Seborrheic dermatitis in infants, more commonly known as cradle cap, is a very common skin disease. It is characterized by thick, crusty, white or yellow plaques on the baby's scalp and can sometimes affect the eyebrows, buttocks and certain skin folds. Fortunately, cradle cap is painless and not contagious, nor does it cause itching. In the majority of cases, seborrheic dermatitis in infants is transitory and benign and does not require specific treatment. However, cleansing care is necessary because cradle cap can persist, spread or become infected with bacteria or yeast.
Summary
To manage and get rid of cradle cap, it generally suffices to adopt a few daily measures for the care of your child's scalp.
All the actions carried out to treat cradle cap must be done gently because the scalp is already irritated. Overly aggressive care risks maintaining the inflammatory cycle and becoming uncomfortable for the child.
Above all, do not attempt to remove cradle cap crusts by scratching with a fingernail or comb, as this will cause irritation and significant hair loss.
When the condition persists, there are many solutions available in pharmacies to remove cradle cap crusts. Don't hesitate to ask your pharmacist or physician for advice. There are products (with different galenic textures: lotion, emulsion, cream or gel) and/or shampoos for cradle cap. Favor the use of products enriched with fatty substances that will help loosen the crusts, but also containing gentle keratolytic active ingredients so as not to attack the child's scalp. The keratolytic ingredients will help to gently peel the flakes of skin stuck by the sebum away from the scalp.
These care products are used every day to remove cradle cap crusts until the scales completely disappear (a set of dead cells accumulating on the surface of the scalp).
As a complement to treatment, apply a gentle shampoo specifically for babies.
Taking care of cradle cap does not necessarily require immediate consultation with a physician. It is natural that you do not always know what to do against cradle cap, so do not hesitate to ask your pharmacist for advice. They will be able to support you and advise you. You will also need to be patient and allow time for the treatment to take effect, because even when cradle cap is well cared for it can take time to disappear. A single shampoo or a single application of a suitable product is not always enough.
However, in certain situations, it will be necessary to make an appointment with your attending physician:
Your pediatrician may even, in rare cases, prescribe a topical corticosteroid with low or moderate activity for a very short period of time to reduce irritation and inflammation in order to soothe the skin. Exceptionally also, a topical antifungal may be prescribed to limit the proliferation of the yeast of the Malassezia genus involved in the appearance of cradle cap. These treatments prescribed in exceptional situations should not lead you to forget the usual cleansing regime.
Once cradle cap has disappeared, and in order to avoid its reappearance, limit the number of shampoos to minimize irritation with a daily rinse. And gently brush the scalp daily to prevent clumping.
