When babies are born they have many problems and cradle cap is one among them. It occurs mainly due to infantile seborrheic dermatitis that looks like a scaly patch on the baby's head. It may also occur on the baby's eye brows and in the skin behind ears too. There are creases in the skin and it looks like an oily flaky yellow skin. It occurs in babies from the age 2 days to 3 months. It eventually goes away when the babies grow up. There are a few home remedies for cradle cap that are harmless and effective in getting rid of the cradle cap.
You can apply some cold-pressed vegetable oil on your babies head and massage it gently. Then leave the oil on your babies head for some time. You then have to comb your baby's head gently and remove the flakes from it. Always remember to wash off the oil from the baby's head thoroughly with a baby shampoo. You can apply mineral oil and olive oil in place of vegetable oil. One of the other home remedies for cradle cap is to wash your baby's hair every alternate day. This will make the scalp dry so remember to oil your baby's hair and to use a mild shampoo always.
You can apply cod liver oil or vitamin E along with milk on your baby's scalp. This is very effective as it helps in loosening the flakes and as well as soaking the excess oil in your baby's scalp. Gently brush the hair later and remove the flakes. You can do this daily. One of the useful home remedies for cradle cap is mixing some kind of essential oil along with the vegetable/olive/mineral oil then gives your baby a thorough massage and then brush off the flakes.
One of the effective home remedies for cradle cap is mixing tea tree oil along with comfrey root or burdock and chamomile in warm water. Then massage your baby's scalp with this mixture and leave it for an hour. Then gently brush and remove the flakes and wash. You can also use tea bags on your baby's scalp. You can use chamomile, meadow sweet, comfrey root or slippery elm to get rid of the cradle cap. Always remember to wash the scalp after you finish brushing it.
One of the home remedies for cradle cap is applying petroleum jelly on your baby's scalp and leaving it on overnight. Then remove the flakes and wash. You can apply almond oil on your baby's scalp. You can also apply baby oil to get rid of the cradle cap. Instead of brushing always, you can use a clean and soft cloth to wipe away the flakes. And always wash out the shampoo thoroughly with warm water. Dry thoroughly with a soft towel and put on a knit cap on your baby's head. Usually the cradle cap goes away after a few months, but in case the cradle cap is stubborn and does not leave your baby's scalp despite using all these remedies, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
