Using lotion to treat cradle cap?

Question

My son seems to have stubborn cradle cap.. It wont disappear lol. Ive read sum ppl on here used lotion to treat it.. What brand do u recommend? And what did u do after putting the lotion in?

Answer 1

Try any kind of dandruff shampoo. It will work faster and better, just keep it out of his eyes.

Answer 2

My son had cradle cap until he was about 20 months old. I didn't do anything and it went away on it's own. I did talk to my pediatrician about it and she said that if it's not severe it's not necessary to do anything.

If you do decide to treat it, check out this excerpt from babycenter.com. It explains why you don't want to leave oil on his scalp:

How should I treat my baby's flaky scalp?
You don't really need to do anything, but if it bothers you, try shampooing more frequently and gently brushing your baby's scalp with a soft brush or a terrycloth towel.

For stubborn cases, some parents find an oil remedy helpful. (The oil helps to loosen dry flakes.) If you want to give it a try, rub just a small amount of a pure, natural oil — such as almond or olive oil — on your baby's scalp and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Then gently comb out the flakes with a fine-toothed comb or brush them out with a soft brush.

Be sure to follow up by washing your baby's scalp with a gentle baby shampoo — the last thing you want to do is leave oil on his head, which could clog the pores and cause the flakes to stick. You might try leaving the shampoo on for a few minutes before rinsing, to help cut the oil.

Answer 3

I used the soft brissle baby brush and put baby lotion, I think Johnson and Johnson, right on the bristles and very gently scrubbed their heads with it. Of course there is the soft spot so be extremely careful. It took a couple weeks to see any improvement, and my youngest was so bad that I had to get a prescription lotion from his doctor, and he told me to take a washcloth and use my finger to gently push and swirl the lotion on his head 3 times a day, then I had prescription shampoo that I used at bath times.

Answer 4

I never used lotion. Instead I used baby oil in gel form (at any drug store). I've also heard of using dandruff shampoo and even olive oil (!) but never tried it, seems too harsh to me.
Rub the oil on his head daily and/or after every bath, and use a comb or brush (if he has hair). Don't be afraid of the soft spot, it's tougher than you think.
I would avoid picking at it; combing through it w/oil usually works pretty well. Just keep it well moistened. Good luck.

Answer 5

My son's doctor told me to use a dandruff shampoo for 2 weeks(2-3 times a week). If that doesn't work they can give you a prescription for the cradle cap.

Answer 6

In order to avoid overly drying out the little one's skin, you might want to keep his baths down to 2 or 3 a week. Also, research your baby care products as infant skin is extremely sensitive and needs to most gentle products out there. Many baby care products (including wash and lotions) contain ingredients such as fragrance and mineral oil, the molecular structure of which is too large to penetrate the pores of skin, sitting on the top layer like saran wrap. Mineral oil is actually motor oil washed several times to make it clear. These products may cause irritation and get wiped off over time and give little to no benefit but rather a temporary feeling of softness. Baby's need pure, and safe water based products with the proper ingredients.

Arbonne has a great baby care line (hair and body wash, lotion, body oil, diaper rash cream, and sunscreen) that is botanically-based and pH correct, pediatrician and dermatologist tested, non-sensitizing, non-irritating, and formulated without nut oils. They are formulated with natural ingredients like oat flour which is an emollient and an emulsifier. It’s highly absorbent and hypoallergenic. Oat flour helps to soothe and soften dry, itchy and sensitive skin. I use Arbonne's baby care products on both of my children and have never had a problem with dry, irritated skin.

If you're open to trying a free sample, I'll be happy to send you one.

Answer 7

i recommend baby oil, it works faster and soaks into the skin faster. is it possible to shave his head? i had to do that with my son because he had a lot of long curls and the cradle cap was cause it to fall out in clumps. i would say if you shave his head and put the baby oil on it will heal faster and then you can let his hair grow back. good luck=)

Answer 8

There are a few things that my Doc told me to do with my son.I tired baby oil and let that sit for a while and then used a soft baby brush. That worked for a while. He then started to scratch his head and I was told use .5 itch cream and petrolium (Spelling) jelly and then again with the brush. Good Luck!!

Answer 9

I agree baby oil worked the best.
I used a pocket comb and gently worked the area...moving the comb back and forth(then using the small side of the comb taking it out)

Answer 10

My baby's pediatrician told me to use Head and Shoulders shampoo, and only bathe her a MAXIMUM of twice per week. She is happy and flake free! Even the doc was surprised at her last visit that she was doing so well.

Answer 11

my son had a terrible time with this. My doctor told me to take an old toothbrush and a small amount of dandruff shampoo and firmly scrub the area