Dandruff in Babies

Infant dandruff is also known as cradle cap. It causes flaky or sometimes scaly skin to form on the scalp. It is a perfectly normal condition in infants. Luckily, there are treatments that you can use to help make this condition go away. By following the treatments, your baby can become cradle cap free.

Cradle Cap or Dandruff

• Cradle cap, also known as infant dandruff or by its scientific name Seborrheic dermatitis, is a condition that often causes concern in parents. This condition causes a scaly or flaky skin condition that can be red and may be raised. It is a temporary condition in infants and toddlers.

Symptoms

• Dandruff in babies can occur in many other body parts other than just the scalp. It can be seen near the eyebrows, eyelids, lips, and in and around the ears. Sometimes it can appear as a reddened area while other times it is a white raised area. Sometimes it resembles adult dandruff and just has flakes associated with it.

  Dandruff is not contagious and it will not cause your baby great harm. If the condition is itchy, the biggest concern is that your baby will scratch the irritated areas and cause an infection. Another concern is that mild hair loss may occur in the affected areas.

Causes

• There are many factors that can affect dandruff in babies. Sometimes it is caused simply by the buildup of excessive oils and sometimes from an overproduction of yeast. Other times it is from the infrequent use of shampoos. This often occurs in newborns who can't bathe because their umbilical cord has not yet fallen off. It does not mean that your baby is dirty.

  Other times, and rarely, there are more serious causes such as Parkinson's Disease, HIV or stroke. These conditions will also present other more prominent symptoms.

Treatment

• To reduce infant dandruff, shampoo your baby's hair with mild baby shampoo daily. Softy rub the affected areas with your fingers or a soft bristled baby brush. Once the dandruff is gone, you can wash the hair two times to keep the dandruff from reoccurring.

Prognosis

• The prognosis for your baby with dandruff is excellent. Just keep on top of it with daily shampooing and you will see how quickly it will disappear. If you find that it is not going away despite daily cleaning, see your doctor as you may need a specially made dandruff shampoo for your baby.

Prevention

• To prevent the condition from coming back, brush your baby's hair daily and watch for signs that the dandruff is returning. If you see signs of its return, go back to daily cleansing.