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Cradle Cap (Infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis, or crusta lactea, milk crust, honeycomb disease; croûte de lait, eczéma infantile, dermatite atopique infantile (French); ne shqip njihet si - rrjebull ose rrjebulla (Albanian); crosta lattea (Italian); and σμηγματόρροια του τριχωτού της κεφαλής των νεογνών (Greek)) is a patchy, greasy, scaly and crusty skin rash that occurs on the scalp of recently born babies. Cradle cap can occur in any baby, and most commonly begins sometime in the first 3 months. The same rash is often prominent around the ear or the eyebrows. It may appear in other locations as well, where it is called seborrheic dermatitis rather than cradle cap.
Causes
The cause of cradle cap is not clearly defined but it is not caused by an infection, allergy or from poor hygiene. Possibly it has to do with overactive sebaceous glands in the skin of newborn babies, due to the mother's hormones still in the baby's circulation. The glands release a greasy substance that makes old skin cells attach to the scalp as they try to dry and fall off. There may be a relationship with skin yeasts (malassezia).
Treatment
A small amount of oil will soften the scales. Olive oil is often recommended, but some doctors discourage this, as it may lead to yeast infections. Mineral oil or baby oil can also be used. After several minutes / hours they can be brushed away with a soft brush or cloth. In her book, Dr. Miriam Stoppard also advises washing the baby's hair regularly with a mild baby shampoo. In severe cases some doctors recommend use of dandruff shampoo. Be careful when using dandruff shampoo, as it may irritate the eyes more than baby shampoo.
References
External links
"Cradle cap"