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Cradle cap on face can affect both babies and grownups. Cradle cap on face treatment should be picked depending on whether one is dealing with the face of a baby or that of an adult. Whichever it is, there is a need to make do with what is present to get rid of the flakes.
Cradle Cap on Face, Ears and Neck
Cradle cap is a skin condition that mostly affects babies in the first three months of their lives. This is mostly experienced on the scalp and is rarely seen once the kids are past one year old. This condition is known as seborrheic dermatitis in medical terms. In most cases, this clears up itself without much intervention. However, there are ways through which one can hasten the clearing off of the condition.
When cradle cap is severe, it may spread to other parts of the body. Cradle cap on face, ears and neck may therefore be experienced although this tends to be very rare. The condition though is not in any way contagious.
The symptoms of cradle cap on any part of the body include reddening of the skin, scales and flakes, yellow crusts and a lot of greasiness. The exact cause of the condition is not well known. However, it is suspected that the sebaceous glands produce sebum necessary for keeping skin oily. When this production is excessive, there could be an inflammation of the skin. The excessive sebum production could be as a result of enlarged sebaceous glands.
There are varied options in the treatment of cradle capon face. A lot of care though should be taken since the face is quite sensitive. One should steer away from remedies that may irritate the delicate skin on the face of the baby. It is also important to ensure that the remedies being used do not get their ways into the eyes, ears, nose and the mouth.
To get rid of the condition, one may decide to go for home remedies for cradle cap. Start off by massaging the affected area with a mineral oil. This can be done at night before going to bed. Upon waking up, thoroughly wash off the area. Do this every day until the condition gets better. Use a soft brush to lift off the crusts from the skin if necessary.
In case there is some cradle cap on the eyebrows, one could make use of shampoo. This though has to be diluted with an equal part of water. After this, rub it on the brows using a piece of cloth and follow the normal shampooing procedure.
Another option for treatment of the condition on the face would be creams. There are available over the counter in drugstores. Others may require that one gets a prescription. These creams are normally medicated and contain active ingredients to help get rid of the flakes from the face.
Even after treatment has been done, it is possible for the cradle cap to recur after some time. This is caused by the fact that the sebum may continue being produced. In case this happens, one has to continue with treatment and in case it stays on for long see a doctor.
Cradle Cap on Babies Face
Like indicated earlier, cradle cap is most common on the scalp of children. However, where it is severe, it could get to situations where one gets cradle cap on babies face. In normal circumstances, sebaceous glands produce sebum which is necessary in keeping the skin supple ad water proof.
Babies are always born with active glands. This is enhanced by the presence of hormones in the mother’s womb. In most cases, the glands remain very active up to around when the child is three months. Where the glands are over-reactive, cradle cap will result in the end. This is caused by the fact that once the dead skin cells form, they get stuck on the scalp instead of being shed. As they increase, flaky crusts are formed.
The symptoms of cradle cap on babies face include:
- Greasy skin
- Reddening of the skin
- Flaky or scaly skin
In most instances, cradle cap on the face of a baby will clear up on itself. This though could take a while for it to be all gone. To get rid of the scaly patches on babies face, one should try the use of mineral oils. Once massaged onto the skin, they tend to loosen up the flakes which can then be washed off very easily. One though should be keen enough. Cradle cap should never be painful. It should also not be contagious. In case these things happen, one should be ready to see a doctor immediately.
It is also important to watch out for infections on cradle cap. The skin under which the cradle cap forms may get infected. This may lead to small blisters forming as well as inflammation of the skin. In case the infection spreads too much, the baby will become unwell. It is important to consult a doctor immediately such a thing happens. This should also be done where the cradle cap seems to be spreading or is not improving.
Adult Cradle Cap on Face
Just like in children, adult cradle cap could spread to the face. This usually happens in conditions of severe cradle cap. The most likely parts of an adult face that could be affected include behind the ears and around the eyebrows.
To deal with these, one may decide to either use home treatments for cradle cap or to seek medical help. Whichever option one picks, consistency in usage is important in order to keep the condition away. After that treatment is gradually withdrawn and observations made to see to it that it does not return. In case it does, it should be accorded immediate attention to prevent spreading.
Cradle Cap on Face Treatment
Cradle cap can be unsightly when it occurs on the face. It requires fast treatment to help it clear up fast. One could start off using home cradle cap on face treatment. To start off, one can loosen the crusts by using a mineral oil to massage the area. This should be done until the skin gets better.
While conducting treatment for cradle cap on the face, one should be very careful especially when dealing with babies. The skin on the face is very delicate and can easily get irritated. It is also possible to get the treatments into the eyes or ears which could be irritating. As such, choose appropriate remedies and use them properly.
For cradle cap around the eyebrows, one could use a mild shampoo. This should be gently massaged around them to loosen up the crusts. This though should be used with caution as it could cause the eyes to get irritated. This should be used on a daily basis until the condition gets better at which point usage can be reduced to a few times in a week.
In case the home remedies do not work, it is advisable to seek medical help. Visiting a doctor will see to it that some medicated products are prescribed to treat face cradle cap. With this the condition should be gone within no time. This will also give a chance for the doctor to diagnose and see if it could be as a result of eczema. Among likely solutions could be salicylic acid creams. Recurrence should be treated as soon as it appears to ensure it does not develop too much.
Cradle Cap on Face Remedies
In most cases there are home remedies for cradle cap on face. These tend to be very cheap and thus make management of cradle cap affordable. They are also readily available. Most home remedies do not contain harmful chemicals. This makes them even more appropriate for the delicate skin on the face. One can begin off by rubbing some mineral oil on affected are and leaving it to soak. After this has been done, one then uses a piece of cloth to clear up the crusts before washing off.
In case this does not work, one could opt for topical antifungal medication. These could include products having miconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole or terbinafine as active ingredients. There are some which are available over the counter.
The face is quite sensitive and some products may cause more harm than good on it. As such, if the above remedies do not work one should see a doctor. Upon diagnosis the doctor will ascertain that it is cradle cap and offer prescription strength drugs. Where the condition is as a result of some other illness, they will be in a position to give appropriate direction.
