What should you know about green cradle cap?

Cradle cap, also called infantile seborrheic dermatitis, usually appears as greasy white, yellow, or brown scale on the scalp. Colour can look different when scale is mixed with product, moisture, or a small amount of dried fluid, but distinctly green material may represent drainage or another skin problem.

Redness, warmth, tenderness, swelling, an unpleasant smell, weeping, crusting, or lesions beyond the scalp make simple cradle cap less likely. A clinician can examine the baby's skin and decide whether irritation, infection, or another rash needs treatment.

Do not pick or scrape the scale. Wash the scalp gently with a mild baby cleanser, rinse well, and pat dry. A small amount of an advised emollient may soften stubborn scale before gentle washing; remove only what loosens easily. Keep products away from the eyes and stop if the skin becomes more irritated.

Do not use adult dandruff products, essential oils, or antifungal medicine without medical advice. If a clinician identifies a yeast-related rash, they may recommend Topical Antifungal Treatment and explain exactly where and how to apply it.

Contact a clinician promptly for green or pus-like drainage, spreading redness, swelling, warmth, pain, fever, poor feeding, unusual sleepiness, or a baby who seems unwell. Urgent assessment is appropriate if the rash is rapidly worsening or involves the eyes.

Ask whether the colour is scale, dried fluid, or infection, and whether Emollient Therapy is suitable. Ask whether an antifungal is needed, which products to avoid, and how to recognise improvement or worsening.