The arrival of a new family member is one of the greatest moments in a parent’s life. No one wants to ruin their baby’s beauty by neglecting their healthcare. Still, some aspects are often overlooked.
The one aspect that is often ignored is “scalp care.”
It is very important as hair growth is directly linked to scalp health. A healthy scalp means healthy hair growth.
So, in this blog, we will only focus on the scalp health of your newborn, the treatment of common scalp conditions, and some tips.
Cradle cap is at the top of the list of most common scalp concerns in newborns. So, let’s start with its introduction and identify its cause to find out if there is any way to avoid it.
Why do babies get cradle cap?
Being the most common scalp condition, around 70% of newborns aged three months are affected by it in just America. The good thing is it is a harmless condition that does not need specific treatment in moderate form.
The symptoms of cradle cap include yellowish or white flakes on the scalp that could be dry or oily. The affected area may become red. By looking at the symptoms, it is easy to diagnose cradle cap, but there is no exact cause behind it.
However, some factors are considered more responsible for their build-up. These include but are not limited to:
- Hormonal disturbance
- Environmental factors
- Malassezia yeast
- Overproduction of Sebum oil
Still, no one can tell you what exactly the cause behind your newborn’s flaky scalp. If this is your newborn’s concern, a cradle cap shampoo will completely clean up the scalp and ensure good health.
Tips for a healthy scalp for your newborn
Treat an underlying scalp issue
Before starting hair, scalp, skin, and health care, we have to identify if there is any underlying condition that might make our healthcare regime ineffective. If yes, you should first deal with it. Then, we will move to a good regime. The most common scalp concerns in newborns are:
- Infantile Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Eczema
- Infantile acne
- Psoriasis
- Ringworm
- Chickenpox
We have described cradle cap treatment in the upper section. For other scalp concerns, consult a pediatrician for proper care.
Keep the scalp clean
Cleaning is compulsory to keep the scalp safe from irritants and bacteria. Newborns do not often get dirty due to less contact with the outside environment.
However, if the scalp is dusty or your baby sweats a lot, you should consider bathing your baby to ensure proper cleaning. You can use breast milk to clean the scalp or add milk to the bathtub.
While bathing your baby, follow the best practices mentioned below:
- Use baby shampoo or medically approved products for thorough cleaning.
- Use lukewarm or normal water in the bath.
- Avoid using adult shampoo or other products that could be harmful to your newborn.
- Keep baths short. Long baths can dry out the scalp.
Moisturize often
A condition even more common than the cradle cap in children is a dry scalp.
We have not mentioned it in the upper list because dryness is not a disease but could lead to or be a sign of an underlying scalp condition.
The best way to address this is to moisturize the scalp often. When you bathe your body, apply the moisturizer on the scalp and other body parts. Choose a medically approved product to moisturize the scalp.
Use a soft brush
Using a brush is also part of good scalp care for newborns. This will also be helpful if your baby’s scalp has flakes and dust particles that you should not pick up or remove manually. This is where brush helps a lot.
Choose a brush with soft bristles that is not only gentle on the scalp but also helps brush your baby’s hair. Use it before, during, or after the bath. You can also massage with olive oil and then brush the scalp.
Protect from irritants
Prevention is sometimes more effective than treatment. If your baby has an underlying scalp issue or you are just looking for good scalp care tips, follow the below guidelines to ensure safety:
- Do not scratch your baby’s head. Use a brush instead.
- Do not over-bathe your baby.
- Do not pick flakes manually.
- Avoid using skincare or beauty products.
- Do not use adult products because they could be very strong for your newborn.
- Avoid harsh soaps, shampoos, and bad environments.
Wrapping up
There is nothing extraordinary or magical in newborn scalp care. Everything that you provide to your baby should be natural or medically approved.
Choose the right product for your baby, follow the usage instructions, keep your baby safe from irritating, follow the mentioned tips in this article, and you are done with scalp care. I hope you will implement those tips.
