BABY AND CHILDHOOD SKIN DISORDERS: CRADLE CAP, DANDRUFF AND SEBORRHOEIC DERMATITIS
Tiny fat factories, called sebaceous glands, are located just under the skin close to the hairs of the scalp and other parts of the body. A narrow canal joins the gland to the hair shaft. Fat, or sebum, produced by the gland reaches the hair and may penetrate its full length. This gives the hair shaft its typical sheen when the child is in good health. A thin layer of sebaceous material also flows over the skin surface. This gives a natural water-proofing quality.
But often the glands work overtime. (These tiny factories have never heard of extra money for overtime!) More and more sebum is pumped out, and in infants increasing layers of sebum are often laid down on the scalp. This has the appearance of a yellow-brown scaly rash, with a greasy look and feel. It may even extend down to the face, ears and skin creases. This is called 'cradle cap', because it looks a bit like a cap or tiny hat sitting on the baby's head.
In older infants and children the scales may become more prominent, especially over the eyebrows and forehead, around the nose and back part of the neck. Sometimes germs manage to climb aboard, and whitish-yellow greasy-looking flakes develop. This is commonly called dandruff, or seborrhoeic dermatitis. Sometimes the skin becomes quite red and moist, especially in the creases of the elbows, armpits and groin and behind the ears, especially in infants. Occasionally tiny pimples form also.
Treatment
Treatment is usually very effective and is quite simple. For cradle cap in babies and infants, apply either olive oil or liquid paraffin, and rub it well into the scalp at night. Next morning, wash the baby's scalp thoroughly but gently with soap and hot water using a rough towelling washer. The scaley yellow cap tends to lift readily and come away. Repeat this routine daily.
This is usually sufficient. But if it is not a great deal better within a few days, the application of salicylate in an olive-oil base (such as Egocaprol) or a mild coal-tar (0.5 per cent) lotion will assist. The chemist will make one of these up for you.
In older children, where dandruff has set in, shampoo the parts once or twice a week with a soapless detergent. Or using any of the commercial shampoos for dandruff is often effective, such as selenium sulphide suspension shampoo (Selsun) or zinc pyrithione 2 per cent (ZP11 or Dangard). Follow the directions supplied with the packs.
Children old enough to understand should be taught the basic essentials of simple hygiene. Eating a well-balanced diet is recommended. Avoiding sugar and refined flour, and products containing these, will enhance general health, skin vitality and well-being. Sweets, chocolates, and lots of chips, cakes and carbohydrates and sugar-laced beverages are physically useless, as well as being potentially harmful for healthy, vital, clear skin. As a general rule, this applies to all skin conditions.
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General Health
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