Milk scab owes its name to its appearance: The skin lesions are reminiscent of milk that has burned in a pot. Cradle cap usually occurs in babies from the 4th month of life and in toddlers. Usually the hairy head is affected, often the face (forehead, eyebrows, cheeks) and neck, rarely other areas.
Cradle cap: causes and symptoms
The cause of cradle cap is unknown. However, it is not uncommon for cradle cap to be a sign of an atopic predisposition, i.e. a congenital hypersensitivity of the skin and mucous membrane to environmental substances, and the first manifestation of neurodermatitis. Many children with cradle cap suffer from neurodermatitis as adults. In some cases, however, cradle cap disappears on its own after a few months. Typical of cradle cap is that the initially dry, whitish scaling is accompanied by itching. This tempts the child to scratch, the affected areas become inflamed, ooze and crust over with yellowish scabs. Affected children sleep poorly, are tearful, restless and jumpy.
Distinguishing head cold sores from baby acne
In common parlance, the term cradle cap is often also used for gneiss, although there is a difference. These harmless, greasy-yellow scales accumulate on the scalp like small caps shortly after birth and are – often the only – sign of seborrheic infant dermatitis. The scales of the head gneiss adhere firmly and are often divided into small fields. Unlike cradle cap, these skin lesions do not itch or affect the infant. However, infant seborrheic dermatitis can sometimes be pronounced and affect multiple areas of the body. Its appearance may then be difficult to distinguish from atopic dermatitis. Also, cradle cap should not be confused with baby acne. Baby acne is a harmless skin change that occurs shortly after birth and is caused by a hormonal change.
Cradle cap: what to do?
First of all, if you are unsure whether your baby’s skin changes are cradle cap or have another cause, ask the pediatrician for advice. Especially the itching – usually stronger in the evening than in the morning – and an uncomfortable child speak for cradle cap. In mild changes, herbal remedies and homeopathy can be used against cradle cap. In pronounced cases of cradle cap, the therapeutic principles of neurodermatitis apply. If possible, prevent scraping off the scales, as this irritates and injures the skin and results in inflammation. To remove the dandruff, gentle methods by means of softening the dandruff are recommended, for example, with medicinal plants or cradle cap gel available in pharmacies.
Treating cradle cap with medicinal plants
To loosen dry crusts from the scalp, you can rub the head with oil in the evening before going to bed and wash it out with baby shampoo the next morning. Olive oil, calendula oil or burdock root oil are particularly suitable. Pansy tea has also proven to be effective, which, when applied locally, also softens the dandruff and additionally acts against the itching and inflammation. Oozing areas can be dabbed and cleaned with a saline solution, which you can either buy ready-made in the pharmacy or make yourself (boil 1 g of table salt with 100 ml of water, keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days). The spots are then simply left to dry. In the case of gneiss, a study has shown that half a milliliter of borage seed oil applied twice a day in the diaper area leads to an improvement of the scalp after just under a week. The connection has not yet been clarified. Borage seed oil can be bought for it in the pharmacy in the form of capsules. In addition, it has proven itself in the form of creams, ointments and bath additives.
Treat cradle cap with homeopathy
Preparations with pansies have also proven successful in homeopathy: Viola tricolor helps especially with heavily weeping spots. If the yellowish bark of milk scab is in the foreground, the homeopathic remedy called Graphites is more indicated. On the other hand, sulfur is recommended for massive itching. However, as with atopic dermatitis, constitutional treatment by a homeopath is more effective.
Treating cradle cap and atopic dermatitis
The treatment of neurodermatitis is always difficult. If cradle cap is the first sign of this chronic disease, patience and a good pediatrician are required. Therapy consists of several elements:
- Search for causes
- Fix individual triggers
- Prevent acute relapses
- Treatment of skin changes and discomfort
- Psychological support
In this context, the basic care of sensitive skin is important. Basically, moist rashes should be treated moist, such as with compresses or gels, and dry eczema dry or drying. Various medications, plants and homeopathics are available as treatment options for the symptoms of severe cradle cap and atopic dermatitis – especially for the itching and inflammation. Also methods of climatic therapy, microbiological therapy (for example probiotics), acupuncture as well as relaxation procedures have can be helpful. In addition, it is also important to pay attention to regular exercise and a healthy diet. The treatment of cradle cap is always individually adapted to the child.
