Remove head gneiss or cradle cap: This is how it works!

Shortly after birth, the function of the sebum glands in your baby’s scalp is not yet optimally regulated. In many cases, this leads to a thick, yellowish-brownish layer of scales forming on your child’s head, the so-called head gneiss. But don’t panic. The greasy scales don’t look particularly pretty and can smell slightly rancid, but they are perfectly normal in children up to three months of age. When your child’s hormonal balance has leveled off and the sebaceous glands stop overproducing, the cranial gneiss usually disappears on its own.

Remove head gneiss or cradle cap

If you want to remove the head gneiss or the cradle cap on the baby’s head, you should do this very carefully: Rub some oil on your baby’s head. This should take effect for a few hours or overnight. Make sure the oil is fragrance-free and preservative-free. Olive or coconut oil – our favorite: the organic coconut oil CocoNativo without additives, available for example from Amazonadvertisement– are also good. You can then wash out the oil from your baby and remove the cradle cap.

You can do this by carefully combing out the loosened scales with a fine-toothed comb against the direction of hair growth. But make sure that the comb is rounded at the ends so that you don’t damage the baby’s delicate skin. Our recommendation: the Chibello hairbrush set with 100% natural goat hair bristles,advertisementwhich is ideal for preventing cradle cap. The set includes: a goat hair brush, a wooden massage brush, a wooden comb and a soft silicone massager bonus.

Important: If the scale crust is cradle cap, it is not always advisable to remove it yourself. If the scalp is weeping or if your baby suffers from itching, you should not do it yourself. You can find out more information under “Be careful with cradle cap” below.

A head massage can counteract the formation of even more head gneiss. Use a special baby brush with soft bristles and comb your child’s hair against the grain after washing. This promotes blood circulation in the scalp and has a positive effect on the function of the sebaceous glands.

Beware of cradle cap

The scaly coverings on the baby’s head are not always head gneiss. If the cuticle layer does not look greasy, but may be weeping and spreading to the face and other parts of the body, it is probably not harmless cradle cap but cradle cap. This phenomenon is often confused with cranial gneiss, but it can be the first sign of an increased susceptibility to allergies in your child or even an early form of neurodermatitis. Cradle cap usually occurs from the age of three months and causes severe itching. The scalp under the scaly layer is therefore often reddened. Cradle cap can also disappear on its own, but it is also possible for chronic neurodermatitis to manifest itself.