Cradle cap or cradle hat causes crusty or oily scaly patches on a babys scalp. The condition is not painful or itchy, but it can cause thick white or yellow scales that are not easy to remove. Cradle cap most commonly begins sometime in the first three months but can occur in later years. Similar symptoms in older children are more likely to be dandruff than cradle cap. The rash is often prominent around the ear, the eyebrows or the eyelids. It may appear in other locations as well, where it is called infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis. Cradle cap is just a special - and more benign - case of this condition. The exact cause of cradle cap is not known. Cradle cap is not spread from person to person (contagious). It is also not caused by poor hygiene. It is not an allergy, and it is not dangerous. Cradle cap often lasts a few months. In some children, the condition can last until age 2 or 3. Signs and symptoms
Cradle cap is seborrheic dermatitis that affects infants. It presents on the scalp as greasy patches of scaling, which appear thick, crusty, yellow, white or brown. The affected regions are not usually itchy and do not bother the child. Other affected areas can include the eyelids, ear, around the nose, and in the groin. Hair loss can also occur. Causes
Cradle cap is not caused by bacterial infection, allergy or poor hygiene. Cradle cap is also not contagious.
Several treatments including Promiseb, lactamide MEA gel, hydrocortisone 1% lotion, licochalcone 0.025%, flumethasone pivalate 0.02% ointment, and eosin 2% aqueous solution have been studied, however there is uncertainty regarding the efficacy and safety of these treatments.For adults: see the article on seborrheic dermatitis (the adult version of cradle cap). Scalp, behind ears, eyebrows
If the cradle cap is not severe, it could simply be combed out gently after bathing. The softened scales can then be brushed away with a soft brush, comb or cloth, but if not done very gently, this could worsen the condition and bring about temporary hair loss. Applying petroleum jelly (e.g., Vaseline) liberally overnight is another popular treatment. The softened scales either fall off during the night, or can be brushed off in the morning.There is broad disagreement regarding the role of shampoos. Some sources warn against frequent shampooing, others recommend it. Mild baby shampoo is often recommended, but the exact denotation of the label "mild" in this context is not quite clear. Baby shampoos often contain detergent surfactants, perfumes, quaternium-15 and other eczemagenic irritants. No studies have been performed on non-prescription shampoos.In stubborn cases some doctors may recommend keratolytic (dandruff) shampoos (e.g. with sulfur, selenium, zinc pyrithione, or salicylic acid) while others warn against the use of medicated shampoos in newborns due to systemic absorption. Dandruff shampoos often contain sodium dodecyl sulfate, a noted skin irritant.Steroid and tar preparations have also been used but may have drawbacks. The immunomodulators tacrolimus/Protopic and pimecrolimus/Elidel have not been approved for children under two years.