Cradle Cap

What Is Cradle Cap And When Does It Occur?

"Cradle Cap" is another name for the common skin condition called seborrheic dermatitis. It tends to occur at 3 weeks - 12 months. When mild, it looks like scalp irritation and flakiness. If severe, it shows up as greasy, yellow, thick scales. While it most often occurs on the head, it can also appear on the face (around the eyebrows and behind the ears) and in the diaper region.

What Causes It? 

It’s unclear, though likely related to hormones. The oil glands are overactive at this age, and that oil traps dead skin cells that would normally fall off. This leads to inflammation and buildup in the form of plaques. It's not contagious or due to poor hygiene.

Is It Painful? 

It’s not itchy or painful. It’s also self-limited, which means it'll resolve on its own without treatment. However, many families choose to treat due to the appearance.

How Do I Treat?

The goal is to cleanse the scalp or affected skin with an infant-friendly shampoo, carefully loosen the scales (since the greasiness from the oil glands makes them stick to the skin), and then gently brush them out.  Treat until better (if desired)! Cradle cap can take up to a few weeks to resolve. Once gone, you can return to washing your infant's hair once to twice weekly. As a reminder, cradle cap doesn't need treatment, this is just if the appearance bothers you! 

See below for a detailed 3-Step Guide.

A note on Vaseline: Some doctors will recommend for scales that are really tricky to loosen. If you do this, apply 2x/weekly for 15 minutes prior to shampooing. Avoid leaving it on for longer, or it can trap oil and make the cradle cap worse.

Product Recommendations:

When Should I See The Doctor?

If there’s no improvement seen with treatment, call your PCP! An anti-fungal shampoo (Ketoconazole) or mild steroid cream (Hydrocortisone) can be prescribed short-term for severe cases. If there's a fever, worsening redness, or spreading of the rash in spite of management, this can indicate another diagnosis, and it's important to get it checked out!