Why do you need a medicated shampoo for babies with Cradle Cap?
While cradle cap and adult dandruff may have the same root cause, the solutions for relieving symptoms differ. Parents should avoid using an adult shampoo on a baby. Many adult washes will contain the pyrithione zinc needed to ward off the Malassezia yeast, but they also contain harsh ingredients that can further irritate your baby’s sensitive scalp or may even be considered dangerous when absorbed through the skin.
Instead, use a seborrheic dermatitis shampoo, sometimes called a cradle cap shampoo and body wash, that avoids the harsh ingredients and is intended for kids. Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo and Body Wash is a 95% natural shampoo that is free of potentially irritating components found in other washes, like parabens, fragrances, alcohol, sulfates, dyes, and other synthetic ingredients.
What it does contain is active ingredient pyrithione zinc (0.95%) to manage even the toughest cases of scalp and eyebrow flaking along with licorice root extract to naturally soothe redness. Many parents notice results in as little as two washes.
Cradle cap is a very common skin condition that affects up to 42% of babies and children before the age of 6. In adults, you can think of seborrheic dermatitis as a severe case of dandruff, causing itchy, irritated, and flaking skin.
Despite its appearance, most of the time, cradle cap doesn’t generally cause your baby any distress and is not itchy or painful. Still, it is best to manage the symptoms with a medicated shampoo for baby cradle cap to avoid complications.
The most common symptoms of cradle cap include:
- Yellow, crusty patches of skin
- Flaking of the skin
- Redness of the skin
- Scaling of skin
- Increased oil production
- Dryness
Symptoms traditionally appear along the top of the head, reaching from the top of the eyebrows across the scalp (like a cap). It is common to also see symptoms along the back of the ears, in the neck folds, in the arm pits, and in the folds of the diaper area. If you are unsure whether or not your baby has cradle cap or another underlying condition, you should see your doctor for a diagnosis.
An effective shampoo for treating seborrheic dermatitis, or cradle cap, should contain an FDA approved active ingredient named Pyrithione zinc. Pyrithione zinc has antifungal properties that is entirely safe to apply to your baby’s head and body. When choosing a cradle cap shampoo, it is important to pay attention to other ingredients and avoid purchasing products that may have fragrances or other harsh elements that can further irritate your baby’s sensitive scalp. Happy Cappy avoids such harsh ingredients and provides a product that is 95% natural, hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested, and safe for babies and children.