The most common scalp problem in babies is the disorder called cradle cap. It can be described as the scattering of the skin, producing oily and dandruff-like dead parts of the skin that can come off. It is actually the type of seborrhoea, but the one that affects only the newborn babies.
At the first stage, the skin becomes red, and after that, one area on the scalp skin happens to be full of scaly patches. It may look unpleasant and even scary and serious, but luckily, it is a common, not contagious and mild condition that is easily treated, even though it might be rather persistent.
Anyway, it should be even considered as a natural problem in the newborns, because it is a consequence of the excessive production of the oil. That is, the oil glands from the face and scalp get stimulated to secrete the exaggerated amount of oil for some reason. Cradle cap can be spread to the other nearby parts of the body, such as, for example, ears, armpits and neck.
When spread to almost the whole body, the cradle cap is treated as a more serious condition, and it is scientifically called seborrheic dermatitis. But, then, it still isn’t so serious problem.
There are a lot of causes, and it is not fully investigated what are all the triggers that can lead to this condition. But the allergies and some changes in the hormonal balance are likely to provoke this disorder.
In order to prevent the cradle cap, parents should wash the baby’s hair area with shampoo more often, but it is not guaranteed that it will totally prevent it. Mostly because shampooing the scalp doesn’t prevent the glands to produce the excessive amount of oil. The good advice is to use a mild comb or brush when shampooing, so that the flakes can be easily removed.
A lot of parents, whose children had suffered from this problem, agreed that it is goo to apply oily substances (such as mineral oil or baby oil) on the affected spot. They think that the glands wouldn’t need to produce the excessive oil that way. But, also, there are many parents who disagree, and they claim that it would only worsen the problem.
In any case, the mildest and the most natural products are recommended in solving this problem. The olive oil or some mild mixture that the doctor will prescribe as a shampoo is usually used. As far as these shampoos are concerned, they are all made from the already popular ingredients for treating dandruff, like sulphur and salicylic acid.
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