Crusts on the baby’s head are a fairly common problem caused by increased work of the sebaceous glands. They interfere with normal hair growth, but are considered normal.
The crusts on the head of infants are yellowish or white in color, and in appearance a bit like dandruff. They can cover the head completely or only partially (more often found on the top of the head). Spontaneously disappear usually after the first year of a child's life. But with proper care, you can get rid of them much earlier.
The causes may be:
- daily washing of the baby’s head. In this case, the scalp dries up, and the problem only worsens;
- improperly selected shampoo or bathing agent. Their composition should not include dyes and flavors, which often cause irritation in the baby;
- overheating of the baby’s head. Do not constantly keep the child in a hat, the skin should breathe. If this is not possible, then a hat should be selected only from natural materials;
- improper nutrition and the introduction of complementary foods can also provoke such a problem. If the baby is breastfed, then mom should refuse to eat fried, smoked, fatty, sweet and salty foods. Such products, entering the body with milk, only enhance the work of the sebaceous glands in the baby;
- the presence of allergies significantly increases the chances of such a problem. In this case, it is better to consult a doctor.
It is worth remembering that you can’t remove the crusts on the baby’s head with nails. You can injure the delicate skin of the baby and bring the infection into the wound.
You can get rid of these scales without much difficulty. About 40-60 minutes before bathing on the child’s head, using cotton pads, it is necessary to apply petroleum jelly or butter (cream, baby, olive), which should first be boiled and allowed to cool. After that, you need to put on a cotton hat. It will insulate the head a little and protect the baby’s eyes, and the crusts on the baby’s head will soften better. Sometimes oil or petroleum jelly is left for a longer time, sometimes even at night.
After a while, the hat is removed and the peels begin to be combed out gently with a children's brush. It should have blunt ends that can not injure delicate skin. Usually, the crusts on the head in children after softening lag well. But some scales get stuck in the hairs, so children, as a rule, do not like this procedure.
If the child is naughty, then do not be persistent. You can continue a little later or do it unnoticed by him, even if it takes more time.
After this, the baby's head is thoroughly washed with baby shampoo so that there are no residues of the used oil. With a soft towel, only your hair gets wet, you do not need to wipe them. After bathing, you can again brush your hair through your hair or massage your head with light movements. Such action improves hair growth well.
Repeat the procedure no more than twice a week. After three to four weeks, the crusts on the baby’s head will disappear.
There are also special therapeutic baby shampoos that will help cope with this problem.