What Is Cradle Cap In Infants And How To Treat It Naturally

Has your baby developed an unsightly patch of flaky, white, or yellow scaly skin on their scalp? If so, your little one could be experiencing something called cradle cap. While harmless and temporary, it can still be concerning when you see this on your baby’s head. So let’s dive into what is cradle cap in infants. More importantly, how you can treat this naturally. I’m going to share with you my experience on how I got rid of cradle cap for both of my newborn twin girls.

What Is Cradle Cap?

Again, cradle cap is a common condition that many babies face in their first few months of life. It presents itself as scaly patches on the scalp, but luckily it is not uncomfortable or painful for your little one!

Surprisingly, Cradle Cap Is Actually Quite Common.

Up to half of all babies develop this condition during the first few months of life.

Both of my preemie twin girls developed cradle cap by the time they hit 40 weeks or their “full-term newborn stage”.

So what causes cradle cap in newborns?

How Cradle Cap Develops

Medically termed seborrheic dermatitis, cradle cap is easily recognizable by yellowish, scaly patches on your baby’s scalp, forehead, or around their ear area.

It’s believed to be caused by overactive oil glands.

While cradle cap is often caused by hormones passed from mom during pregnancy stimulating sebum production, medical experts also suggest that poor hygiene can cause cradle cap as well so make sure to keep baby’s scalp clean.

Thankfully, cradle cap isn’t itchy, contagious, or painful in any way.

It usually clears up in just a few months without treatment.

But if don’t like how cradle cap looks on your little one or if you’re worried about it affecting your baby’s comfort, don’t panic – there is a way you can reduce its appearance!

How To Treat Cradle Cap Naturally

One way to get rid of cradle cap is by gently shampooing your baby’s head.

Massage the shampoo into the scalp to remove some of the scales and flakes. There are also special cradle cap shampoos you can get. I never tried a special shampoo…so I can’t tell you whether it really works or not.

Another way to get rid of it is by using organic coconut oil.

This is the method I used before I gave my girls a bath. The coconut oil helps to loosen the dry flakes. I’d let this soak into their head for about an hour before bathtime. But what I noticed is the coconut oil alone did not completely get rid of the cradle cap as quickly as I’d hoped.

So I did a little more research and found a brush on Amazon to use to gently remove the flakes.

The cradle crap brush I found was by Fridababy. There were a ton of great reviews and ratings so I thought I’d give it a shot.

I repeated this method twice, using the organic coconut oil + the soft cradle cap brush during bathtime, and it cleared up both my girl’s cradle cap completely!

The organic coconut oil I used was from Costco (Kirkland brand) OR if you want to save time and get it online here is one of Amazon’s best sellers for organic coconut oil.

Now onto a short video where I walk you through the steps on how to use the Fridababy cradle cap brush.

Plus, you’ll see how much of the dry flakes this brush got off my daughter’s head! So yes, this brush REALLY worked well. P.S. If you have a queasy stomach you may want to skip that part of the video (TimeStamp 1:08).

Video: How To Get Rid Of Cradle Cap In 3 EASY Steps

FAQ

Should I remove my baby’s cradle cap?

You should never remove the dry flakes or pick at your baby’s cradle cap because this could cause an infection.

What causes cradle cap in infants?

Cradle cap is caused by the build-up of oil in your baby’s skin also known as sebum. The additional oil creates an excess of dead skin over your baby’s scalp.

How do I get rid of my baby’s cradle cap?

There are natural methods you can use to treat cradle cap like gently massaging a mild shampoo onto your baby’s scalp, using a special cradle cap brush to remove the flakes, and putting a natural oil (like organic coconut oil) on their head to loosen the dry flakes.

To Wrap It Up

I hope this article has been a valuable resource for you. Now that you know what causes cradle cap and how to get rid of it naturally, you can put your fears aside and tackle any ‘scalp scaly patches’ you find on your baby’s head with confidence.

My twin girls have had no more issues since using the organic coconut oil and Fridababy brush to get rid of their cradle cap. I’m hoping the same will be true for your sweet little one (or little ones) too!

As parents, we are the most knowledgeable advocates for our children – let’s continue to use what we know to help our kiddos thrive. Until the next post, I’m sending you all the positive parenting vibes!

With Gratitude,

Linds

What remedies have you used to get rid of cradle cap? Have you tried the Fridababy cradle cap brush? If so, how did it work out for you? If you have anything to add or share, please let me know in the comments below. As parents, we could all use a little help along the way.🙂

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About The Author

Linds is the proud mom of two little miracles, Mono Mono twin girls, and one AMAZING older brother! She is the founder and content creator of Mono Mono Twins, Intensive Therapy for Kids, and Co-Founder of The LENN Foundation (a 510c3 that helps children with cerebral palsy receive grants for intensive therapies to thrive). ♥

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