Cradle Cap Treatment

Your main reason for visiting this site is likely to be that of finding a suitable treatment for cradle cap.

If your baby has cradle cap then you will relieved to know that this is harmless and will cause any problems for your baby. Your baby may become fretful and cry more than usual if the affected areas are itchy or sore; but in many cases it will clear up on its own.

It usually does this once the baby reaches two years of age. There are a few cases where cradle cap persists into childhood but these tend to be rare. If cradle cap persists even after the age of two then it is more likely to be seborrhoeic dermatitis. Cradle cap can be treated very easily using a variety of products which are discussed here.

There are three ways of treating cradle cap which include:

• Home based remedies
• Over the counter products
• Prescription medicines

Each of these options is discussed in more detail.

Some parents prefer to use proprietary brands of shampoos and baby oil to treat their baby’s cradle cap whereas others opt for natural remedies such as a camomile based cream. Mild cases of cradle cap usually respond well to home based treatment. However, if your baby has a severe form of cradle cap or it has to spread to other parts of the body then speak to your GP or health visitor. The main risk with cradle cap is that of a secondary bacterial infection. This can develop if the patches of affected skin are scratched, picked or become inflamed. This causes soreness and bleeding and is painful for your baby.

This requires treatment via your GP in the form of an anti-fungal medication which contains ketoconazole.