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My second baby has cradle cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis in Infants) with video and photos

May 12, 2020 | Diary, Health | 0 comments

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My experience with my second child with cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis…

1 week after birth, tiny bumps started to show up on my daughter’s forehead and eyebrows. At first, I thought nothing of it because it is so small until it started to get worse. It spread on her cheeks and scalp. This is not new to me (handling baby skin condition) because my eldest also had a skin issue when she was an infant (read about it here) but this is different type of eczema because her elder sister had atopic dermatitis while Jackie has seborrheic dermatitis based on the presence of scaly patches with yellow, greasy crusts.

Here are photos from August 2019 when I noticed the tiny bumps and scaly/flaky skin on Jackie’s forehead.

August 7, 2019, Jackie at 1 week and 3 days old: tiny bumps appear on her forehead and eyebrows.
August 9, 2019, Jackie at 1 week and 5 days old: the tiny bumps spread to her cheeks and became red.
August 10, 2019, at 1 week and 6 days old
August 12, 2019, at 2 weeks and 1 day old
August 13, 2019, at 2 weeks and 2 days old
August 15, 2019, at 2 weeks and 4 days old
August 16, 2019, at 2 weeks and 5 days old
August 16, 2019, at 2 weeks and 5 days old: tiny bumps started to show on her ears
August 16, 2019, at 2 weeks and 5 days old: tiny yellowish bumps have started to spread to her scalp
Scalp situation by August 17, 2019 at 2 weeks and 6 days old
August 18, 2019, at 3 weeks old: some of the yellowish bumps dried out and became flaky after I gave her a bath
August 19, 2019, at 3 weeks and 1 day old: yellowish bumps on her scalp
August 19, 2019, at 3 weeks and 1 day old: cradle cap
August 19, 2019, at 3 weeks and 1 day old: cradle cap on her scalp
August 21, 2019, at 3 weeks and 3 day old: the yellowish bumps on her forehead and eyebrows became dry and scaly/flaky. There are less tiny bumps on her cheeks now.
August 21, 2019, at 3 weeks and 3 day old: the yellowish bumps on her forehead and eyebrows became dry and scaly/flaky. I used Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and cotton to remove the dry sebum from her face. There are less tiny bumps on her cheeks but her neck and chest showed tiny red bumps by then.
August 21, 2019, at 3 weeks and 3 day old: scaly/flaky yellowish bumps on her forehead and eyebrows. There are still many tiny yellowish bumps hidden on her scalp though.
August 27, 2019, at almost 1 month old: I removed the dry skin or greasy buildup off her face by dabbing/wiping a cotton ball with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser 1-2 times daily and baby oil on her scalp (before bath). Her face showed less tiny bumps on her forehead and cheeks.
August 28, 2019, at 1 month old: Her face looked better. Note: I used Physiogel Calming Relief AI Cream (like the one used with my eldest daughter for her eczema) to moisturize her skin specially the face after every bath.

On cleaning the scalp, I put an ample amount of baby oil on the affected area of her scalp and let it soak for about 10-15 minutes. I also massaged the scalp so that the oil penetrates the dry yellowish scales much better (Tip: When you do this, prepare tissues to wipe off yellow greasy scales from your hand). Then, I gently removed the scales using a fine comb like the one shown in the photo below. At some point, I used Magic Suyod and it worked great (Note: Please use it carefully on babies 🙏).

After her 1st month, red bumps still show mostly on her face and neck then sparsely scattered on the rest of the body. I make sure to check her face if there is any yellowish and greasy oil buildup in the ear area, face and neck. I wipe them with cotton balls to control the oil buildup.

August 29, 2019, at 1 month and 1 day old
August 29, 2019, at 1 month and 1 day old
August 29, 2019, at 1 month and 1 day old

Below is a slideshow of photos from September to October 2019 showing progress and sudden flare-up of the reddish rashes on her face:

After her 2nd month, I think all became better for her skin.

September 29, 2019 at 2 months and 1 day old; Her skin looked better than ever and she has not experienced any flare-ups since then.

I hope this helps some of you mommies in dealing with cradle cap/seborrheic dermatitis. I have added some general info for your reference below because as you know I am just a mommy like you. It is still best to check with a licensed pediatrician or pediatric dermatologist for advice on your baby’s health and skin condition.

Blow are some general information I got from Google Search (sources listed after the articles).

What Is Cradle Cap?

Cradle cap is the common term for seborrheic dermatitis (seb-eh-REE-ik dur-muh-TYE-tis) of the scalp in infants.

Seborrheic dermatitis, also called seborrhea (seb-eh-REE-uh), can show up:

  • on the forehead and face
  • behind the ears
  • in the diaper area, armpits, and other skin folds and creases

Seborrheic dermatitis in children, known as cradle cap in infants, occurs where there are many oil-producing glands, and usually requires simple treatment. It is a skin condition that causes white-to-yellow greasy scales to form on the scalp, ears, and face.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis)?

Babies can develop seborrheic dermatitis when they’re between 2 weeks and 12 months old. It usually starts with cradle cap. A baby with cradle cap will have slightly red scaly or crusty yellow patches on the scalp. It may also start on the face or diaper area and spread to other parts of the body.

Seborrhea looks:

  • red and moist in skin creases and folds (like the neck and behind the ears)
  • yellowish with greasy patches or crusts
  • scaly or flaky

Seborrheic dermatitis might look uncomfortable or irritating to the skin. But it usually isn’t itchy and doesn’t seem to bother infants.

What Causes Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis)?

The exact cause of cradle cap is still unknown. It’s likely due to a combination of things. It may run in families. One cause may be hormones. Too much skin oil (sebum) in the oil glands and hair follicles and a type of yeast found on the skin called Malassezia may play roles in the development of seborrheic dermatitis. Malassezia is present on the skin in small numbers. Sometimes the numbers increase and lead to skin problems.

Malassezia (formerly known as Pityrosporum).
Photo from PIXNIO.

How Is Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis) Treated?

Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants usually clears up on its own in weeks or months. In the meantime, you may want to loosen and remove the scales on your baby’s scalp:

  • Wash your baby’s hair once a day with mild, tear-free baby shampoo.
  • Gently remove scales with a soft brush or toothbrush.
  • If the scales don’t loosen easily, apply a small amount of mineral oil or petroleum jelly to your baby’s scalp. Let the oil to soak into the scales for a few minutes to several hours, if needed. Then use a soft brush or toothbrush to remove scales. Shampoo your baby’s hair as usual.

If regular shampooing doesn’t help, your doctor may recommend a mild steroid cream or antifungal shampoo.

For seborrhea on other parts of the body, your doctor may recommend a mild steroid or antifungal cream.

Do not use over-the-counter steroid or antifungal creams or anti-seborrhea shampoos without checking first with the doctor.

What Else Should I Know?

Sometimes seborrheic dermatitis in the diaper area or skin folds can get infected. Talk to your doctor if the rash gets worse or there are any signs of infection (the skin looks red, starts to drain fluid, or feels warm).

Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants usually get better by 12 months of age. Seborrhea may come back around puberty as dandruff.

Sources:
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cradle-cap.html
https://familydoctor.org/condition/seborrheic-dermatitis/

Cradle-cap-facts

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Hello, I'm Jazee. Welcome to my blog! I’m thrilled to have you here at my little corner of the internet. This blog is a reflection of my passions, interests, and adventures, and I hope you’ll find something that resonates with you. Thank you for visiting, and I hope you enjoy your stay!

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