Doctors cannot determine why this condition happens in the first place. What leads to this, and how can you prevent it? If your baby is dealing with the cradle cap, you might also be thinking about these questions. But do not panic. Here, you will find answers to these questions as well as problems with these solutions.
First of all, you have to determine whether or not your baby is dealing with this skin condition. For this, you can consult with a professional or look for symptoms like:
- Flakes on the scalp, face, eyebrows, and other body parts
- Greasy and scaly patches
- Mild inflammation and redness
These symptoms indicate the presence of the cradle cap. Severe symptoms could indicate the presence of another skin disease.
How does it start?
It has no exact cause, so it is difficult to explain its beginning. However, if we compare severe and mild cases, we can determine how it starts and how it goes. Normally, it starts with forming small but visible flakes on the scalp.
Certain factors can trigger flake formation, like maternal hormones causing disturbance, fungus overgrowth, and increased oil production in sebaceous glands.
These factors can cause flakes to build up and greasy patches on the skin.
Is it preventable?
We are unable to determine its precise beginning process, so there are no preventions available to stop it from happening in the first place. If you spot cradle cap symptoms in your baby, there is no need to worry about it.
And also, it is not your mistake. This happens to most of the babies at 3 months of age.
Things you should do to avoid flare-ups
There are some measures to take to avoid its flare-ups and make a recovery fast. These include:
- Not scratching flakes.
- Not picking them to avoid hair breakage.
- Cleaning sweat regularly.
- Cleaning the affected area properly.
- Avoiding excessive oily and dry products.
- Regularly massaging the scalp.
This condition is not contagious, so you do not have to worry about its spread. Also, it is completely harmless.
How should you treat it?
If symptoms have started appearing, wait a few days and notice them. If they are fading, let them fade. If they do not improve or worsen, you must get treatment.
Here, we have described three easy steps you can combine to make the perfect treatment strategy for a cradle cap.
Wash enough
Washing off the scalp with tepid water will remove all the bacteria from the skin, ultimately reducing the risk of infection. But the important thing is the removal of flakes.
Regular washing will loosen flakes over time and make it easy to remove them. We recommend using a mild baby shampoo during bathing for better results.
Still, you must be careful of some factors, as frequent washing could be dangerous for newborn babies or those who do not need more baths. Also, you should avoid giving your baby long baths.
Use a shampoo
If a mild formula does not work, you need to look for a better solution. Happy Cappy Shampoo is a brand that creates baby skincare products that can even be used by teenagers and adults. Their formula is safe for sensitive skin.
So, if baby shampoo is not working well, use their cradle cap shampoo. Their formula will remove all the flakes from the skin and reduce the redness and inflammation. The skin will become more soft and smooth. Dryness will go away, and more moisture will be retained.
Use a brush
If you have gone through the upper two parts smoothly, you might not need to follow this step because the shampoo will remove all the flakes. But you can use this when giving a bath to your baby or before bathing. Regular brushing will help remove flakes. We recommend dry brushing so the loose flakes will be removed when you use the shampoo on your baby.
If the scalp is extremely dry, moisturize it with an oil before brushing.
When to seek professional help?
It is completely harmless and does not need treatment. Severe cases can result in extreme flaking. However, these cases can be treated using the above-described treatment strategy. There is no need to go to a doctor.
However, if you see any of the symptoms in your baby, it is better to visit a doctor for a diagnosis:
- If your baby is fussy and irritated with symptoms
- If symptoms are causing pain.
- If there is extreme redness
- If there are bumps, oozing, or whiteheads
- If there is hair loss or bald patches
- If there is a rash
- If there is a strong odor
These are the signs that there is something that is hidden under the cradle cap and needs proper diagnosis to be exposed.
We hope this information helped you understand the beginning of cradle cap and how they can be treated. Hope you will follow the instructions and take the preventive measures seriously.