Is this dandruff?

Executive Member Joined: Jun 27 2005 Posts: 471

my 3 yr old has very scaly dry skin on the top of his head under his hair.
it looks exactly like cradle cap but doesnt go away!! and its really bad. his scalp is all bumpy with the extra dry skin patches, and when I scrape it off it looks better.
is there anything I can do for it to make it go away, aside from scraping it all away every week?

Posted: Sun, Aug 19 2007, 12:56 am Post subject: re: Is this dandruff?

Isn't that cradle cap? I've seen alot of this on young kids, since I check heads for lice. I always wonder why the parents don't try to get it out, I guess it's not as easy as I thought. You can probably soften it with mineral oil, and then comb it out with a lice comb, or regular fine comb.

Diamond Member Joined: Apr 16 2007 Posts: 2952

I had this with one of mine. Sounds like cradle cap.

Soften it with baby oil and scrape it all off gently. Once it is off, switch from baby shampoo to head and shoulders or another dandruff shampoo. I searched for a children's/no tears dandruff shampoo but didn't find. This was a number of years ago, so there may be something out now.

You can PM me with any ? or post here.

Diamond Member Joined: Oct 24 2005 Posts: 4689

Cradle cap it is. Unsightly but not dangerous, mostly a social/aesthetic problem and not a health problem. if it's severe, don't expect to get it all off in one try. Do the oil-and-scrape thing every day for a week, or as long as it takes. Use a stiff brush like a nail brush, not your fingernails. of course you have to wash his hair afterwards, unless you don't mind oil stains on the linens.

Posted: Sun, Aug 19 2007, 9:11 pm Post subject:

get some hot oil treatment from the beauty supply store ... try it
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Posted: Sun, Aug 19 2007, 9:45 pm Post subject: re: Is this dandruff?

For the scalp:
Mix a small amount of Olive Oil and pure Tea Tree oil and massage affected areas, let sit for 10 minutes. Shampoo and brush the greasy scale away. It works best to apply the shampoo FIRST WITHOUT WATER, and try to avoid ones that contains sodium lauryl sulphate.

To help unplug the blocked ducts, you will need to brush the scalp firmly with a soft baby brush, or gently lift the scales with a comb. If it's bad you may not be able to get it all in one go.

Washing the hair everyday isn't enough to clear cradle cap, as this is not a problem caused by poor hygiene.

Never pick at any lesions, which could cause an infection. Also, if you spot any affected area that looks red/feels warm to the touch or if you notice an unusual discharge, check with your doctor.

To reduce the frequency of outbreaks and balance the digestive system (issues with the skin are often a result of digestive problems/imbalances),
build the good bacteria in your child's system by supplementing the diet with a probiotic. This increases the good bacterium (and thereby decreases the baddies) in the gut.

You can mix the powder with warm water, juice, yogurt or applesauce- kids wont even know it's there -also great for babies, yeast infections/thrush, etc...
It works for us- Good luck!
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