Baby Losing Hair Due to Cradle Cap

by Natalie
(Raleigh, NC)

My sister has a 2 month old girl and she has had one of the worst cases of cradle cap that I have ever seen. She had it all over her face and creases of her elbow but they have cleared up.

What she's battling with now is the cradle cap in her scalp, which has caused her to lose a tremendous amount of hair. She is going bald on top of her head! I've read about Borage oil, but would this help with growing back the hair?

Sincerely,

Concerned Auntie

Baby Help Line:

Hair Loss And Cradle Cap

How nice of you to care so much for your sister's daughter. However, you can be completely calm regarding her hair growing back - it will!

I can understand that trying to get rid of the cradle cap creates hair loss, but it is also the fact that many babies lose their hair during their first months of living. Cradle cap or not. It is a normal development that they shed their first set of hair and when their new hair grow, it can be completely different.

And bald spots at least at the back of the head is almost a rule for young infants.

So please don't worry about that.

Still, I think Borago oil is fantastic! When I found out about it and tried it with our youngest baby, the cradle cap cleared within days. No scratching or combing (and hence a lot less hair loss than with combing)!

The only drawback is that until the baby's enzyme system has matured, the cradle cap will continue to come back and the treatment will have to be done probably several times. But that is true for the old methods to treat cradle cap as well.

So do recommend your sister to try an ointment with borago oil for cradle cap! The one I used even smelled good... :-)

Find more information about the cause and treatment of cradle cap here.

Good luck, and again, don't worry about her hair loss!

Paula

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Baby Losing Hair Due to Cradle Cap

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Dec 28, 2009

Encountered The Same Problem
by: Anonymous

Mustela Bebe Foam Shampoo for Newborns works miracles!! Cradle cap gone after 2-3 applications.

Jul 12, 2010

CRADLE CAP- 2 YEARS
by: Anonymous

MY LITTLE GIRL IS ALMOST 2 YEARS OLD AND SHE HAS BAD CRADLE CAP THAT WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING EXCEPT A MEDICATION TO TREAT... IF A SCALE IS PULLED OFF A LOT OF HAIR COMES OFF WITH IT! SHES LOSING A LOT OF HAIR! PLEASE HELP ME, IS IT NORMAL FOR HER AGE TO LOSE HAIR LIKE THIS!?

Aug 12, 2010

About the 2 year old
by: Anonymous

All 4 of my kids have had bad cradle cap, but one of my daughter's had it up until she was about 4 or 5. It seemed to be just at the top and front of her head, but every time I went to pull some of the flakes off her hair came out with it (and her hair length was almost down to her butt, so it was really sad to see all of that coming out). I finally stopped pulling it out and the cradle cap went away when I used some kind of tea tree mint shampoo (at most beauty salons). It's pretty strong, so make sure it stays out of her eyes.

Nov 17, 2010

infant hair lost to eczema
by: jody

my baby girl lost some of her hair do to eczema and it left her with bald spot in her head so my husband shave it all down even so it will grow back even. the eczema clear up in her head but I'm afraid her hair will not grow back. she was born with thick curlly hair. please answer thank you Jody.

Dec 13, 2010

Will grow back!
by: Paula (Baby Help Line)

Hi Jody,

Eczema or not, many babies get bald spots at the back of their head during their first few months of living and many also go more or less bald, basically from tearing by lying down a lot. The hair grows back! But it might take time and it might completely different from the hair your baby was born with. It is a natural process and nothing you can or should do anything about.

However, if your baby is older than 7-8 months or so and suddenly loses his hair, have a doctor examine him. There are some conditions that may cause hair loss in babies, but they are very uncommon under the age on one year.

Hope this helps,

Paula

Feb 27, 2011

Hair loss for 1 month old
by: Mrs.Hill

my son is a month old today and his head was a little dry but not flakey. Today I noticed that his hair was fallig off seriouslu if I rubbed his head then some would come out until his whold top of his head is now bald without hair. My mother inlaw ays it looks a little like cradle cap but wouldn't it need to be a serious case for it cause hair loss i a newborn? His hair is barely kid of peelig its ot eve flakeyso what caused his hair loss ad for him to go bald o the whole top of his head?

Aug 24, 2011

hair loss
by: Theresa

I just read one of your posts that hair loss in infants is normal, do they loose it in patches ? my grandson is 2 mo. and has just recently started to loose hair only near the upper temple area. He had surgery a mo. ago due to an inability to digest formula properly, would that have anything to do with his hair loss ?

Aug 25, 2011

Baby hair styles...
by: Paula (Baby Help Line)

Hi Teresa,

Babies can very well lose hair in patches and particularly the area you mention often go bald, since most babies lie on their back a lot in the beginning. Start looking around when you seen 2-3 month old babies, and you'll see a lot of innovative hairdos.

I would be surprised if the operation triggered the hair loss, unless he was given some medication that has hair loss as a side effect. I guess in theory, if the operation was a very stressful even for him, it could also trigger hair loss, but it sounds a bit farfetched, don't you think?!

Is he thriving and increasing in weight now after his operation?

In any case, sine the boy is so young, he probably has frequent health checkups; so why not have the nurse take a look at his hair and judge first hand if everything is in order.

(Take a few photos of him with this hair style; within a couple of months he is likely to either be completely bald or he has grown more hair; maybe even with another color completely. It is easy to tend to avoid taking pictures of how this monk style looks, because it might not be so pretty, but it will turn out to be a dear memory anyway in the future.)

Enjoy your little monk,

Paula

Sep 03, 2012

WORRIED MOTHER!!!
by: Wanda Lou

So my son is going to be 8 weeks on this saturday, and he has had this cradle cap for about 2-3 weeks now. I took him to the doctor twice now and he keeps saying that it is completel normal. He was lost his hair and it has gotten on both his ears. I asked my freind about what i could do and she told me to put baby n his head and comb it out. I have been doing that after i give him a bath. When he sweats, it is yellow and it gets all over his neck and chin. It is really red and i am worried. ?? The doctor said it is normal but i just want to make sure it is or has anyone else have this happen to thier kids?? What should i do??

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