The first couple months of our babies’ lives are filled with daily discoveries, some more miraculous than others. He found his feet—adorable! You found flakes on his head—less so! In this blog we’ll break down what Cradle Cap is, and how to treat it with the natural goodness of coconut oil.
What is Cradle Cap?
Cradle cap is a common term for seborrheic dermatitis that occurs on the scalp of infants. Cradle Cap usually develops between the ages of 2-12 months, presenting as red scaly or yellow crusty patches on a baby’s scalp.
Is Cradle Cap Painful?
Seborrheic dermatitis may look uncomfortable, but fear not, Mama: Cradle Cap usually isn’t itchy, doesn't bother most infants, and is not contagious. In fact Cradle Cap usually gets better on its own in a few weeks or months.
What Causes Cradle Cap?
The exact cause of Cradle Cap is unknown. Health professionals believe one contributing factor can be hormones passing from mother to baby in utero, which cause the extra sebum production in the oil glands and hair follicles that lead to Cradle Cap. Another possible cause may be a type of yeast (fungus) that grows within hair follicles. Cradle Cap is not caused by poor hygiene, but hygiene can play a role in alleviating your bub’s Cradle Cap!
How To Treat Cradle Cap, and Why Coconut Oil Works So Well
Bubbsi's two best-selling formulas will help you treat this conditioner naturally and effectively. Here's how to use them:
Step 1: Massage scalp with Coconut Oil Balm and let it sit.
Applying natural oils can help remove Cradle Cap’s dry patches by softening dead or dry skin. Our Coconut Oil Balm is a 100% naturally-derived formula made up mostly of coconut oil and sunflower oil. Massage onto the scalp and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
Step 2: Gently remove flakes.
Gently comb through hair with a soft-bristled brush to remove flakes.
Step 3: Wash with Creamy Coconut Oil Shampoo + Wash.
Once you’ve removed the dry flakes, wash the oil and flakes from baby’s scalp with a gentle shampoo. Our Creamy Coconut Oil Shampoo + Wash is a nourishing head-to-toe wash that gently cleanses hair and skin without any harsh sulfates. The formula is made up a third of nourishing oils and butters to leave baby super soft, never stripped.
Repeat this process as needed. Cradle Cap usually clears up on its own in a few weeks or months. Until it does, you can help the process along—or take preventative measures—by washing your baby’s hair every few days with a gentle, tear-free shampoo.
Why coconut oil? It’s gentle on your infants skin & an effective cleanser
Add oil to remove oil? It sounds crazy, but coconut oil is an effective gentle cleanser. One of science’s basic principles is that “like dissolves like.” It means that coconut oil actually attracts and brings to the surface oil-based impurities (like those oily flakes!) so they can be washed away. Furthermore, while Cradle Cap doesn’t bother or hurt your infant, a baby’s skin is still fragile and Cradle Cap can be stubborn to remove. Yet, many products for Cradle Cap treatment have additives you might not feel comfortable massaging onto your baby. That’s why Coconut oil is perfect for the job! Because Coconut oil contains essential nutrients for the skin, it acts as a natural moisturizer that nourishes the scalp, loosens the dry flakes that come with Cradle Cap, and helps to maintain this newly hydrated skin. Still worried about chemicals? We took special care to create all our products without any parabens, phthalates, mineral oils or any of the other 1,400 chemicals banned in the EU...so there’s no additives to worry about here, mama- just the good stuff.
