Life

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How To Use Coconut Oil To Treat Cradle Cap

by Angela Johnson

I have a jar of coconut oil in practically every room in my apartment. OK, I don't have that many rooms in my apartment, but you get the point. From using it as a key ingredient in all of my baked goods to a luxurious natural skin moisturizer, this gift from nature is my go-to for practically everything. If you're like me and can't get enough coconut oil, you may be wondering, does coconut oil treat newborn cradle cap in my baby?

Not only is pure coconut oil completely natural, it smells great and has amazing moisturizing and anti-bacterial properties. All of this awesomeness makes coconut oil a great choice for a safe and natural treatment for many of your baby's skin issues, including cradle cap.

According to WebMD, cradle cap is a scaling or crusting on baby's scalp. The Mayo Clinic noted that the scales may be white or yellow, and are often accompanied by some mild redness on the scalp. Cradle cap can sometimes be confused with eczema, but is different because it is not itchy.

As Baby Center mentioned, most babies have cradle cap in the first few months of life, and the condition generally clears up on its own by your baby's first birthday. Although the exact cause of cradle cap is unknown, experts agree that it is not contagious or painful to babies, as Baby Center pointed out.

If your baby has cradle cap, you can create your own natural coconut oil treatment at home to help, as Belly Belly suggested. Simply massage the oil into your baby's scalp and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then, rinse out the oil and remove any of the remaining flakes with a baby brush. Your baby will be left with a scalp that is moisturized and flake free.