Q: Can you recommend any aromatherapy oils that would help to treat my baby's cradle cap?

A: Cradle cap, also known as infantile seborrhoeic dermatitis, is a yellow-looking, crusty, or greasy scaly rash that commonly appears on the scalp of babies. It can also appear on other parts of the body, such as eyebrows, nose, and nappy area. It is rarely serious, is not contagious, does not arise through poor hygiene and is probably caused by mildly over-active sebaceous glands. When the skin releases too much oil, dead skin cells can stick together and form crusty scales, instead of flaking off as normal. It is not painful or itchy, but the crusts can flake and cause the skin to look red. Hair may sometimes come away with the flakes but will soon grow back.

It is important NOT to use ANY essential oils on a new-born baby’s skin.

It is also not advisable to over-wash the scalp, as this will simply increase the over-production of sebum. Shampoo can strip the scalp of its natural oils which causes it to produce more oil to compensate! When you do wash the hair always remember to use a gentle SLS free shampoo.

To help soften and remove the scales we'd recommend the following process – which is gentle, nourishing, and effective. Using a nutritive carrier oil such as Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil or Jojoba Oil and very gently massage about 2 teaspoons into your baby’s scalp, covering the affected area. Be careful not to put any pressure on the fontanel, (the soft area where the cranium hasn’t yet grown across – leaving a little gap in the bone). Remember to avoid “baby oil” which is just a synthetically perfumed mineral oil, which has no nutritional benefits for the skin.

Leave the carrier oil on overnight to soften the scales.  The following day use a fine-tooth comb to gently remove the scales that have come loose.  Do not force the comb through or pick at the scales as this may cause infection.  After combing through, you can gently spray the scalp with a little Lavender Hydrolat – which is gentle enough for babies' skin.

See your GP if the condition spreads or does not improve after a few weeks of treatment, if the area looks swollen, or the crusts leak fluid or bleed. 

Joannah Metcalfe
Consultant Aromatherapist

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