It looks like a thin, extra layer of dead skin on baby’s scalp It can flake and seem like a bad attack of dandruff, with large flakes and scaly patches It’s a bit greasy, and a brownish/yellowish colour It’s called cradle cap and consists of dead skin cells and sebum from the glands in the baby's skin and is due to reduced blood circulation

Cure for cradle cap
Cradle cap is totally harmless but it may take a while to get it under control Preventing it in the first place is a better option, and it’s easy:

• Wash and towel-dry baby’s scalp every day
• Comb baby’s hair and scalp using a fine-toothed comb – first in one direction, then in the other
If, however, your baby does develop cradle cap, you can get rid of it this way:

• Rub the scalp with olive oil and leave overnight
• Next morning, wash the hair and remove the scaly patches with a fine-toothed comb
In most cases this will get rid of the scaly patches

2% salicylic petroleum jelly
If your baby’s cradle cap affects his forehead and eyebrows, you should ask for a good shampoo or a 2% salicylic petroleum jelly at the chemist’s Make sure you read the instructions carefully

If the cradle cap persists, consult your midwife or GP