- What is Cradle Cap?
- What causes Cradle Cap?
- What are the symptoms of Cradle Cap?
- When to rush to the doctor?
- How is Cradle Cap treated?
Greasy, yellowish scales on your baby’s scalp could be alarming for you! While you may be clueless about what may have led to the condition, the crusty scales appear as circular discs on babies’ heads. It is perhaps for the shape that the condition is called cradle cap or medically called infantile seborrheic dermatitis.
Cradle cap is a mystery in pediatrics. The reasons for the condition are unknown, but the good news is that it is curable. MomJunction brings you information on cradle cap and the effective ways of treating it.
What Is Cradle Cap?
Cradle cap or seborrhea is an accumulation of greasy and scaly patches on an infant’s scalp. The patch can be yellow or red and appear as rashes. The scales are often accompanied by dandruff (1) and may coexist with other skin problems such as eczema.
Age groups affected:
Infants between three weeks and two months are at the highest risk of having cradle cap (2). It often clears once the baby completes the first year (3). Sometimes, the condition can be seen in babies older than 12 months (4). Cradle cap could continue into toddlerhood and has even been observed in three-year-old preschoolers (5) and is common to all skin types.
Cradle cap usually goes away within weeks to months of its first appearance, depending on its severity. If it is accompanied by dandruff or eczema, the condition may take longer to cure and may require treatment with medicated shampoo and scalp lotions.
What Causes Cradle Cap?
Most pediatric experts, including the American Academy of Paediatrics, have a few medical theories that point towards the probable reasons for cradle cap. (6).
- Overproduction of sebum: Sebum is the oil produced by the sebaceous glands present in the skin. Certain hormones transferred from the mother to baby in the womb increase the production of sebum (7). This sebum increases the greasiness on the scalp. The hormones subside, as the baby grows and the sebaceous glands return to normal.
- Aggregation of dead skin: Babies shed old skin just as adults do. The old dead skin may not fall off and could stick to the oil on the skin surface. Over a period, the accumulation hardens and forms a yellow scaly solidification that leads to cradle cap.
- Infection: A bacterial infection of accumulated dead skin can result in scaly growths visible externally as cradle cap. Infection of sebaceous glands by fungus such as yeast is also a cause for seborrhea (8).
Cradle cap may look to be unpleasant, but it is non-itchy, non-contagious, and not a sign of any allergy. It does not indicate poor hygiene and leaves no scars (9). The condition can be better understood by knowing its symptoms.
What Are The Symptoms Of Cradle Cap?
A baby suffering from cradle cap will show the following symptoms:
- Scaly crust on scalp: This is a primary sign of cradle cap. White to yellowish scales appear in circular formations around the head or in one large disc of crusty growth. The crust flakes a lot, sprinkling the baby’s clothes with dead skin. The baby could also have dandruff. In some cases, the scales could turn reddish, but it is nothing to worry about.
- Oiliness or dryness on and around cradle cap: The crust appears greasy, and the skin around also feels oily. However, the crust and skin could be completely dry.
- Partial hair loss: The infant could lose hair on and around the spot where cradle cap develops. However, the hair loss is temporary.
An infant suffering from mild cradle cap will display the same symptoms with lesser intensity. Cradle cap may evolve to manifest through other symptoms, which often are not normal and require prompt medical attention.
When To Rush To The Doctor?
If your baby shows the following signs then you must take him to a doctor immediately:
- Presence of scales on the face (eyebrows, forehead, cheeks, and ears), armpits, and diaper area: The American Academy of Paediatrics recognizes the presence of cradle cap on said areas as seborr