Seborrheic Dermatitis is one of the widespread skin conditions in babies. We generally call it cradle cap in children and dandruff in adults. However, the severity of this condition is not the same for any age group.
Many myths and false statement revolves around seborrheic dermatitis and other common skin conditions like eczema, acne, and rash in babies. The only way to identify the truth is to have more knowledge about a particular topic.
Here in this article, we have defined in detail whether cradle cap stops hair growth, and if yes then how to recover from it.
Does cradle cap cause hair loss?
In short, the statement is half true. It indirectly causes hair loss. The hair loss will be temporary and the growth will start after the proper treatment of the flaky scalp.
The cradle cap causes a build-up of oily flakes. The oily skin sometimes causes itching, increasing the urge to scratch. The scratching then weakens hair follicles, leading to hair loss.
Thus, it can indirectly cause hair loss.
How to recover from hair loss caused by cradle cap?
Now, if your baby has lost some hair during scratching, what you have to do is follow the below measures to deal with hair loss caused by seborrheic dermatitis.
Keep your baby clean
First and one of the most important parts of treatment is to keep your baby clean. The build-up oil will be removed by frequent baths reducing the chance of itching.
Sweating can also cause irritation and the urge to scratch. Regular baths will remove bacteria from the scalp reducing the risk of infection too.
Make sure to give a bath to your baby as necessary. Overdoing can also cause problems. For infants, a daily bath is not safe or necessary. A bath per week will be enough. If your baby gets dirty, clean the affected area or give a proper bath if necessary.
Use a medicated shampoo
While bathing your baby when dealing with oily flakes, baby shampoo will not be enough to reduce its symptoms, stop itching, and improve hair growth. That’s why we prefer to use a medicated shampoo in baths.
Frequent bathing will be risky for infants. To balance this situation, use a cradle cap shampoo twice a week alongside a bath for removing built-up oil and loosening flakes.
The shampoo will not only remove flakes but also improve hair growth. It can be used throughout the body. The shampoo is suitable for toddlers, babies, and adults of any age.
Don’t scratch
Scratching is the ultimate cause of cradle cap. What you have to do is to simply avoid scratching. If your baby is scratching, you have to do something to stop him from doing so.
If itching is unbearable, we recommend Happy Cappy Shampoo for getting the right products to reduce inflammation, redness, and itching. If you are trying to scratch with a brush, comb, or something else, we recommend you use a brush with soft bristles to avoid weakening hair follicles.
Massage baby’s scalp:
You don’t need special oil to apply on the scalp. Just going with a dry massage. Research suggests that massage can boost hair growth. The reason is that gentle massage increases blood flow in follicles which strengthens them.
You have to keep patience when massaging your baby. It might take a few weeks or months to help hair growth but your baby will enjoy it too.
Massage your baby during the night so he will get a better sleep.
Must avoid these things
Besides treatment, you should avoid some acts that can flare up cradle cap, ultimately leading to hair loss.
- Stop scratching because it is the ultimate reason your baby is losing hair.
- Don’t pick flakes with fingers or pluckers because it can also remove or weaken hair.
- Avoid hot temperatures because they can increase sweating and lead to itching.
- Avoid harsh products. Chemicals and irritants found in them can worsen the condition.
- It is better to not use natural oils for cradle cap because they can sometimes cause allergic reactions in babies.
Conclusions
Cradle cap is not a disease for which you should panic. It is as common as acne, rash, and pimples. It doesn’t directly contribute to hair loss. However, reducing the possible causes of itching may help stop hair loss. If your baby has lost some hair, it is normal.
The growth will continue after the removal of cradle cap. So, what you have to do is to get treatment for seborrheic dermatitis. We have guided you on how to tackle the condition.
Hope this guide helped you a lot.
