Cradle cap is the worst! It just doesn’t look good at all when you see it on your newborn baby’s scalp for the first time. If you’re a new mom you may have no idea what it is and might even freak out a bit. Joia had cradle cap when she was about 2 or 3 months old. When I first saw it, I thought that cradle cap looked like dandruff because the skin on the baby’s scalp was very flaky. I have had my struggles with dandruff so I am very familiar with how it looks and pretty much thought that my daughter was taking after her mommy as far as dry skin goes. I still wasn’t very sure so of course I went to Dr. Google to see what it could be. The images of cradle cap that I saw on Google was a lot worse than hers. Luckily Joia had her monthly check up at the doctor in the next few days and I was able to talk to her doctor about it. The doctor said she did indeed have cradle cap, but a very mild case.
What is Cradle Cap?
Cradle cap is basically baby dandruff. It usually doesn’t bother the baby at all as far as pain or irritation…it’s just not too pretty to look at. There are mild cases and then there are some that are more severe. According to Kids Health, cradle cap can be white or yellow scales on the baby’s scalp. Sometimes it is just a small patch or a few small patches which is what my baby had. Other times it can be over the whole entire head or even on other parts of the body.
What Causes Cradle Cap?
Your baby can get cradle cap because of dry skin, oily skin, or many other things. A lot of babies get cradle cap. It’s not really something to be too alarmed about unless it is severe. Did you know that dandruff is heredity? Your baby may just get it from you mom (or dad)! I get the annoyance from my father.
You should definitely consult with your doctor so they can diagnose what the problem could be. Cradle cap can cause hair loss, but the hair grows back. Your baby may need medication though if it is a severe case of cradle cap. Joia’s doctor told us to keep an eye on it and if it got any worse that she could be prescribed some medication for it. My baby’s cradle cap never became that bad though…thank goodness!
How to Get Rid of Cradle Cap
A lot of people don’t like the sight of cradle cap on their baby’s scalp and who would? Cradle cap is quite common and can go away on it’s own, but here are some quick and easy things we did to make it go away quickly.
- Shampoo the baby’s hair with baby shampoo and let the baby shampoo sit on the scalp for a few minutes
- Take a baby comb and gently comb the flakes out
- Rinse out the baby shampoo
- Dry the baby’s hair
- Put baby oil or coconut oil on the baby’s hair
- Put a baby cap on the baby’s head overnight
- Continue to use baby oil or coconut oil consistently on the baby’s hair daily and brush
Cradle cap can come back again just like dandruff of course, but just repeat the steps above to get rid of it yet again.
This is what worked for us! I asked the doctor about the above steps before doing it and the doc said it was the perfect thing to do to get rid of cradle cap. I liked using coconut oil better than baby oil because it is good for the hair and a great natural oil to use, but you can use whichever you prefer. I received these recommendations from my bestie Nakia and from my YouTube subscribers. This worked for us and cradle cap did not return! Make sure you consult your doctor because a doctor I am not! I just know what worked for my baby. I hope it works for you too if you decide to give it a try!
Did your baby struggle with cradle cap? What did you do? Does your baby currently have cradle cap? Are you going to try the steps above? Talk to me! Leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
Jennifer says
My niece had cradle cap. Her mom used an oil she got form the doctor.
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Jeanette says
My friends son had this so bad. It was such a long time ago would not help him now but they’re really good tips and if I ever have someone in the future that has this problem I will tell them.
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Pam says
My granddaughter has a touch of cradle cap. We will be able to use these tips on her!
Melisa says
My daughter had craddle cap really bad. I did basically what you suggested, except I used a baby brush to gently scrub the area after letting shampoo penetrate for a few minutes. It took a while to get under control, but it finally happened. This method is great advice.
Vera Sweeney says
Cradle cap is the worst to deal with sometimes!! I love these tips it can be hard to know what the right way to treat this.
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Meagan says
Oh my, cutest baby ever! I fortunately have never had to deal with cradle cap. Great info for future references.
Val says
These are great tips for getting rid of cradle cap – it can really become a hassle for parents.
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Nancy L. says
Awww…What a darling! She is the cutest!
My children never had cradle cap, but I remember both my nieces had it. It’s nice that it can be easily treated with baby shampoo and oil. Nice and gentle for baby.
janis says
These are some great tips. Cradle cap is important to take care of, and this is a great way to help treat it.
Aubrey says
Good to know, my babies didnt really have craddel cap but i know others that do. at least now i’m educated! thank you
Stacie @ Divine Lifesytle says
None of my kids had cradle cap, but all of my sister’s kids did. Thanks for all the great information.
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Marcie W. says
My infant nephew recently had cradle cap. My sister tried the baby oil method and it worked perfectly. Everything was cleared up within a few short days!
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Julie says
These are really helpful tips. My daughter had cradle cap until Kindergarten. It can be so hard to get rid of sometimes.
Kristi says
Our kids didn’t have it but my cousins little girl has it. I will share your post to help out the new mom… she has enough worry.
Lisa says
Two of my kids had cradle cap. I could have used some of these tips!
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Ann Bacciaglia says
This is a perfect post for my friend. She has a new born at home with cradle cap. We were just talking about how to get rid of it.
Lisa Bristol says
Cradle cap is so common in babies. Both of my kids had it and i did a lot of these tips to help get rid of it. Coconut oil is a great idea.
Jennifer H says
I remember my first born having it – and he has the blondest hair so it was noticeable. So glad it’s not something that sticks around long!
Kathy says
I remember my youngest having this when she was a baby. I did some of the things that you did as well. Using a comb to gently brush it worked well too.
Dawn Lopez says
I definitely don’t miss having to deal with cradle cap! This sounds like exactly what I was told to do, only we were told to use olive oil. It works really well also but these days I would probably opt for the coconut oil too.
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Sarah says
Great tips. Cradle cap is so hard to deal with at times. It’s nice to see some great tips for getting rid of it or at least having less to deal with.
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Amy Desrosiers says
My niece’s head is coated. Thanks for the tips, I’ll be sure to pass them along.
Janeane Davis says
My eldest daughter got a case of cradle cap after I kept her bundled up too much. It was 20 years ago, but I still remember it very easily.