of cradle cap...i'd like to stop it before it gets really bad! She is 12 weeks old. Thanks!

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M.F.

answers from Cincinnati on

Hi A.!
The best thing that worked for me when my kids had cradle cap was baby oil. Since it's a mild case baby oil should work just fine, but if gets worse Head & Shoulders works too!
Good Luck!
M.

A.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

I used Johnson's Baby Oil Gel. It didn't run in her eyes or in her ears. Just 2 treatments worked for my little girl. Good luck!

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E.W.

answers from Cleveland on

Have you tried rubbing olive oil on her scalp. That's what I used to do with my kids when they were babies.

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K.O.

answers from Chicago on

Hi A.!

What type of soap do you use when you give her a bath? The reason I ask this is because when my 2nd daugther had developed a bad case of cradle cap, the nurse at one of the visits asked what I was using - I said J&J Head to Toe - she said to stop using it to wash her hair and use regular baby shampoo. That absolutely did the trick. I wish I had known about that for my 1st daughter as she had the same thing and I tried everything that others had mention to no avail.

Good Luck!
K.

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B.B.

answers from South Bend on

my grandaughters pediatrican told us cradle cap is actually an allery. We always used baby oil after a bath to soften it.

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A.W.

answers from Toledo on

I use the little soft brush they use on them in the hospital when they are first born to scrub the top of their heads when washing their hair. I have done this with all 6 of my children and have only had the mildest case of cradle cap.

Good Luck!

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M.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

Selsen Blue would probably do fine. I used Denorex on my son when he had it, but he had it pretty badly. The oil and comb didn't end up working for us, but definitely worth a shot.

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T.G.

answers from Cincinnati on

I used Aveeno baby shampoo/wash and Aquaphor on my son and it worked really well. Hope this works.

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T.D.

answers from Columbus on

Every time I bathed my son I would use baby oil and a soft toothbrush and scrub his head. Then I would wash his hair like usual.

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L.M.

answers from Cleveland on

We are dealing with this and a couple drops of Tea Tree Oil mixed with a little Olive Oil was recommended for a few days until it clears up. Rub gently into scalp, leave sit for a few minutes and then wash. It is working quickly for us (but our son is 3 1/2) Also I believe California Baby has a natural Tea Tree Oil Shampoo that you can use instead of the regular Johnson, Huggies, etc. and it should help keep it away.

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M.G.

answers from Cleveland on

My twin girls had cradle cap and I tried all that stuff listed below... olive oil, baby oil gel, ect... The best thing that worked for us is when we started using just a dap of Head and Shoulders (or generic anti-dandruff) shampoo to wash before washing with the stuff we normally use. We did it about twice a week at first and then went down to once a week. Now we hardly ever do it at all (actually I think just their grandma does it from time to time. I don't).

The other stuff does work, but waiting for it to soak in (and usually into whatever it is that the child is sitting/laying on), and the the mess of combing it out. yuck.

The shampoo seemed to clear it up better and last longer. It's a cheap fix (you don't have to drop a ton on some "special" product) and is safe to use on little ones. we did when my girls were just a few months old (of course you should call and ask your doc first, but that applies for any remedies offered online for anything).

** and someone below mentioned mixing tea tree oil with oil themselves... yikes! tea tree oil can be very irritating! Lavender works just as well but is less abrasive. The stuff you buy with tea tree oil is ok because it has been toned down alot. Why spend the extra money though?

***And another common misconception... cradle cap is not a build up of dry skin, it is a build up of OILS.

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K.H.

answers from Youngstown on

Basic H2 with some Shaklee Baby Oil will do the trick. Since my little guy came home from the hospital I rubbed the mix into his hair. One day he was getting "cradle cap" on his eyebrows. I put the mixture on and it started to clear up. The next day I did it again and it was gone, never to be seen again. I would gladly send you some of mine if you would like to try it. Let me know.

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R.T.

answers from Cincinnati on

Try baby oil and a lice comb. Be very determined-use with every bath and comb in between too.
Good luck!
R.

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D.I.

answers from South Bend on

I used baby oil on my kids heads for the cradle cap and it worked well. I would apply it to their head before washing and let it soak in for a while, then I would take a comb to loosen the dead skin. Then I would wash their hair and dry it. Give it a shot and see if it works.
D.
I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7, and 4.

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A.S.

answers from Columbus on

I used Johnson's baby cream, not the lotion, but CREAM. They had it years ago and discontinued it but brough it back in 05 or 06. Anyway, when my baby had cradle cap, I'd slather this on the affected area really well and let it sit for 15 minutes or so before her bath (every few days). Then when I washed her hair, I washed the cream out really well. This made a drastic difference on her scalp. I did this with every bath and stopped once it looked normal. There were a few times that I had to start the process again, but it sure was worth it because it was easy enough and definitely gentle. Hope this helps.

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D.B.

answers from Dayton on

Both of my kids had this problem at an early age and I used baby oil to soak it before a bath. Then I would use their baby brush to gentley "scrub" the cradle cap. You have to do it in a circular motion and be careful not to do it so much at one time that it irritates their sensitive little heads. Then I would bath as usual and do this each time before a bath until it was gone. I found out that I couldn't use the Baby Magic products on either one of my kids either. I believe that this could have been part of the reason that they had this problem. A friend of mine also told me that a dermo told her NOT to use any kind of "baby" shampoo because there's something in them that causes the skin to dry really bad. I switched to the Suave 2-in-1 shampoo for my daughter (2y/o) and have used it since she was an infant and haven't had any cradle cap since. Hope these things help ya out some. Good Luck and enjoy that precious little girl as much as you can :)

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J.A.

answers from Cincinnati on

A. - It looks like you have a ton of advice; but I didn't have time to read through them all to see if anyone suggested Head & Shoulders Shampoo. My daughter's pediatrician suggested it; and it worked wonderfully. GOOD LUCK!

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R.B.

answers from Columbus on

Both my sons had cradle cap...my second son had it around 10-12 weeks just like your baby girl. My pediatrician recommended selsun blue. I used it twice a week. She told me not to put it directly on the head but to first put it on a washcloth and suds it up. It can irritate an infants skin if applied directly to the head. I then used the blue brush I got from the hospital from their first bath to work the suds in the hair. It worked great. I had to continue it about once a week once it cleared up to prevent reoccurances.

Hope this helps...
R.

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H.S.

answers from Dayton on

I used a mild lotion and scrubbed lightly with a baby brush.

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C.C.

answers from Indianapolis on

Selsum blue & a baby scrub brush. Scrub it in and wipe it lightly off, leaving a little of the residue.

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P.Z.

answers from Cleveland on

Arbonne ABC Baby oil and wash..They are great!! anyone can use them, but they do a great/gentle job on babies, and they are pediatrician tested & recommended! You can use them all over, but the oil will gently remove the scabs and help the sin to heal itself quickly. Much better them things w/ mineral oil in them. they are so hard to get out of the hair since they are not water soluable.

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N.F.

answers from Cincinnati on

Apply Baby oil to her head. IT works wonders good luck with it.

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M.M.

answers from Jacksonville on

Mix baking soda and water until it makes a thick paste. Put it on the head and let it dry. When you rinse it off the cradle cap is gone, nad it never came back on my kids. My mom said she did that for me when I was a baby so I tried it and it works....she loved knowing that she was right;)

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M.Q.

answers from Terre Haute on

Hi A..

We used CREAMY BABY OIL. Just massage in a small amount during bath time and gently scrub with a soft bristled baby brush. I think we did it once (or twice to be sure). Now I have an entire bottle left over! LOL

Good luck!

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S.H.

answers from South Bend on

My daughter had some mild cradle cap. I called my mom and she told me just use a regular washrag (not a baby washrag) to wash my daughter's head and then make sure I put some lotion on it to keep it moisturized. It was kind of gross but within a week or so it was gone! Good luck and God bless!

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R.K.

answers from Dayton on

Here's what worked for our baby girl:

Before washing her hair, I mixed a few drops of almond oil, eucalyptus oil, and lavender oil in my palm, and put it on her scalp. Then I left it on for about 15 minutes, used a baby comb to comb through it, then put Burt's Bees shampoo bar for babies on her hair, then used a soft toothbrush while the shampoo was on, then rinsed. It took a few weeks but it worked. Plus it helped her relax, and it smelled good. I really like Burt's Bees shampoo bar for babies, it's long lasting and very mild. As for soap, I use this one for her and it's very mild and nice:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15741535

Good luck!

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C.M.

answers from Columbus on

My two girls both had cradle cap. With our oldest, we used Vitamin E Oil. With our youngest daughter, our pediatrician suggested Selsun Blue. I was amazed how well it worked! We used it only twice a week, but it cleared up the cradle cap very quickly!

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S.K.

answers from South Bend on

I tried just about everything on my 1st son, a baby comb was what worked the best, just don't comb to hard.. the baby brush was always to soft and didn't pull it up

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E.M.

answers from Columbus on

i recently asked my dr this...my daughter 6 months and still had a bit of it. he told me to use a toothbrush and baby oil or Head and Shoulders shampoo. the baby oil really worked for me and i only did it twice. hope this helps!

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L.D.

answers from Columbus on

I just glanced through a few responses and noticed the baby oil responses. I work in a nursing home and the elderly also have problems with "cradle cap". We apply baby oil the day before a shower and on shower day gently rub the scalp. We do this twice a week until the scalp is "healed". An increase in fluids will help some. Cradle cap is extra dry skin.

T.H.

answers from Cleveland on

My daughter had it too..try baby oil and a baby comb, that is what worked for me! Good luck

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J.F.

answers from Columbus on

selson blue every two or three days

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T.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

When you give her a bath wash her hair and use a baby hair brush to gently scrub her head. It worked on my little girls. Good luck!

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B.E.

answers from Dayton on

Rub baby lotion on her head and comb through it with a fine tooth baby comb. You have to keep doing that. I did it with mine and it works.

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L.K.

answers from Cleveland on

While your babies hair is wet and soapy in the tub use a soft bristle tooth brush and rub gently in a circler motion.

My sister was a hair dresser and suggested this and it worked for both my daughters!

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S.N.

answers from Columbus on

When my youngest daughter was little, she had a moderate case of cradle cap. Our pediatrician recommended soaking the affected areas with baby oil - letting it sit to penetrate, then washing with an anti-dandruff shampoo. I felt it was easier to saturate a cotton ball and apply the oil. Obviously, you must be careful not to get either of these products into the little ones eyes. After a few baths, she was flake free. A little gentle brushing with a soft baby brush while the oil was in her hair seemed to really help as well. Emphases on the gentle:)

Hope this helps!!

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S.W.

answers from Columbus on

Hi, my son had this and what we did was when we'd bathe him, we'd wet his hair and put baby oil in it and comb it through with a baby comb to get all the "stuff" out. Then wash it very well with baby shampoo to get the oiliness out. It took a little more time, but it worked.

I hope this helps.

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S.B.

answers from South Bend on

Paul Mitchell Baby dont cry shampoo. I'm a hairstylist trust me it works well!

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S.L.

answers from Cincinnati on

Mustella Cradle Cap Newborn Foaming Shampoo. Sephora.com. I bought it for my DD and she is still on the same $14 bottle at 9 mos. Seems expensive but lasts forever. NEVER had a flake since. Good luck!!

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C.B.

answers from Lafayette on

i put alittle bit of olive oil on my daughters head enough to saturate the scalp good, let it sit for about 10-15min, then took a baby comb and gently combed her hair then rinsed with warm water. i did that when she was about 2mon. old and she hasn't had it since.she's 11 mo. old now

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K.E.

answers from Lafayette on

Put olive oil on her head, and then pick it out with your nails or a fine tooth comb. It's a bit gooey, but it is instantaneously gone.

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M.B.

answers from Lafayette on

Just a soft baby brush worked for my kids.

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R.B.

answers from Toledo on

Try a baby shampoo containing tea tree oil. You may have to go to a health food store or try online. Good luck!

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L.G.

answers from Lima on

My youngest daughter (now 2) had it and I didn't realize what it was, until someone that was a nurse saw it and told me it was cradle cap.

Walmart, in the baby section, has a special shampoo for cradle cap. There are several, but they only carry one brand. I had also used baby oil.
The only thing with the special shampoo is that it will leave the baby hair oily. To correct that, after I would wash the hair, I would use a little Dawn dish soap on it and it would remove the oil.
The baby oil also left some oiliness, but not as much. two or three treatments and that will usually take care of it.

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K.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

when one of my sons had cradle cap the doctor told me apply petroleum jelly to his scalp. the next day or two it was gone.

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D.C.

answers from Cleveland on

There is a cradle cap oil you can buy at Target with Winnie the Pooh on the bottle (there is a whole line of products... called something "Naturals"). It worked really well for my son who had more than a mild case. I put it on his scalp about an hour to half hour before his bath then shampooed him with dandruff shampoo. He didn't have that sweet Johnsons Baby Shampoo smell I love for a long time, but it did work!

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L.D.

answers from Columbus on

I had the best luck using baby oil. It surprisingly worked well without making my sons head greasy. Of course...he didn't have a lot of hair either!

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K.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

Often the mistake people make is to not scrub the dried skin out of her hair. Use one of the soft brushes...i believe they gave us one at the hospital. When you are done bathing her, scrub the dried skin gently out of her hair. Then, apply baby oil or lotion, very mild of course. Do this anytime it builds up and it should clear up pretty quickly.

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S.S.

answers from Lafayette on

Hello A.,

You have received many responses. I don't know if anyone has mentioned the Gentle Natural Cradle Cap shampoo for babies. I love it. My baby had cradle cap and this was wonderful. You can purchase it at Walmart. I have also used there Exzema cream. These products are wonderful. You should be able to find them in the baby section or up in the pharmacy section where they have some baby items.

I trust this helps.
God bless,
S.

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K.L.

answers from Indianapolis on

My son had that about that age. I found stuff from Walgreens - I can't remember the name but it had Winnie the Pooh on it. It cleared up by the next moring. My neighbor had a baby 3 weeks after me and he also got it around the same time his cleared up in one day aslo.

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E.M.

answers from Cleveland on

My pediatrician recommended using a little baby oil for both my son and daughter with mild cradle cap. I put it on their heads, waited a few minutes and then would lightly comb their scalp. It worked great every time! I did it weekly to keep it a mild problem!

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L.H.

answers from Cleveland on

Try a little baby oil. It worked for my daughter

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H.D.

answers from Cleveland on

Hi A.,
My youngest daughter had it & my neighbor (who is a nurse) gave me some good advice. She said to mix a LITTLE bit of baby oil in the shampoo (put both in your hand) each time you wash her hair. Then brush it w/ a baby comb, not a brush.
Good luck!
H.

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S.E.

answers from Indianapolis on

I tried the baby oil, but all my girls had a lot of hair and it was then a nightmare to wash out. I just used a soft toothbrush and massaged the scalp with it when I shampooed. We also only did baths a couple nights a week, not every night. Our doc recommended less frequent bathing. They did eventually outgrow it. As one of them got older we used dandruff shampoo and that cleared it up. She was 2 at the time and we just had to be extra careful so it didn't get in her eyes. Good luck!

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