Cradle Cap Flakes Taking Hair Out

I would strongly suggest that you get her seen by a dermatologist. Cradle Cap is perfectly normal during the first year of life, but after that it should really be assessed by a specialist to make sure it is not eczema of the scalp, which can lead to hair loss and be a breeding ground for some quite serious secondary infections. I agree that you should stay away from adult formula dandruff shampoos - they can make it worse, if your daughter is not properly diagnosed.

I speak from (second hand)experience, since my niece, who also has mild eczema on her body, had a really bad outbreak of what was thought to be cradle cap, but turned out to be a nasty from of eczema on her scalp, she developed a bacterial infection of the skin on top of that. It was REALLY bad, bloddy and weeping and it took weeks of diligent care (prescription shampoos and body wash, oral medication etc.), dietary restrictions to exclude possible triggers and a whole lot of tears for her to heal.

As for the hat resistance, I have two tips: one, try a bandanna instead, for a long time my daughter preferred that over a hat - it doesn't have the brim to shade her face, but her ears and scalp are covered. The other one is be persistent. Some days I put the hat back on her 50 times in a few minutes - that game eventually got old and now she is mostly ok with wearing a hat - she even grabs it herself before we leave the house.

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Go to a doctor. Cradle cap is a newborn thing not a toddler and clears up with baby oil and a brush. She probably has excema or some other form a psoriasis. Do you use your fingernails and scrub when you wash her hair? My sister doesn't do that when she washes hers and she has bald spots and big pieces of skin that come off with hair and it can all be cleared up if she would just scrub her scalp, it doesn't hurt her and she has used rogain and all kinds of things to promote hair growth but if you never get that dead skin layer off for the hair to get through it will never grow. Go back to using that comb and get the skin off and I bet pretty soon you will see her hair finally get a chance to come in.

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hi,
this might sound weird but google it or look online.. my oldest daughter had it at this age.. and it was ring worm on the scalp.. exactly what you described.. (it doesn't look like a ring shape at all) either call the doctors nurse line or take her in.. this was a few years ago for us but what they told us to put on it was the over the counter lotrimine cream antifungal or genic version.. but check with her doctor first.. i know the hair clumps worried me too and my daughters patch was at the front of her head.. It is very common. I thought my daugther had cradle cap too at first.
L.

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Hi J.!

There have been a number of moms who have reported good success in resolving cradle cap with a soy-based soap called a Bella Bar. (The company makes no medical claims, but there have been many testimonials reported in the company newsletter)

You can find more information and see the list of ingredients on the company website:
http://www.bellamiacandle.scent-team.com/products/bellaba...

I use this soap myself and would be happy to send you a sample. Feel free to contact me.

We had a little bit of that when my daughter had bad cradle cap as a newborn. What I finally figured out was that the hair had already fallen out, but it couldn't leave her head because it was stuck to the cradle cap. Does that make sense? I wasn't pulling it out in the moment at all. My daughter also has really fine, thin and very blond hair so I worry about her head sunburning. I just insist that she have a hat if we're in the sun. She got mad at me about it yesterday, but she knows that if she wants to be in the sun, hat and sunscreen have to happen first. She can play in the shade without a hat.

We also use the California Baby Super Sensitive shampoo and conditioner and her scalp is much healthier than it used to be.

Hi Johnanna - My son dealt with cradle cap for a long time too. My husband would put a little olive oil on the scalp and then gently comb it out. I guess the olive oil would help to break down the crud on his scalp. (Advice from our pediatrician...) It always worked and the hair did not come out with it. He also has very fine hair.

The other thing is - I was using California Baby for a long time and I think it was making the cradle cap worse. Since we started using other products - Earth's Balance makes one (can't remember the name) and right now Aveeno the cradle cap hasn't come back at all.

Hope some of this helps. I don't have any advice for the sunburn on her scalp unfortunately :( I'm sure someone else will though :)

Whem my 8 month old was a little younger he had something close to the problems you are dealing with. My friend of 3 older kids told me to get a soft toothbrush and use that when I washed his hair in days is was cleared up and now you can't even tell it was there. I would use sunscreen cuz she is so young and her skin is very sensitive at this age. You said you burned easily so to be on the safe side I would deffinatly out some on her. Just out her in the bath and wash her hair to keep it from staying greasy. And to help with that cradle cap. Good luck I hope this works for you as well as it worked for us.

I have psoriasis on my scalp, which is like cradle cap. What I find helps me is, a couple times a week I use Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil. I rub it into my scalp, leave it over night, and in the morning I gentle comb my scalp to get the scales off and then wash as normal. My scalp is much better since I started this, however it doesn't take it away, it just helps with the scales and the itch! Hope this helps.

What surprises me is that no one mentioned that the sunscreen might well aggravate her delicate skin as well, especially if it's already compromised. SPF 50 is pretty strong, and SPF 30 or even 15 is adequate. We use California Baby Sensitive sunscreen and have great results (and we have fought cradle cap too). Remember, one of the great things about Calif. Baby is no parabens in the formula and no BPA from the packaging.

I just got a very itchy rash from Neutrogena's "sensitive skin" formula with SPF 30, so beware.

Remember, spray-on sunscreens still need to be rubbed in, and all sunscreens should be applied 20-30 minutes in advance for them to work well.

Don't get confused about SPF. An SPF of 50 only provides 1% to 2% more protection than an SPF 30. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15; this will block 93 percent of UVB rays. Sunscreens with an SPF rating higher than 30 block only 4 percent more UVB. So depending on your circumstances it may not be worth the extra money to buy sunscreen with an SPF greater than 30.

Cradle cap is usually easily treated with oil (any kind really, from baby to olive) and a fine tooth comb. I have a friend who didn't do anything with her son's cradle cap until he was 4...and he lost about half of his hair once it was finally dealt with. He had long hair too, so it was...interesting. But it WAS cradle cap. I'm wondering if the sunscreen had enough oil to start breaking it up?

In any event....totally agree with the others who are voting towards a pediatric dermatologist. Cradle cap, ringworm, eczema, mystery diagnosis,...they all have different treatments...and the doc should be able to put you on the right path without any messing around in the wrong direction.

Good Luck!!

Eczema on baby's body - I have a girlfriend whose son had eczema on his body to the point of bleeding it was so bad - especially around the waist and wrists where the clothes rubbed. She found out that the laundry detergent was doing that and some laundry detergent was worse than others. She finally found a product that stopped that. It is called Fresh Laundry from Shaklee. Within two weeks after washing his clothes in Fresh Laundry the ecezema was gone. Shaklee also has a product for cradle cap called Multi-purpose cream. It works wonders. I will send you the information. Unfortunately this e-mail doesn't have attachments option so cannot send to you on this. I also have a DVD on the laundry products from Shaklee. Let me know if you decide to view this. I can send to you - just let me know.

You can go on this website and view two sites on these products. www.shaklee.net/a_leading_edge and www.shaklee.net/a_leading_edge/getclean

If you have any questions or want any of the information please e-mail me.

N.
SAH mom, grandma, wife and Wellness Coach

Hi J.-- I am reading this morning and noticed your question. I am an esthetician that focuses on natural body friendly skin care. Cradle cap actually is similar to excema. It is the body's response to allergic reaction. Probably to dairy or wheat that the baby is ingesting. Massaging a few drops of vitamin C oil into the scalp rather than trying to wash or pick it off would be best. You can also do a healing clay masque that will help. In my practice, I see this reaction frequently to food allergies. Find a naturopath and have your little girl tested. Concentrate on the inside not the outside response. A clay poultice or masque once a week is very helpful and can be rinsed out. Yes to the hat and sunscreen, but you can find natural ones at the health food store. Stick with diet changes and you will see a real difference. Good luck!

Never had this problem, but I've heard that coconut oil can help. It is supposedly antifungal/antibacterial, and if you use the scalp massage method that Cheryl below described with baby oil, that might help. My 12 year old uses it occasionally for dandruff issues and it seems to help. Like the baby oil, it will likely take several washes to get the oil out, but it is natural and will have no side-effects like the dandruff shampoo might.

It can be normal for the hair to come out, and a bad out break will keep the hair from coming until the flacks are removed. Use olive oil to soften the flacks and then remove them with a soft cloth. Once the scalp in clean, use a medicated shampoo at least once a week and that should keep the outbreaks at bay. It also helps to brush the scalp with a natural boar bristle brush before each hair washing to loosen any flacks that may be starting to form.

My son had it so bad that he has scars on his scalp. By following the above he has not had a problem in several months.

My daughter had HORRIBLE cradle cap. Even when she wasn't little, even when her hair got longer, it showed through, and it was the worst I have ever seen on a baby.

I soaked her scalp in baby oil for an hour to soften the cradle cap, and then combed all of it out--all of it, even when a few hairs came with it. Her scalp looked a bit pink when I was done, but it didn't seem to bother her. Then I washed, washed, washed, until all the oil was gone (it took several washings, believe me!).

The cradle cap never came back--except once, when she was eight (looked like severe dandruff), and then I did exactly the same thing to it. It's important that all the crust is gone, or it will come back.

I don't really know what to say about the hair falling out except for taking her to the doctor about it (or just mentioning it at the next scheduled visit). I do have a suggestion for the eczema though. As several people have mentioned and I'm sure you're aware, hydrocortisone is not an ideal long term treatment. Though there is no known "cure" for eczema, there are several things you can do to minimize it. Some have already mentioned looking into diet for possible allergies or sensitivities. Also, minimize or eliminate the use of anything with any fragrance in it (detergents, household cleaners, shampoos, etc.) What we have found to be the most helpful thing for us (my youngest daughter has been covered in eczema since she was 3 months old) is her wearing a hazelwood necklace. I know...it sounds odd. But apparently the hazelwood has the natural property of absorbing excess acid in the body when it's against your skin (I guess acid is a major cause of eczema) Within about 2 weeks of wearing the necklace (they're made to be safe for babies by the way) her eczema was pretty much all gone and it has stayed away since then (over a year now). It does come back when I take off her necklace though so that's how I know it didn't just go away on its own.
They're inexpensive and quite cute too!
I know it's an unconventional suggestion but it's worked great for us and might be worth a try.
You can find them at www.hazelaid.com
Good luck with your issue.

Ok im the mom of a little boy with terrible exzema, and had the worst case of cradle cap.
So Ill share with you a ole wives tale that cured my son and is completely safe(asked dermatoligist before trying it on my son). You use the original (yellow) listerine (yes mouthwash) and dab on head with cotton ball on her head. massage in head then wash normally and comb out, it worked on my son in 2 uses. I totally thought he was going to college with cradle cap, nothing over the counter worked, i tried not washing, washing more using dandruff shampoo. So i said what the hay it sure cant hurt him and it was amazing at how it worked!
Best of luck to you!

I can't give you any advice on the cradle cap, but I thought I would say a word about the eczema. My son has it, really bad. We're trying to eliminate from my diet the things he tested positive for, and it seems to be helping, though it doesn't help when I accidentally eat something that's on the list. :S

Anyhow, first off I would say you probably shouldn't use 1% hydrocortisone cream. You can get .5% over the counter. That is safer for children.

But the truth is, you're not solving the problem. You're only pushing it down where you can't see it. I heard once that eczema is sometimes a precursor asthma, and son's doctor said that if you clear up the rash on his skin (which is only itchy, not hurting anything major), whatever is coming out through his skin will go other places, like his lungs, and can lead to asthma later. I use the .5% hydrocortisone cream very sparingly, only on the worst places, and not more than once a day on any given area, just so he doesn't scratch himself raw. I know that would be harder on a 2 year old (my son is 6 months). But maybe you can find out what is causing the eczema; if you can eliminate it (like a food allergy, or the scents in laundry detergent), then the eczema should clear up without any treatments, other than moisturizer to keep it from getting too dry. Also, supplement with Omega-3 oil (I use fish oil--you can get kid flavored ones). That might even help the cradle cap! At least, my son's cradle cap seems better since I've been using fish oil. And I wash his hair with Aveno body wash (it's not necessarily a shampoo, but it says it is good for eczema, and it is very moisturizing (I can tell the difference between that and regular soap after the bath, with how much moisturizer will soak into the skin; Aveno really is better).

I hope that helps! If you want to know who I went to for the allergy test, let me know. If your insurance covers alternative treatments, you won't have any problem. The test is painless and takes less than half an hour, and they test about 300 different things.

I have 3 kids the youngest being 3 months and I have had to use dandruff shampoo with all of them. I asked the dr and she said to us selsun blue because sometimes the cradle cap can be a fungal thing. I have used the shampoo 3 times and it is already looking better. In the baby isle ther is also a shampoo that is for cradle cap it is in a green bottle ( don't know the name). Never tried it and don't know if it works.
Good luck

I too try and use natural products on my kids as much as possible. My dughter (now almost 2) did have cradle cap as a little baby and I worked on it with olive oil and a fine baby comb. It did pull out some hair, but eventually it went away. The cradle cap reappeared recently and I did something I vowed to never do...I used Head and Shoulders shampoo on her. After 2 washings, the cradle cap was gone. I have gone back to using regular natural baby shampoo and it has been clear.

My cousin used to put Burts Bees apricot oil on her babies' heads and leave it off over night. The cradle cap came off pretty easily in the morning.

I hope you find something that works.

K.

The oils in the sunscreen that you used on your daughter's head probably did help to loosen up the cradle cap. Cradle cap is actually a buildup of oil probably caused by an overactive sebaceous gland in the scalp. The buildup of oil in certain areas causes the skin cells of the scalp (as well as hair) that are being shed normally to clump together and stick like glue to the scalp and surrounding hair. The absolute best way to treat it would be to massage the scalp with a bit of olive oil to loosen the clump, wash with a gentle but effective shampoo, lightly condition, and brush hair and scalp with a soft bristled brush on a regular basis. Not washing and brushing the hair will cause a worsening of the condition and not using a light conditioner may also worsen the problem.

If you would like your daughter to wear a hat outside rather than using greasy sunscreen to protect her scalp try telling her that you will not be going outside until the hat is on. Tell her that you can stay outside as long as the hat is on, when she is done wearing the hat, or removes the hat at any point, you will need to go inside. At 2 1/2 she is old enough to understand that kind of reasoning and associated consequences. You may need to model the behavior by wearing a hat yourself at first.

The use of cortisone cream should be reserved only for extreme cases of eczema. Long-term use of cortisone causes a thinning of the skin (making it more prone to laceration and injury) and hypersensitivity. Cortisone creams should never be used on skin that is already thin and therefore very delicate. Your child's skin is already thin and delicate simply because she is a young child. For an adult or older child areas to avoid application would include the face, genitals, armpits, etc.

There are other very significant adverse effects to the long-term use of steroid creams such as Cortisone. A small amount of the steroid is absorbed into your daughter's bloodstream through the skin with every application. Long term exposure to corticosteroids of any kind cause extreme behavioral problems including insomnia, retardation of growth in children, depression, personality changes and even (I've seen it) psychotic behavior. Now, i don't mean to be an alarmist when I mention these things. I am sharing them with you because I believe most people are not aware of the possible side effects often just assuming that because a medication is offered over-the-counter that it is always safe to use. Any use of Cortisone, Prednisone and other steroids (inhaled,oral, or topical) should be taken with extreme caution.

Other ways to treat eczema include colloidal oatmeal baths, make sure your daughter's baths are never hot (warm water is better for the skin). Don't ever use anything on her skin with fragrance (consider any laundry detergent, fabric softener or even dryer sheets...if there are any fillers or fragrance there is a strong possibility they may be contributing to the problem). Every time her skin gets wet immediately apply a cream-based, fragrance-free, preferably organic lotion. You can also apply a small amount of Vitamin E oil directly to each patch. Make sure she is drinking lots of plain water as well. My dermatologist recommends the use of a lotion called CeraVe by CORIA (www.cerave.com). It's a rather lightweight lotion and must be applied every single time the skin gets wet in order to work but it does work very well. It's not cheap, I purchase it from Walgreens in a 12 oz. pump for about $15.

Many people believe there is a strong link between food sensitivity (not allergy) and eczema. If you would like to explore this possibility with your daughter you should look into trying an Elimination diet then note any increase in symptoms or outbreaks as you re-introduce foods one at a time.

I have dealt with eczema and skin hypersensitivity my entire life and am now treating my daughter for the same things. Good luck!

If you don't have olive oil, regular vegetable oil works, too. You might need to wash it a couple of times to remove all of the oilyness.

I second or third the idea of a hat - no hat, no outdoor play.

I'm suffering from my many days without a hat and sunscreen when I was little. There wasn't suncsreen to use when I was younger and I am definitely paying the price on my nose now. So, what happens when we are young can come back and attack when we are adults.

Good luck to your daughter,
D.

Dear J.

Cradle cap originates in the liver. It is an outpouring of pollutants and indicates that her liver doesn't function well. You should take her to a reputable homeopath for treatment.

You could first try a home remedy make a solution of cleavers (an herb) in water and see if it relieves her cradle cap. It works on Psoriasis in the scalp to heal it and it goes away. If it does not work then look for a good homeopath.

As for eczema which I have had most of my life I recommend her own urine as a wash just before her bath. It always heals it and closes it up.