Why does a child get crusts on his head and how to remove them?

05/27/2021 Reading time: 5 min 9902 0

By the end of the first month of life or a little later, yellowish crusty scales can be noticed on the baby’s scalp. They can frighten and upset a mother who is unprepared for such a phenomenon, but meanwhile there is nothing terrible about them. Milk crusts, which actually have nothing to do with milk, occur in many children under one year old. In medical terminology, they are called seborrheic dermatitis, physiological seborrhea or gneiss.

What are crusts on the head?

The crusts look like dense scaly growths on the child's head. Sometimes you may also notice redness or a rash. Crusts can form on the face (including the ears, eyelids and nose) and in the groin area. This is not a contagious condition and usually does not cause itching, pain or scarring.

The crusts can be confused with eczema or dandruff; the pediatrician will be able to accurately diagnose. Unlike eczema, crusts usually do not cause discomfort or itching.

Sometimes crusts on the head can appear in children older than 3 months, and in those who have already begun to walk. Usually the crusts persist for several months and then disappear on their own. In some cases, scabs may persist for a year or longer, and it may be necessary to use a medicated shampoo or cream.

Attentive attitude to the health of the child is the most important task of responsible parents.

Moreover, often any pathological conditions, and especially neoplasms, cause fear and panic not so much in the smallest patient as in the caring mother. If you notice a papilloma on your child’s face or body, you should not perceive it as something terrible. Papillomas in children are a common phenomenon that is caused by one of the most common viral agents on the planet - the human papillomavirus (HPV). We will try to figure out how to rid the baby of an unpleasant tumor and whether it is possible to prevent infection.

Why do crusts appear on the head?

The exact cause of scalp crusts is unknown, but experts do not attribute the appearance of crusts to allergies or poor hygiene. One factor may be the transfer of mother's hormones to the baby during pregnancy, which causes excess sebum to form in the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Another factor may be a type of malassezia fungus that lives in the sebum along with bacteria.

Washing your baby's hair daily with a mild baby shampoo will help prevent crusting.

Causes of milk crusts

Peeling on the head of infants is a common occurrence, observed in almost every second child. And although in appearance they resemble seborrheic dandruff, the reasons for their appearance may be different.

In most cases, this is a natural process due to the unregulated functioning of the sweat and sebaceous glands. Excess sebum and sweat mix with dead skin flakes to form unsightly plaques. Over time, the child’s body adapts to new living conditions: thermoregulation returns to normal, the work of the sebaceous and sweat glands stabilizes.

Parents' actions can worsen the condition or provoke the appearance of seborrheic crusts on the baby's head. All unfavorable factors should be removed:

• Overheat. Babies who are not dressed for the weather are more likely to sweat, which causes peeling.
• Frequent use of detergents. Despite the fact that products for washing the hair and bathing newborns are designed specifically for their delicate skin, they cannot be used often - they wash off the protective layer.
• Using “adult” care products. The skin of adults has become accustomed to the environment over many years. And the skin of a recently born child is still adapting to the new environment, so washing the baby’s hair with parental shampoo is prohibited.
• Mom's consumption of salty, smoked or sweet foods.
• Incorrect mixture.
• Activation of the fungus Malassezia furfur. This is a conditionally pathogenic microorganism that lives in the body. In case of malfunctions in the body or weakened immunity, it can cause peeling.

How to remove crusts on a child's head?

Thick crusts can be difficult to remove, try the recommended procedures:

• Once a day, when you bathe your baby, wash his hair with mild baby shampoo. Ask your pediatrician to recommend a shampoo for scalp crusts.
• Gently comb out the flakes with a comb or soft scalp brush and then rinse off the loose flakes with water. Do not rub or scratch your skin.
• You can also use baby oil or vegetable oil. Before combing out the scales, lubricate the child's head with oil; it will moisturize the skin and help loosen the scales on the head, making them easier to remove. After the procedure, wash the baby's head with shampoo.

How to get rid of crusts

In children, the crust is removed with a comb after washing their hair.
A dermatologist or trichologist will help make a diagnosis. Sometimes consultation with other specialists is required - an endocrinologist, neurologist, immunologist, allergist.

The crusts can be easily removed, but this is not a method for getting rid of them. Hygiene procedures only eliminate visible manifestations, but do not treat the cause itself - fungus, bacterial infection, allergies, etc.

It is necessary to get rid of crusts using an integrated approach:

• learn how to remove them correctly;
• observe the rules of personal hygiene;
• choose suitable cosmetics;
• use medicated shampoos, oils;
• follow a diet.

Medicines for the treatment of scabs should only be taken with the permission of a doctor.

To make the crust peel off better, you can smear the scalp with olive oil.
The procedure for removing scales from a child under 10 years old is not much different from combing the crusts from the head of an infant. Although it is more difficult to remove the crusts from a girl due to the length of her hair.

To make this process painless for the child, the mother must follow these steps:

1. During evening bathing, wash your hair with medicated shampoo. You can add a decoction of chamomile and string to the bathtub with bathing water.
2. Dry your hair with a towel, do not rub, so as not to injure the skin.
3. Rub each crust with oil, preferably olive, sunflower or almond. You can use Vaseline.
4. Put on a cotton cap at night and put the child to bed.
5. In the morning, comb out the scabs with a special comb with rounded teeth or a brush.
6. Wash your hair and make sure there are no scales.

Cleanse twice a week after washing your hair.

Pediatricians recommend washing your hair no more than twice a week, even if you use the highest quality shampoo. Too frequent water treatments lead to dryness, the skin begins to peel, loses its protective properties, so pathogenic flora multiplies.

Medical cosmetics, medicines

Tar shampoo helps strengthen the skin's immunity and eliminates fungus.
A medicated shampoo will save you from crusts on your child's head. You need to buy it at the pharmacy. This could be a special antifungal shampoo Sebazol, Dermazol, Nizoral. These types of products fight fungus and dandruff. They are used no more than 2-3 times a week. Afterwards you need to comb out the scales.

When choosing a shampoo, it is advisable to refer to the doctor's recommendations. Products containing zinc, salicylic acid, and selenium sulfides can be effective. But they have age restrictions.

Natural shampoos, for example, based on birch tar, have a good effect. Therapeutic cosmetics for seborrheic dermatitis include products from the Mustella line; they are safe even for babies.

In addition to oils and shampoos, more serious remedies for yellow crusts on a child’s head may be required:

• antifungal ointments – Lamisil, Mycospor;
• care products for seborrheic skin - Topicrem, Aqualan, Bioderma, La-Cri;
• zinc preparations (for oily seborrhea);
• corticosteroid ointments – Elokom, Akriderm;
• antihistamines - L-Cet, Eden, Loratadine;
• antibiotics (if a bacterial infection is attached) - penicillin drugs;
• immunomodulators – Elidel, Protopic.

With daily use of the drugs, symptoms disappear after 2-3 weeks.

It is important to exclude the child from contact with any allergens, aggressive substances, and remove allergenic foods from the diet. Spicy foods, sweets, fatty foods, fried foods, fast food, smoked foods, sausages, pickles, and marinades are also excluded.

When should you see a doctor?

Consult a doctor if shampooing does not help and the skin condition worsens and crusts cover large areas of the body, spreading to the child's face and body. The doctor may prescribe a special shampoo or cream, as well as antifungal treatment. You may also hear about natural or folk remedies to get rid of scalp crusts, but before using them, you should consult your doctor.

Scabs on a newborn's head may frighten parents at first, but over time they will disappear on their own. By

What treatment is given

Yellow crusts on a baby's head do not pose a threat to the baby's life. Treatment of seborrhea does not require the use of serious medications; it can disappear from the skin on its own over time. To quickly get rid of unpleasant seborrhea, in many cases, pediatricians recommend taking the following measures:

1. Lubricate the crusts on the head, neck and eyebrows with oil. To do this, you can use the following types: peach, almond or olive. The product can be purchased in bottles or as a spray.
2. You can use various cleansing creams and emulsions to treat rashes. Under their influence, the crusts soften, but it is not recommended to comb them out; it is enough to wash the child’s hair thoroughly. And remove the remains by hand. In addition, cosmetic products contain substances that regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands. The increased secretion of sebum gradually decreases, and crusts do not form. It is best to apply the product at night and carefully remove the scales in the morning.
3. You can wash the baby's head with antiseborrheic shampoos. They are applied to damp hair and rubbed until foam forms. After holding for 5 minutes, the shampoo is washed off. There are several types of remedies; your pediatrician will help you choose the most effective one.
4. Mothers can use dermatological creams. They are applied to the child’s scalp twice a day without rinsing off. Creams are effective against microbes and can quickly restore the functioning of the sebaceous glands.

Any of the listed remedies should be used only after it has been prescribed by a specialist, but not more than 2 times a day. In addition to medications, you can get rid of yellow crusts on a baby’s head using traditional medicine. There are gentle and proven methods.

What you should absolutely not do

Pediatricians categorically prohibit:

• Use any folk remedies to remove gneiss without prior medical consultation;
• Touch the crusts on the child’s head with dirty hands and peel them off by prying them off with your nails;
• Scratch the child's skin with hard objects;
• Use sunflower oil to soften the crust without sterilizing it first.

You should not smear the scalp with creams and oils too often, otherwise the skin will breathe poorly and it will be even more difficult to get rid of the milky crust. It is strictly forbidden to use bath or toilet soap intended for adults to wash a baby’s hair. It contains a lot of alkali and dries out sensitive skin. An ideal option for daily bathing is baby soap, shampoo for babies up to one year old, or a special foam.

Dr. Komarovsky says: if a baby has a lot of crusts on his head, you need to make sure that the child does not overheat. Excessively warm clothing and elevated room temperatures make the skin dry and often lead to the formation of large amounts of gneiss. If the house is warm, the baby should keep his head uncovered at all times. You need to put on the cap only after swimming, until your hair is completely dry. Preference should be given to chintz bonnets; flannel bonnets - children often get hot.

Don't let your baby scratch his head frequently.

Symptoms of birth dirt

The so-called “birth dirt” usually appears as a gray or dark yellow, light brown crust. It is especially noticeable if the baby has light sparse hair, and is practically invisible under dark, thick hair. These are soft, small crusts that resemble fish scales. If you pry such a “scale” with your fingernail, it can be easily removed; there is clear skin underneath. However, this should not be done to avoid infection. To remove birth dirt, only medicinal and cosmetic products can be used. An effective way to mechanically remove scales is to comb them out with a wooden or plastic comb.

Preventive measures

To prevent the initial appearance or to maintain the result after treatment, prophylaxis is necessary. Easy to follow but effective tips:

• In a warm room, you should not wear a lot of clothes; it is better to take off your hat.
• It is necessary to create an optimal level of humidity in the room.
• When bathing, you must use special fragrance-free baby products.
• Use detergents 1-2 times a week, and the rest of the time it is enough to rinse the baby with warm water;
• Baby cream marked 0+, applied to damp skin after bathing, retains moisture.
• According to Komarovsky, crusts on a baby’s head are in many cases associated with the diet of mother and child. Lep accompanied by allergic symptoms may be caused by components of an inappropriate mixture. In this case, it is necessary to change your diet after consultation with your pediatrician.

Doctors still have not come to a consensus on whether it is worth getting rid of birth dirt. If the baby is cheerful and cheerful and does not pay attention to the crusts, then parents have nothing to worry about.

Causes and symptoms

A birth crust on the head is a common occurrence that does not require a visit to the pediatrician. As a rule, a crust appears on the child’s head in the first or second months of life and after some time passes without a trace, but in rare cases it remains for six months.

Symptoms of the phenomenon:

1. dense crust on the head, ears, eyebrows, neck, back, nose area;
2. sebaceous spots of white or yellow color;
3. presence of dandruff at an early age.

The medical name for the phenomenon is “seborrheic dermatitis”, which is not contagious and is not a consequence of poor child care. Seborrheic dermatitis is common in infants and adolescents because hormone levels are high during this period of life.

There is no specific reason for the formation of birth dirt. But in practice, it is customary to talk about a high content of sebum in the sebaceous glands, as well as hair follicles.

Factors influencing crust formation:

• weak immune system;
• adverse weather conditions at extreme levels of life;
• oily skin;
• stress;
• skin diseases of various types.

Skin rashes cause itching and redness. Hair may also fall out, but after recovery it will grow back. It is important to ensure that the child does not scratch the lesions.

Getting rid of lepa

Milky crusts on a child’s head, how to remove gneiss at home? A more acceptable and most correct way to get rid of unpleasant formations is simple daily procedures. To perform them, you will need baby oil, which can be replaced with olive oil, Vaseline or even refined oil, but special oil for babies is much easier to wash off.

You will need a comb and brush. The comb must have blunt teeth so as not to injure delicate skin. A brush with synthetic bristles is unsuitable; you only need to choose combs with natural, soft bristles.

For children's cosmetics, you will need shampoo or gel-cream suitable for daily washing of the head and body. It is advisable to choose products without a strong odor, bright color, with plant-based detergents that do not contain soap. The list of ingredients (on the product label) should not contain dyes or preservatives, only natural ingredients: herbal extracts, oils and water emulsions.

So, having prepared everything you need, you can begin the procedures for cleaning your head from mold. An hour, or at least 20-30 minutes before bathing, you need to thoroughly lubricate the little one's head with warm baby oil (olive, vegetable, vaseline). To prevent the oil from spreading and getting into the child’s eyes, you need to wear a cap, which additionally acts as a warming compress. Under the influence of oil, the scales soften, as a result, it will be much easier to remove the plaque. Before washing your hair, you can carefully remove exfoliated scales with a cotton swab.

While bathing, a little shampoo foams in your hands and is applied to the baby’s head, after which it is carefully washed off, avoiding foam and water getting into the baby’s eyes and ears. During daily water procedures without using shampoo, areas where crusts have accumulated can be gently rubbed with a sponge, without being particularly zealous.

After bathing, all that remains is to comb out the leopard with a comb, and then go through it with a soft brush. Gentle, careful movements when combing with a brush will not only help remove loose crusts, but also stimulate hair growth, at the same time calming the child. For daily morning procedures, it is also necessary to use a comb and brush.

A few simple rules and daily care of a child’s scalp can do wonders without any medications, the help of which should be sought only on the recommendation of a doctor.

conclusions

Let’s summarize how to treat a mold on a child’s head.

1. Do not wrap the baby, free the head from the cap indoors, allowing the skin to breathe.

2. As long as the baby has no hairs on his head, but only fluff, cosmetic products do not need to be used. In the future, you should not overuse shampoo and other products; you should wash your hair no more than twice a week. Best option once.

3. Be careful when selecting shampoo and other hair care cosmetics for your child. Excluding low-quality products containing preservatives and dyes, with expired expiration dates.

4. Comb the baby’s hair and do not forget to carry out activities that help exfoliate the hair.

If systematic procedures for removing gneiss over a long period of time do not have a positive effect, and there are more crusts, you should consult a dermatologist. With proper and timely care, seborrheic crust in children goes away without any kind of complications, without causing any particular inconvenience to either the baby or his mother. Thick curls and a clean baby's head will be a worthy reward for a caring mother.

source: bulavochki.ru

Parents are usually concerned when a kind of crust appears on their child’s head. The mother may notice such a small growth even in the maternity hospital. In some children, these crusts persist for up to a year, and although they do not cause any inconvenience to the children themselves, parents still strive to get rid of dubious growths. That is why all mothers should arm themselves with information about what crusts on babies’ heads are, whether they are harmful and how to remove them.

Prevention

They all follow from the points listed above, but if we summarize, we get the following: observe the rules of hygiene, regularly comb the baby’s hair and watch the length of the hair, make sure that the child does not have allergies.

Doctors' recommendation

There are a number of conclusions about the dangers of washing cosmetics. Unfortunately, not all new mothers listen to them. 97% of shampoos use the dangerous substance Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or its analogues. Many articles have been written about the effects of this chemistry on the health of both children and adults. At the request of our readers, we tested the most popular brands.

The results were disappointing - the most advertised companies showed the presence of those very dangerous components in their composition. In order not to violate the legal rights of manufacturers, we cannot name specific brands. The Mulsan Cosmetics company, the only one that passed all the tests, successfully received 10 points out of 10 (check out). Each product is made from natural ingredients, completely safe and hypoallergenic.

If you doubt the naturalness of your cosmetics, check the expiration date; it should not exceed 10 months. Be careful when choosing cosmetics, this is important for you and your child.

source: www.vse-pro-detey.ru

Unpleasant yellowish crusts interfere with the growth of soft and fluffy hairs of a newborn baby - what is it, how to deal with it and is there any medical treatment? There is no need to panic in any case; you need to try to figure it out, understand the cause and eliminate unpleasant formations in an effective, proven way.

Dirty-gray, yellowish or white crusts that form on a child’s head have several names - gneiss, lep, milky, seborrheic crusts and even “cradle cap”. Formations of varying degrees of intensity appear in most newborn babies in the first months of life.

Fighting gneiss at home

How to pick up a newborn - tips for parents

If crusts appear on a baby’s head, your pediatrician will tell you how to remove them. There are several ways to combat infantile seborrhea, for example:

• Special creams;
• Shampoos for newborns;
• Treatment of gneiss with sterilized sunflower oil;
• Mechanical removal using a comb.

Modern pediatricians do not recommend spending time and money on fighting seborrhea. If an adult can comb out the scabs from the baby's head, they will soon reappear; This will continue until the child’s body fully adapts to the new conditions and until the functioning of the sebaceous glands improves. In addition, in some cases, seborrheic dermatitis is caused by allergies; in this situation, only switching to a new formula or changing the diet of the nursing mother can help.

You should purchase medicinal and cosmetic products to get rid of scabs only in licensed pharmacies, as prescribed by a doctor. It is strictly forbidden to use hormonal ointments; they can only be used with a prescription from a pediatric allergist.

To combat gneiss at home, you can use children's cosmetics

Medicines and cosmetics

To remove gneiss at home, modern manufacturers of children's medicines and cosmetics produce special creams, shampoos and baby oils. When using these products, you must strictly follow the instructions. In most cases, it is necessary to apply a little cream (oil) to the baby’s head and put on a cap. When the time recommended in the instructions has passed, the child’s hair is thoroughly washed, and the crust is removed on its own, without additional combing.

However, these funds have disadvantages. Firstly, they are quite expensive. Secondly, oils and creams, if used frequently, can dry out sensitive baby skin, cause allergies and irritation.

When choosing, it is recommended to give preference to brands of domestic cosmetics. Gneiss removal products and “Eared Nannies” are very popular. Among foreign products, it is worth noting BabyBorn baby oil, widely recommended by pediatricians. This product quickly and effectively helps remove birth dirt, allowing baby's skin to breathe freely. Also, BabyBorn oil does not cause allergic reactions and is suitable for sensitive skin.

Combing

It is strictly forbidden to scratch off the scabs on a dry head. This may cause pain and irritation to the baby. Before you begin removing gneiss, you need to apply a little boiled vegetable oil to the scalp; You can also use Vaseline. After this, the baby is put on a flannel cap for an hour and given a bath, washing his hair with baby shampoo. On steamed skin, the crust softens and comes off on its own; To remove it, just run a soft-toothed comb through your hair.

Important! You should not use a metal comb, because the iron teeth can easily damage the skin on the baby’s head.

It is most convenient to clean the gneiss when the baby is sleeping or lying on his stomach. If the child is awake, he should be calm and in a good mood. Usually the baby tolerates this procedure well, feeling virtually no pain or discomfort. If there are a lot of crusts on the head, combing out is a rather lengthy process.

It happens that individual scales do not soften and cannot be combed. In this case, they should be left as is. The main thing is to wash your child’s hair more often, and they will gradually disappear on their own. It is prohibited to forcefully clean the crusts with a comb or brush, rubbing the skin.

Attention! If your baby has long hair, it needs to be cut short before combing out the scabs. However, there is no particular point in this - under long hair the gneiss is practically invisible. The main thing is to keep your hair clean. If a child scratches his head frequently, he may damage the skin underneath the scabs.

Is gneiss a disease?

There is no need to blame a young mother for careless care of her baby. Gneiss is a physiological phenomenon, the causes of which lie in the imperfect functioning of the sebaceous and sweat glands, or more precisely, in their disharmonious work.

It may not go away for a long time if the child’s scalp is not properly cared for and there is a tendency to allergic reactions.

Typically, gneiss on the scalp is most noticeable on the crown, in the fontanelle area, and may even be on the baby’s forehead and eyebrows. The child’s mother, frightened by such a sight and the belief of some people that her child’s hair will not grow, can, of course, immediately go for a consultation with a pediatrician. However, before visiting a doctor, you can try to figure out the causes of the nasty lep yourself.

Looking for reasons

1. For excessive fear of drafts and hypothermia, parents put a hat on their baby, even at home. This leads to even more sweating of the head and the appearance of more and more milky crusts.

2. The baby’s delicate skin is quite vulnerable. Cosmetics containing fragrances and dyes can also provoke various skin reactions. It is necessary to avoid cosmetics with bright colors and strong odors. And of course, never use shampoos for adults.

3. Daily water procedures with washing your hair will most likely lead to dry scalp. As a result, the work of the sebaceous glands will intensify, and the number of yellow crusts will only increase.

4. Strange as it may sound, the cause of the appearance of gneiss may also be the introduction of complementary foods. Mostly, such reactions occur in children prone to allergies.

Having analyzed the correctness of caring for the baby, and having understood your mistakes, it is still worth starting to rid the small head of unnecessary layers. You shouldn’t wait for the gneiss on your head and eyebrows to go away on its own. Lack of proper scalp care can lead to prolonged seborrhea and the child’s crusts will remain until the age of 4 or even 7 years and will require consultation with a dermatologist. With proper care, the dark crusts gradually disappear by the second year of the baby’s life.

You should not use drastic methods of removing the crust, trying to pick and rip off the scales using nails or other objects. This can injure the delicate skin, causing a lot of anxiety for the baby.