During the first months of life, it is common for babies to have milk crusts on the skull or on certain parts of the body. Causes, treatment, infected cradle cap… Advice and advice from pediatrician Anne Samouel Debbabi.
There babies skin being fragile, it happens that some infants have small scabs on the scalp, and sometimes on the eyebrows and in skin folds. We then speak of milk crusts. A frequent phenomenon which in principle has nothing to do with a hygiene problem, but this name is rather linked to the aesthetic appearance of the scabs. In general, cradle cap appears during the first six months of a baby’s life. They are the most often mild and not contagious. Up to what age does a baby have cradle cap? Should they be removed? Pediatrician Anne Samouel Debbabi answers questions and gives us her advice.
What is cradle cap in babies?
Cradle cap, also called infant seborrheic dermatitis, is common in young children. Concretely, Ies cradle cap are small yellowish or white patches, oily or dry, which appear especially on the infant scalp. “On the strictly medical level, this is called a dermatitis erythemato-squamous. That is, the skin is inflamed and it oozes, which leads to the formation of crusts in drying”explains pediatrician Anne Samuel Debbabi.
Face, eyebrow, scalp, where do cradle cap appear?
Most often, cradle cap appears on the scalp, and merge among the little baby hair. But it is also possible that the cradle cap touches baby’s bottom, eyebrows or skin folds (the bend of the elbows, behind the knee, in the neck, under the armpits).
Do cradle caps have an odor?
In some cases, cradle cap may have a bad smell, sometimes like a smell of dried milk. This may be a sign that the scabs are infected. If this is the case, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Up to what age do cradle cap appear?
Cradle cap is so called because infants usually get it. during the period when they are breast or bottle fedbut it can also exist in older children. “That can last the whole of the milky season, so at least the first six months. Afterwards, when the child consumes less milk because he has started food diversification, there may be an improvement, but this can continue until 1 year, even more“specifies the health professional.
“That can last throughout the milky period, so at least the first six months. But it can also continue until 1 year or more.”
Why does my baby have cradle cap?
If some children have cradle cap, it’s because they can’t digest dairy products.. “Of my personal experience, I realized that when I removed these foods from the diet of the breastfeeding mother, or when we changed the formula, we got an improvement. So for me, it is a manifestation of the skin in babies who do not digest products dairy“explains the pediatrician.
If they appear for this reason, other signs can confirm the hypothesis. “When an infant does not digest milk, this can also result in regurgitation, transit problems, eczema, deposits on the tongue… When the tongue is white, it is a sign of bad digestion”, explains Anna Samuel Debabi. Furthermore, in general, cradle cap can also be caused by excess sebum or by a fungus overgrowthmalassezia-type yeasts, indicates the health insurance website.
Should the milk crusts be removed?
The milk crusts are unsightly, but are not dangerous except in the event of superinfection, and that is why it is advisable to remove them, but gently. Indeed, qwhen we don’t THE not remove, they can become thicker and thicker and this can lead to infection, warns the pediatrician. Then, we must verify that we have found the cause. If the baby’s doctor thinks they are caused by a digestive problem and he changes his diet, “He You have to remove them to see if they reform. If we leave the crusts that are in place, it will be more difficult to observe. When they do not reform, it means that we have found the origin of the problem and that we have been able to treat the cause”explains Anna Samuel Debbabi.
To remove the cradle cap, they must first be softened. “He There are several products to soften them, to leave on for one hour before bath”underlines the specialist. We thus find emollient creams, sold in pharmacies or drugstores, and it is also possible to use products that everyone has at home, a mild shampoo or petroleum jelly and olive oil. As for grandmother’s remedy which consists in use breast milkthe pediatrician explains to us that“he is very good for the skin and can be used to soothe diaper rashes, so you might think it might help GOOD”. Then, once the chosen product has posed and that the crusts have softened, it is enough to use a flexible and soft hairbrush during the bath to remove the scabs.
Can liniment be used for cradle cap?
If the milk crusts are thick, using liniment can be useful for natural treatment. The liniment being a fatty substance, composed of lime water and olive oil, it will soften the scabs while taking them off the scalp or skin folds, depending on where they are. The little extra is that liniment will also moisturize the skin.
Is petroleum jelly effective for cradle cap?
Vaseline is a product that is commonly recommended in case of infant cradle cap. In general, it is recommended to apply Vaseline 1 to 2 hours before washing baby and to pass a comb or a glove delicately, without scratching, on the cradle cap. Vaseline is also a fatty substance that will help loosen thick milk crusts. The only negative point is that it is not a natural product. It is paraffin, in other words, petroleum jelly.
Can sweet almond oil be used to remove cradle cap?
I’sweet almond oil is an ideal fatty natural product that can be used to soften and remove milk crusts. It is also one of the products that are often recommended in the treatment of cradle cap. To use it, simply take a sterile compress or an oate tampon, soak it in sweet almond oil and gently dab the milk crusts with the product. Leave to act for several minutes, the time that the oil can soften the plates. Then, using a comb, without rubbing or scratching the baby’s skull, the scabs will come off all at once.
Infected cradle cap, when to worry?
“Whether cradle cap takes on an ugly appearance, not clean or if there is an odor coming from it clear”Anna Samuel Debbabi recommends making an appointment with the pediatrician, as this may suggest that there is a superinfection. Another risk is that if the scabs are not removed, the hair will begin to fall out from under the scabs. However, young parents should not panic: cradle cap is harmless. In case of doubt, it is always possible to consult a doctor, but our specialist wants to be reassuring: “As long as it stays clean and especially that the child seems to be fine, there is nothing to worry about”.
Thanks to Anne Samouel Debbabi, homeopath pediatrician, now retired since June 2019.