In addition to the bout of baby acne (which Brooke is still battling), she also now has "cradle cap". I think it popped up about a week ago, but since her head was also covered with acne it was initially hard to see...thus it might have started a bit earlier than that.
Cradle cap is a condition that appears much like dandruff.
BabyCenter.com says "f your baby's scalp has flaky, dry skin that looks like dandruff, or even thick, oily, yellowish or brown scaling or crusting patches, it's most likely cradle cap". If often shows up in the first few months of life, and it usually clears up on its own in about six to 12 months — although some babies have it for several years.
The same condition may be visable around a baby's ears or eyebrows (Brooke has it in both), or even in his armpits and other creases. When it's in places other than the scalp, it's called seborrheic dermatitis.
Cause
Technically the cause is unknown. Some believe its related to the hormones a baby receives from his mother at the end of pregnancy. While the exact cause is unknown,
doctors do know that cradle cap isn't caused by poor hygiene or allergies. In addition, it's not contagious.
Treatment
There is no need to do anything as cradle cap will disappear on its own in time. If it really bothers you you have a few options: shampooing more frequently, gently brushing your baby's scalp with a soft brush or a terrycloth towel, and using an oil remedy (oil helps to loosen dry flakes.)
To do an oil treatment, rub just a small amount of a pure, natural oil (such as almond or olive oil) on your baby's scalp and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Then gently comb out the flakes with a fine-toothed comb or brush them out with a soft brush. Follow up by washing your baby's scalp with a gentle baby shampoo. Leaving oil on baby's head could clog the pores and cause the flakes to stick. Try leaving the shampoo on for a few minutes before rinsing, to help cut the oil.
Once baby's cradle cap is completely gone, it's unlikely to return. To help remove dead skin while its improving, you might want to give your baby more frequent shampoos. (Don't overdo it, though, or you could further stimulate his oil-producing glands. A gentle wash two or three times a week with a mild shampoo should be plenty.)
