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Hey Mama – Here’s What You Need to Know About Cradle Cap

Hey Mama – Here’s What You Need to Know About Cradle Cap

As a New Mama there’s nothing worse than noticing something strange looking on your baby’s skin but what we can tell you is that in 99% of cases, it’s completely normal and nothing to worry about! Yes, your baby’s skin is extremely delicate, after all, it’s brand-new and isn’t yet strong enough to cope with hard water, humidity and the elements. Don’t panic and remember, we’re here to help you. Every product on our website is clean, kind and gentle – but most importantly everything for baby is Organic and chemical-free, so our products won’t aggravate your baby’s soft and velvety skin.

If you’re wondering how to care for newborn skin and what skincare products do babies need? Look no further – we’ve got gorgeous skincare for your baby and an abundance of newborn baby skincare products within our website pages.

Cradle Cap Is Extremely Common

Let’s talk about cradle cap – yes, we know, it doesn’t look pretty but we assure you it is extremely common and even without any intervention, it will normally go away of its own accord when your baby is 6 months to 12 months old. However, you can help it get better, but before we go into what to do to improve symptoms, how do you know if your baby has cradle cap? 

What Does Cradle Cap Look Like?

Cradle cap resembles patches of greasy looking, scaly and sometimes crusty skin. It can even flake off and while it’s called cradle cap it isn’t just reserved for the scalp! Some babies get cradle cap on their faces and even in the diaper area.  

On babies with particularly fair skin, the skin beneath the scaly patches might appear red or pink.  On babies with darker complexions, the skin might look darker or lighter than their usual skin tone.

What’s important to note is that it won’t bother your baby. It’s not itchy and it’s not painful either. It’s also not contagious. If you’re in a Mamma group with other babies and some of them have cradle cap, it’s no cause for concern.

How to Reduce the Symptoms of Cradle Cap

What can you do to alleviate the appearance of cradle cap?

You can use a very soft baby hairbrush and gently brush your baby’s scalp using ever-so-light motion. Then, wash your baby’s scalp using a mild, Organic baby shampoo.

You can apply a barrier cream (our Edible Beauty Mum & Bub Cocoa Barrier Cream is an award-winning product). This botanical cream is super powerful and yet oh-so-gentle and helps to encourage the skin’s natural healing process while providing intense moisturization to the area. Apply gently and don’t wipe away.

You can also try Earth Mama’s Calendula Baby Oil , which is  a pure and gentle skincare baby oil, combined with essential oils and works brilliantly to calm down aggravated skin, while deeply moisturizing dry, scaly patches. Just massage a little into your baby’s scalp, using light strokes.

What To Avoid

void using other oils such as olive oil (it’s just not mild enough for baby’s skin) and any nut oil (especially because of allergies) and never use an adult shampoo as these are too harsh for your Bubba’s skin and hair. Don’t use regular skincare products, you should only use skincare for your baby that’s especially created for little ones. Never forcefully remove crusts as you run the risk of infection.

See a Doctor If…

We should also say that if you have any cause for concern then go and see your medical practitioner for advice just in case there is an infection present. Definitely see a doctor if you’ve tried treating your baby and there’s no improvement, if cradle cap appears all over your baby’s body, if the crusts bleed, leak or swell. Your pharmacist may be able to help you – but in almost every case, Cradle Cap is no cause for alarm.

Posted on September 04, 2023