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I better start with a confession – my daughter first got cradle cap at about 6 months and at 2 and a half still has it quite badly!
After trying a few well known shampoos that didn’t work for us we just left it, as it didn’t show under her hair and lots of people said it would just go.
It hasn’t – and it does seem that it hangs around through early childhood for a fair number of kids – and looks pretty nasty now she has her hair in bunches.
So this list of cradle cap treatment tips is recently compiled from friends, family, a lot of googling and some conversations with the chemist and we’re going to start working our way through it from this week to see what is best for us.
(Have to say not looking forward to it as hair washing and brushing are regarded as gross human rights abuses in our house!!).
Cradle Cap Treatment Tips
- Comb in Olive Oil before shampoo
- Comb in Coconut Oil before shampoo
- Comb in Almond Oil before shampoo
- Leave oil on overnight
- Comb in baby oil and leave in before shampoo
- Comb through with a nit comb to lift the pieces
- Wash hair frequently
- Wash hair infrequently – of course no one agrees!
- Use a medicated shampoo e.g. Dentinox, Capasal
- Use a gentle but rich non-medicated shampoo
- Lots of brushing
- Comb in specialist cradle cap baby oil e.g. Green Baby, Pure Baby
- Comb in Arachis Oil – peanut derived so avoid if any suspicion of allergy
- Use essential oils – e.g. lavender, chamomile, burdock, comfrey
- Brush with a soft toothbrush
- Apply medicated cradle cap lotion e.g. Metanium
- Apply natural cradle cap lotion e.g. Burt Bees Calendula Cream
- Give a multi-vitamin supplement to ensure enough Vitamin B
- If breastfeeding take a multi-vitamin supplement for mums
- Mix bicarb of/baking soda into paste and spread on 20 mins before washing
- Spray on a sage and thyme solution
- Rub in petroleum jelly and leave overnight
- Rub in an anti-Eczema cream
- Apply other anti-eczema products e.g. Oilatum
- Use products designed for head lice e.g. Hedrin
***NB one note of warning – cradle cap typically characterised by yellow patches of crusty skin, if it inflamed, oozy or itchy or appears anywhere but scalp is probably something else and you should see your GP.s
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