1. Health

Your Baby Week Seventeen

By , About.com Guide

Updated November 21, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

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Cradle Cap
Shampooing your baby's head is a good first step in getting rid of cradle cap.

Shampooing your baby's head is a good first step in getting rid of cradle cap.

Photo © Don Bayley

Cradle cap is usually easy to recognize, with symptoms that can include a scalp rash that:

  • is dry and flaky
  • has thick, greasy, yellow or brown scales
  • has red patches with crust
  • is sometimes itchy

For mild cradle cap, keep in mind that this is mostly a cosmetic problem that will eventually go away on its own. So time is often the best treatment, with cradle cap often going away by the time an infant is about a year old.

When necessary, home remedies for treating cradle cap include frequently shampooing your baby's hair with a mild baby shampoo and then using a soft brush to try and brush off the scales. Another common home remedy for cradle cap is to rub in a little baby oil or mineral oil into your baby's scalp, leave it on for 10 or 15 minutes, which should soften the scales. Then brush off the scales with a soft brush, and then shampoo off the oil.

Talk to your pediatrician if you think that your child needs treatment for a more extensive case of cradle cap or if it simply isn't going away.

Related Video
Tips to Treat and Prevent Cradle Cap

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