Cradle Cap is a Form of Dermatitis

Cradle cap is a crusting and scaling rash found on the scalps of many healthy babies. The sebaceous glands in their skin are hyper-activated often because of mom’s hormones that crossed the placenta just before birth. These glands pump out a greasy substance that keeps the old skin cells attached as it dries. Cradle cap can occur in any baby, and most commonly begins sometime in the first 3 months. The baby develops patchy scales and redness on the scalp, even though the early baby pictures showed beautiful baby skin. The scales may appear cracked, greasy, or even weeping. The same rash is often prominent around the ear or the eyebrows. It may appear in other locations as well, where it is called seborrheic dermatitis rather than cradle cap.