How to gently remove cradle cap?

Comment éliminer en douceur les croutes de lait du nourrisson ?

Cradle cap, also called infantile seborrheic dermatitis, is characterized by plaques of dead, oily, yellowish skin. It is seen commonly on babies’ scalps up to nine months of age. It can sometimes extend beyond the scalp and affect the eyebrows, some skin folds and even baby’s bottom. It is completely harmless and will not affect your baby’s general condition or cause discomfort or itching. Lesions generally disappear within a few weeks or less but may sometimes last until the child is two or three years old. There are easy ways of gently eliminating them. 

4 simple daily gestures

  • Do not worry

    and be patient

    Why?

    • Although unsightly, cradle cap is completely harmless, it causes no pain nor discomfort
    • Cradle cap can last a few months to a few years, but will clear up by itself

    How?

    • Do not hesitate to ask a health professional for advice
    • Keep an eye on cradle cap and monitor its evolution

  • Cleanse

    gently

    Why?

    To respect your baby’s fragile skin

    How?

    Use a gentle soap-free cleansing product with a physiological pH (the skin’s natural pH) formulated especially to clean babies’ scalps

  • Treat

    with specially formulated products

    Why?

    To soften and remove any large or very thick plaques

    How?

    Apply gently, specially formulated keratolytic products and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing off with shampoo
    Do not try to scratch cradle cap off with a fingernail, it can cause irritation and discomfort
     

  • Brush

    the scalpe

    Why?

    To gently loosen plaques

    How?

    After shampooing and rinsing hair, brush the scalp with a small silk bristle brush to gently remove plaques
    Some hair may fall out with the plaques but don’t worry, it will grow back very quickly

What causes cradle cap? 

Croutes de lait - 01

Excess sebum and proliferation of Malassezia

Croutes de lait - 02

Accelerated cell renewal

Croutes de lait - 03

Harmless and reversible cradle cap

Which oily substances to use?

If cradle cap is very thick, you can apply an oily substance on the scalp two hours before shampooing, to soften the plaques and make them easier to remove. 

Various oily substances may be recommended:

  • Liniment (used usually for baby’s bottom)

  • Olive oil (a component of liniment)

  • Sweet almond oil (bearing in mind that almonds trigger allergies in some people)

  • Vaseline

When to consult a doctor?

It is not always necessary to see a doctor to treat cradle cap. But in some cases a visit to a doctor or pediatrician may be recommended, for example: 

  • If the plaques do not disappear after a few weeks despite regular cleansing 
  • If there are signs of infection: increasingly yellow and/or malodorous plaques
  • If the cradle cap spreads to the whole head or to the body (baby’s bottom, skin folds, etc.)
  • In case of severe inflammation, manifested in the form of an increasingly red and irritated scalp
  • If your child seems to be behaving differently, for example unusual crying or feeding difficulties

Related products

1.

Care & treat

DU_KELUAL_KERATOREDUCING-EMULSION_FRONT_TUBE_50ml_3282770202274
KELUAL
Kerato-reducing emulsion
A-DERMA
Avène

Discover our medical tip sheets to help you provide precise recommendations to your patients. These comprehensive resources provide clear, concise information on a variety of dermatological conditions to help your patients in their daily lives.

More tips sheets with A-DERMA More tips sheets with Avène