Health Tip: Treating Cradle Cap

Try baby oil or petroleum jelly

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(HealthDay News) -- Seborrheic dermatitis, commonly called cradle cap, is a skin condition that is common in babies younger than 12 months. Cradle cap causes white, scaly patches on the scalp, but these blotches may also occur on other parts of the body.

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Topical treatments usually are effective, says the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University. The hospital offers these suggestions:

• Rub the scalp with baby oil or petroleum jelly before washing the baby to help loosen scaly patches of skin.
• Wash the baby's scalp with shampoo that's prescribed by your doctor.
• Apply a corticosteroid cream or lotion to the baby's scalp.

-- Diana Kohnle