Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions

Summary

Your scalp is the skin on the top of your head. Unless you have hair loss, hair grows on your scalp. Different skin problems can affect your scalp.

Dandruff is a flaking of the skin. The flakes are yellow or white. Dandruff may make your scalp feel itchy. It usually starts after puberty, and is more common in men. Dandruff is usually a symptom of seborrheic dermatitis, or seborrhea. It is a skin condition that can also cause redness and irritation of the skin.

Most of the time, using a dandruff shampoo can help control your dandruff. If that does not work, contact your health care provider.

There is a type of seborrheic dermatitis that babies can get. It is called cradle cap. It usually lasts a few months, and then goes away on its own. Besides the scalp, it can sometimes affect other parts of the body, such as the eyelids, armpits, groin, and ears. Normally, washing your baby’s hair every day with a mild shampoo and gently rubbing their scalp with your fingers or a soft brush can help. For severe cases, your health care provider may give you a prescription shampoo or cream to use.

Other problems that can affect the scalp include:

• Scalp ringworm, a fungal infection that causes itchy, red patches on your head. It can also leave bald spots. It usually affects children.
• Scalp psoriasis, which causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. About half of the people with psoriasis have it on their scalp.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Dermatitis, Seborrheic National Institutes of Health

Patient Handouts

• Cradle cap Medical Encyclopedia
• Ringworm of the scalp Medical Encyclopedia
• Seborrheic dermatitis Medical Encyclopedia

Specifics

• Cradle Cap Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Kerion VisualDX
• Ringworm, Scalp (Tinea Capitis) VisualDX
• Scalp Psoriasis vs. Seborrheic Dermatitis: What’s the Difference? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Seborrheic Dermatitis VisualDX
• Seborrheic Dermatitis and Rosacea National Rosacea Society
• Seborrheic Dermatitis Overview American Academy of Dermatology

Start Here

• Cradle Cap (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Dandruff VisualDX

Treatments and Therapies

• Cradle Cap: Treatment Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Dandruff: Diagnosis and Treatment Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Tea Tree Oil National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Teenagers

• Dandruff (For Teens) Nemours Foundation

Symptoms

• Dandruff: Symptoms and Causes Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Seborrheic Dermatitis: Signs and Symptoms American Academy of Dermatology

Children

• Pediatric Seborrheic Dermatitis VisualDX

Journal Articles

• Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions