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Otherwise known as seborrheic dermatitis, cradle cap is a neonatal disease commonly found among the babies of two to three months of age. It has been given some other names like crusta lactea, milk crust, honeycomb disease etc. The area that the disease affects becomes yellowish, patchy, greasy, and scaly. It generally occurs on the scalp of a newborn baby.
Places like the nearest side of ear, the eyebrows and the eyelids are the commonest among the areas where this skin condition occurs. However, it may occur in other parts of the body as well. In this case, it is known more as seborrheic dermatitis than as cradle cap. In most of the cases, the disease is rather mild; in rare cases it can be severe.
The exact reason behind cradle cap has not been defined properly. This is probably because the disease is harmless and do not irritate the baby in any way. So, it is not thought to be necessary to make extensive research on its cause. Moreover, the disease disappears within a few years, two to three years, even without any serious treatment.
Yet, research made on the real cause behind cradle cap has come out with various consequences with the result that dermatologists are not unanimous on this issue. Some of them opine that the disease is caused by over active sebaceous glands in the skin of the baby. These glands are passed to the baby from her mother and remain active in the baby's circulation.
There are other dermatologists who opine that cradle cap has something to do with skin yeasts known as Malasezia furfur. A third group of specialists believe that the skin condition occurs due to immature digestive system of the baby. The digestive system of a newborn cannot absorb sufficient biotin and other vitamins of the B-complex; hence the disease occurs.
Cradle cap is a neonatal disease found among the babies of around two to three months old. It is marked by yellowish, patchy, crusty, greasy and scaly marks on the skin. Generally it occurs on the head of the baby. The usual place in the head where it occurs is the surrounding of the ears, the eyebrows or the eyelids. It may also occur in other parts of the body, though very rarely.
The cause of is not clearly defined by dermatologists. Some of them opine that it occurs due to the overactive sebaceous glands in the skin of the baby. The hormones of the mother still active in the body of the baby are held responsible for the presence of the glands. The glands release a kind of greasy substance that makes old skin cells attach to the scalp as they try to dry and fall off.
On the other hand, some specialists opine that cradle cap has something to do with the skin yeasts that are also known as Mallasezia furfur. Nutritionally oriented practitioners believe that it is caused by the baby's immature digestive system. They explain that the baby cannot absorb sufficient biotin and other vitamins of the B-complex. Hence, the disease occurs. However, the cause of the skin condition does not hinder its cure. Rather, the disease is easily curable, even without any serious treatment.
Experts suggest parents not to fuss over cradle cap as it can be cured without rigorous medical treatment. They only advise to be careful about the fact that the disease does not spread in other parts of the body. It is not caused by infection and there is no chance that it would get infectious. Yet, care should be taken to keep it under control. Keeping the affected area moist should also be the aim of the parents.