In the first months after birth, parents notice yellowish crusts on the baby’s head, which have an unpleasant appearance. Many young mothers consider them a sign of illness. Although the seborrheic crusts on the head of the baby are quite natural, their appearance is associated with the features of care.
Causes of the appearance of crusts
Regardless of whether a baby was born with or without hair, a plaque will appear if the parents do not follow the rules for caring for the newborn. This is due to the physiology of the child, because the thermoregulatory functions develop closer to 5 years.
The baby’s skin has not learned to “breathe” correctly, and the sebaceous glands clog pores. As a result, a plaque forms on the child’s head. People call it “lullaby hats”.
The causes of seborrheic crusts on the head of an infant include the following:
- Parents, taking excessive care, try to wrap up the baby to avoid colds. Even in a warm room he is carefully dressed, and a cap is put on his head. In this case, the sebaceous glands are included in the active work, which contributes to the occurrence of plaque.
- Seborrheic crusts on the baby’s head can occur as a result of frequent bathing with the use of cosmetics, which include chemical components. Their excessive exposure to the skin contributes to the malfunction of the sebaceous glands. As a result, seborrhea occurs.
If the above causes are not observed in caring for the baby, then the appearance of crusts may be associated with the manifestation of allergies. Contribute to the emergence of such a reaction, the food that the nursing mother consumes, or the milk mixture during artificial feeding.
How to remove seborrheic crusts in infants
Despite the fact that plaque on the baby’s head is a natural process, it is not recommended to launch it. In the development of seborrhea, bacteria are involved that can affect the hair follicles. There is an opinion that the yellow crust in the baby will pass by itself by the year. However, do not wait so much time.
If parents are sure of this, then mom should take a number of measures:
- The child must be dressed in accordance with the ambient temperature. At a temperature of 24 degrees, the baby should remain without a bonnet. This will allow the scalp to breathe.
- Bathing a child every day is not prohibited, but it is best to abandon the use of cosmetics. The choice of parents should focus on ordinary soap, but it is not recommended to use it more than 1 time per week. It is enough to wash in herbal decoctions.
- Breasts born with hair should be combed regularly. For this, mom needs to buy a special scallop made of natural materials. This will prevent the occurrence of seborrheic crusts on the head of the baby, a photo of which is presented in the article below.
By taking these steps, you can prevent the occurrence of yellow plaque in the future.
Step-by-step instruction
The main recommendations include:
- For 1-1.5 hours before bathing, the skin is lubricated. Usually cosmetic baby or herbal. You can use salicylic ointment or petroleum jelly. A cap is put on the head, which is removed after 1 hour. This will soften sebaceous formations. Then gently comb, so as not to injure the skin.
- While bathing, the baby’s head is washed with baby soap, rinsing thoroughly. Soaping the head 1 time for one bath. The following procedure is best repeated after a week.
- When the hairs dry out, they need to be combed first with a comb with blunt teeth. Then a soft brush.
In the process of using the described actions, one cannot overdo it - even milk crusts cannot be removed the first time. But starting a fight with them, mom starts the process of their rejection.
Recommended remedies
When seborrheic crusts occur on the head of a baby, parents think about how to remove them using modern baby care products. Among a large number of varieties of such cosmetics, the most effective can be called:
- BabyBorn soap. The product contains special oils that can easily cope with seborrheic crusts.
- Cream STELAKER. It is made by Mustela. It was developed specifically to combat the baby's milk crusts.
- Shampoo Biolane. The tool eliminates plaque and moisturizes the skin. As a result, sebaceous formations soften.
In addition to these cosmetics, you can choose others. In order to be useful, it is necessary to carefully study the composition of the drug. After all, some means can be harmful, exacerbating the situation. In this case, it is necessary to remove the crusts of the child with drugs.
Therapy
How to remove seborrheic crusts in infants? If all the efforts of the parents were unsuccessful or caused an allergy, then it is best for them to contact a pediatric dermatologist.
Do not delay with a visit to the doctor - bacteria that develop in crusts multiply rapidly. Sometimes a baby has bleeding wounds on his head.
A specialist will examine the baby, prescribe the necessary studies and other types of diagnostics. This will help establish the causes of seborrheic crusts. Only then will appropriate treatment be given. It includes:
- Taking antihistamines when the cause is an allergy.
- If necessary, prescribe probiotics with which to restore the microflora of the intestines of the baby.
- A shampoo is selected, which includes drugs.
Sometimes a specialist makes an appointment for the mother of the newborn, if she is breastfeeding. Moreover, the course of treatment may vary in duration and largely depends on the desire of the parents to clearly follow all the instructions of the doctor.
Opinion of a famous pediatrician
Dr. Komarovsky argues that seborrheic crusts on the head of an infant are an age feature of many babies. He attributes this to hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands. The child is usually not concerned with the crusts themselves, but with the process of combing them out, which is not necessary. If the baby has long hair, it is impossible to get rid of crusts without a haircut.
Parents should know that the plaque on the baby’s head passes independently sooner or later. However, to comb them, you need to make the child a haircut.
Before removing the crusts on the head, they can be softened with any vegetable oil. Then use the scallop with blunt teeth.
Care Features
Choosing the right shampoo is a priority, but not the main task. Parents should not constantly wrap their baby in a blanket. Do not put a hat on the baby's head if it is indoors.
Many pediatricians talk about observing the correct temperature regime. They are sure that overheating leads to the appearance of various irritations on the skin.
Proper care for baby curls contributes to:
- Individual comb and comb. They should be soft and consist of natural fabrics.
- Gentle hair washing and careful combing.
- The use of not tight elastic bands and rounded hairpins.
Proper care of the baby's hair will help prevent the occurrence of seborrheic crusts on the head of the baby. All the problems that arise in the baby are surmountable, and the first modest fluff will soon turn into thick and shiny curls.
Prevention
Seborrheic crusts on the face of the baby, as well as on the head, can occur regardless of the nutrition of the newborn. However, some recommendations can minimize the manifestations of pathology. These include:
- The appearance of skin reactions should alert parents and they should visit a specialist. The sooner the problem is fixed, the faster you can get rid of it.
- In the children's room, the air temperature should not be higher than 20-22 degrees, and humidity - 50-60%. It is imperative to carry out daily wet cleanings and constant ventilation of the room.
- The baby needs to be dressed in accordance with the weather and air temperature at home.
- Parents should especially carefully choose baby care products. They must be of high quality and natural.
- Bathing a newborn is best daily. In this case, shampoo must be used twice a week.
- A nursing woman needs to carefully monitor her diet, and it is best to follow a hypoallergenic diet.
- If the child is on artificial feeding, it is necessary to choose dairy-free mixtures and cereals.
Particular help in establishing the right microclimate in the baby’s room can be played by an air humidifier. With its help, the problem of dry skin of the baby and its mucous membranes is solved.
Opinions of parents
How to treat seborrheic crusts on the head of an infant? The reviews of parents in this case are almost the same.
Many mothers for some time (30-40 minutes) before bathing smeared places where crusts appeared. While bathing, they were washed with shampoo, and then carefully removed using a comb or comb.
With the correct procedure, it was not repeated in the future.
Seborrheic crusts on the head in infants occur under the influence of many factors. With proper care, they disappear over time and do not cause the child any discomfort.