crusty scalp - Skin Problems Message Board

Lisajh · 12-19-2003, 08:06 PM

My 2 1/2 yr old son gets this crusty (but not really dry) stuff on his scalp. As an infant I just thought it was cradle cap, so I'd do the baby oil thing to get rid of it... but it ALWAYS came back! He still constantly has it. His hair is always washed and rinsed out well, so its not from any kind of build-up. I thought it could be Psorisis (sp?) and the doctor said he wasn't sure. I know that theres a lot of different types of psorisis, and it runs in my family (I have it, too). But I've never seen it like this... It looks almost just like cradle cap, only thicker. Anyone ever seen this, or know what it is, or how to get rid of it (for good!!)?Thanks in advance!

SydneyP · 12-20-2003, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisajh

My 2 1/2 yr old son gets this crusty (but not really dry) stuff on his scalp. As an infant I just thought it was cradle cap, so I'd do the baby oil thing to get rid of it... but it ALWAYS came back! He still constantly has it. His hair is always washed and rinsed out well, so its not from any kind of build-up. I thought it could be Psorisis (sp?) and the doctor said he wasn't sure. I know that theres a lot of different types of psorisis, and it runs in my family (I have it, too). But I've never seen it like this... It looks almost just like cradle cap, only thicker. Anyone ever seen this, or know what it is, or how to get rid of it (for good!!)?Thanks in advance!

Is it possibly eczema? This can be crusty sometimes. Maybe he's got very sensitive skin. Could you try not washing his hair at all? Maybe just a rub with a wet washcloth or rinse with water, see if there is change for better or worse. It should only take a few days to see whether there will be a change or not.This should tell you whether it's a contact type dermatitis. Baby oil is made from petroleum, and you might want to consider a more gentle vegetable oil like almond oil or jojoba.

If he weren't such a small child, I would also recommend tea tree oil diluted and applied to the scalp, but even though tea tree is usually safe, there's no sense taking chances while he's still developing.

Astf · 12-20-2003, 04:46 AM

Ahh! I have this condition too! What the heck is it? Sometimes it's slightly moist for me (esp. if I scratch at it) but most of the time it's dry. It's like a hard crust that appears in small patches (all white-yellow) and is like a scab but softer. I talked to my doctor about it and he said I should change soaps. I have but no success. It appears most often if I use a shower cap, and moisture gets under there and the hair is slightly damp near the nape of the neck. Is this just eczema?

Lisajh · 12-20-2003, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SydneyP

Is it possibly eczema? This can be crusty sometimes. Maybe he's got very sensitive skin. Could you try not washing his hair at all? Maybe just a rub with a wet washcloth or rinse with water, see if there is change for better or worse. It should only take a few days to see whether there will be a change or not.This should tell you whether it's a contact type dermatitis. Baby oil is made from petroleum, and you might want to consider a more gentle vegetable oil like almond oil or jojoba.

If he weren't such a small child, I would also recommend tea tree oil diluted and applied to the scalp, but even though tea tree is usually safe, there's no sense taking chances while he's still developing.

The doctor had also suggested we try not washing his hair for a few days to see if there was any inprovement, but there wasn't. I have found that we can only use 1 brand of baby shampoo on him, others seem to worsen the problem. The doctor had also said that he did not feel that it was eczema, but possibly Psorisis. He said that it would be hard to automaticly catorgorize it as actually being psorisis, being that there are so many forms, and possibily other forms that he has never seen. The baby oil does not seem to irritate my sons skin at all, so I'll probably keep using it... though the crusty stuff comes right back in 2-4 days everytime. Thanks for replying! Any help is very appreciated!