Baby arrives home and a few days into your blissful new life situation, you notice some flecks of dry skin on your newborn's scalp. Perhaps you disregard them initially thinking they will go away - but lo and behold before your newly Mommy-radar formed eyes appears a mass of scales on your blessed baby's head. Welcome to cradle cap.
Is There A Cure For Cradle Cap
?
Parents of newborn babies; I have news that you may not want to hear. There is no miracle cure for cradle cap. So we have to make the best of this scaly mound of skin on your angel’s head. Yep - cradle cap is right up there with infant acne. IT TOTALLY SUCKS!
The news for you (after much research) is the following:
1. You didn’t do anything to cause it
2. There is no known cure - despite the millions of new Moms googling the crap out of the topic
3. Eventually - it will go away
While one of my children had mild cradle cap, but my son had a BAAAAAAD dose of infant acne. He was covered in zits for several months and we tried so many things to get rid of it. I recall having Mommy envy when I would see other babies with their porcelain skin and my poor little guy looked like he was an angst-ridden teenager trapped in an infant body! Needless to say - I’ll be writing an article about infant acne in the near future also!
The Nitty Gritty On Cradle Cap
Back to cradle cap and what it’s all about; the medical term for it is infantile seborrheic dermatitis… or in layman’s terms - scaly patches. The scales can range from white to yellow, to sometimes brown scaly skin over your baby’s scalp. Sometimes there are small patches, and occasionally the entire scalp can be covered in it. Also worth noting, that cradle cap symptoms can appear in the diaper area, or underarm areas also.
Here’s the good news - it doesn’t hurt a baby, nor does it itch. Babies who suffer from it 
are blissfully unaware of the trail of dead skin they leave everywhere! (OK - Moms who like to pick it off will suffer from the skin trail more than others who can patiently wait for it to fall off naturally!). Full disclosure at this point - I am a skin picker. Realistically, it takes a few months to completely go away, so Moms - the best advice we have is to just be patient and do what you can to ensure you are using the mildest and safest products out there.
While we know we can’t prevent cradle cap, nor can we cure it - what we can do is make the appearance of it look as best as possible. How can we do this? When you use natural products for your baby - you will prevent further drying of the skin, you will retain the skin's natural moisture barrier and you will hydrate and condition the delicate newborn hair and skin of your baby. It is possible to help cradle cap as a condition by opting for natural anti-fungal agents in your babies skin products. Choosing a chemical-based shampoo or lotion for your baby could worsen cradle cap and how it looks or could prolong it for your baby - so choose your bath-time products wisely.
Baja Baby products are packed full of hemp oil, pro-vitamin B5, and essential oils. These superhero ingredients have incredible antibacterial and antifungal properties, whilst soothing and hydrating babies skin and hair. Many Moms favor using an oil over the scalp and/or gently brushing the head with a soft baby brush. You can also find combs specifically for cradle cap - either of these options are 100% fine… Whatever your method, the scales will go away forever and you’ll have a baby soft scalp to nuzzle on in no time!
If you do feel like your baby may have cradle cap, but you aren't 100% sure - go straight to your pediatrician without passing go. Don't spend any amount of time fretting about a potential issue that you can be relieved of within a few short minutes at a doctor's office.
Jen lives in Cabo, Mexico with her husband Nelson, their children Wyatt & Reese and their 4 chihuahuas. If you would like a PDF copy of this article, please visit our Scribd account today and download your copy.
If There's No Cure For Cradle Cap - What Can We Do?
References
http://www.parenting.com/article/ask-dr-sears-persistant-cradle-cap
http://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/cradle-cap/
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/tc/cradle-cap-topic-overview
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/pediatrics/seborrheic_dermatitis_cradle_cap_90,P01893/
