My son has cradle cap, can I wash his scalp with Head & SHoulders?

Answer 1

Based on my Pediatrician’s advice you could use Selsun Blue or Neutrogena T-Gel. My 2nd son had very bad cradle cap which I call cradle crap. We tried many different things as recommended including the Neutrogena T-Gel. It didn’t work and ended up making it seep more… We discontinued use immediately afterwards. We also tried the Cradle Cap Care by Gentle Naturals… No success. We also tried the recommendation of baby oil… Again unsuccessful. My mother-in-law mentioned to me that in the Philippines they would use coconut oil. So I tried Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula (Soothing Oil – Spray Bottle) which I used for my stretch marks during my pregnancy. I would spray the soothing oil (make sure to have the baby’s head on a towel) and gently massage on the scalp. I would let it set 5-10 minutes to penetrate the scalp and then would proceed to use a fine tooth comb. Afterwards I would towel dry the oil out of his hair. It actually worked very well for him.

However, my 3rd son (4 months) also has cradle cap (not as severe) and the Cocoa Butter Formula works fairly well but not as good as I had hoped. With him I will only wash his head no more than once a week since it really dries out his scalp. I gently brush his scalp to remove the dry scales. For now I massage in the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream and let it set… This is the one that works the best at this time. I also use this cream on my 2 year old since he has mild eczema.

Cradle cap can be quite bothersome… Besides time, utilize trial and error on approved recommendations on what will work best to maintain your baby’s cradle cap.

Answer 2

Two of my boys had cradle cap when they were newborns. The first one was a very mild case and cleared up in less than a week. It was very easy to get rid (at least that's what my sister-in-law said) She would babysit overnights for us because we both worked that shift. When we dropped our son off she would bathe him and then rub a small amount of baby oil on his head where ever he had the cradle cap. After it was set in she took a fine tooth comb and a soft baby brush and worked on getting the scales off of his head. After two or three days with his aunt he was cradle cap free. My second son had a severe case and it took over a month to get rid of because it kept coming back. But the same process was used and it eventually worked. We did buy the cradle cap shampoo from the store and it seemed like a waste of money - a lot of money - because it didn't work that great. Actually, if I think about I'm not sure if it worked at all. I would try the baby oil first that way you're not throwing money down the drain.

Answer 3

The best thing to do is wash their head as little as possible. Usually once or twice a week is sufficient. Cradle cap is caused by the baby's scalp trying to regulate oil production. The more you wash it the more oily flakes it creates. When you do wash use Neutrogena T-Gel. It is gentle enough, but still don't get it in their eyes. If the smell bothers you you can use a tiny bit of baby oil afterward.

Answer 4

The absolute best thing for cradle cap, and i am speaking from experience is Vaseline.. Just get a big glob and rub it in his hair really good, it will loosen up all the dead skin and it will come right off.. It may take a while for it to rinse completely out of his hair but believe me it works.. The first time we did it on our son he just loved his scalp being rubbed like that, and his cradle cap was gone... A few weeks later just a little more dry skin came back and we did it once more but with only a little bit of Vaseline.. But it works, trust me! Good luck and congrats!

Answer 5

No that is for adults plus that wouldn't help cradle cap anyway. This is what you should do, get some baby oil and massage it into your sons head where the affected area is. Let it sit for a while, maybe put a hat on him so it doesn't get anywhere. Than take a comb and gently comb it out. I did this twice a day with my son, and it was gone in about 3 days. It worked great!

Answer 6

No there are shampoos designed for babies and some for adults. My daughter has never had cradle cap but my sister had it bad and my mom would rub baby oil on her head at night before bed then when she woke up in the morning, mom would use a fine tooth comb to comb her hair, and then wash the oil out. If you get into practise combing her hair after every bath then this may cut down on cradle cap. Good luck.

Answer 7

My son's pediatrician said Selsun Blue was okay if the cradle cap kept recurring after treatment with baby oil and scraping. DO NOT get any into baby's eyes was his only warning. I ended up not doing this, though. Instead I began using the soft scrub brush they gave me in the hosipital every night at bath time. The cradle cap eventually stopped returning.

Answer 8

Cradle cap is a waxy skin covering that is akin to dandruff in adults and older children. You can use a very, very soft bristle baby brush to loosen this skin and flake it out, or remove it gently. Contact your doctor or visit www.webmd.com for more information and advice on this common condition. Do not use Head and Shoulders or other dandruff shampoos without first consulting with a doctor. The chemicals in these shampoos may injure your baby.

Answer 9

Ah! No!

Babies have very sensitive skin and using harsh chemicals like the ones in head and shoulders could really cause problems. Just use regular baby shampoo and a washcloth. Cradle cap doesn't hurt babies and it's not worth hurting him (with harsh chemicals) so his head looks pretty.

Answer 10

don't use head and shoulders it is far to strong for his head it will burn and damamge his scalp. Use gentle naturals cradle cap treatment. The stuff stinks but it works really good just yuse it once a day when you give him a bath and he will be fine it will go away. Don't pick at it.