Seborrheic dermatitis in babies (cradle cap)

Particularly in babies with light-colored skin, the main symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis are yellowish, oily flakes of skin on their scalp that don’t easily come off. This is commonly known as cradle cap – not to be confused with the inflamed and very itchy skin that is typical of the early stages of eczema in childhood. Children with dark skin are less likely to have cradle cap.

Seborrheic dermatitis doesn't itch. But it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the face, neck, skin folds and the skin covered by a diaper (nappy). Like in adults, the patches look red in children with light-colored skin. In children with dark skin, the patches are much lighter than the surrounding skin.

Seborrheic dermatitis typically starts in the first three months of a baby's life. It then usually goes away on its own and doesn't need to be treated. It is rare for babies to still have cradle cap by the time they are two years old. It generally goes away completely before the age of one.

Many parents worry if they see that their child's entire head is covered in thick flakes of skin. But cradle cap doesn't bother the children, isn't contagious, and goes away on its own. If anyone else comments on the baby's appearance or is worried about the cradle cap being contagious, parents can let them know that it's not.

Getting advice from a doctor and finding out more about seborrheic dermatitis can also help parents to stay calm. A pediatrician can usually diagnose seborrheic dermatitis without any special examinations.

If you'd like to get rid of particularly thick flakes of skin on your child's scalp, you can use olive oil, for example. Softening the flakes overnight with a little olive oil can help you to wash them out the next day using baby shampoo. A zinc paste can help in moist folds of skin, for example the skin covered by the baby’s diaper.