Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions: MedlinePlus [NEW TOPIC PAGE]

Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions: MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus: Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions

10/19/2016 12:15 AM EDT

MedlinePlus: Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Cradle cap
• Seborrheic dermatitis
• Tinea capitis

Related Health Topics

• Common Infant and Newborn Problems
• Head Lice
• Psoriasis
• Skin Conditions
• Tinea Infections

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Disclaimers

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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.

Start Here

• Cradle Cap (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Dandruff (Logical Images)
• Scalp Psoriasis (National Psoriasis Foundation)

Symptoms

• Cradle Cap: Symptoms and Causes (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Dandruff: Symptoms and Causes (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Scalp Psoriasis: Signs and Symptoms (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Seborrheic Dermatitis: Signs and Symptoms (American Academy of Dermatology)

Treatments and Therapies

• Cradle Cap: Treatment (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Dandruff: How to Treat  (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Dandruff: Lifestyle and Home Remedies (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Scalp Psoriasis: Diagnosis and Treatment (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Tea Tree Oil  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)

Specifics

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

Health Check Tools

• Itching (Scalp) (DSHI Systems)
• Scalp Pain (DSHI Systems)
• Scalp Rash (DSHI Systems)

Clinical Trials

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

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: IMAGES IN CLINICAL MEDICINE. Kerion - A Boggy Lump.
• Article: The use of scalp cooling for chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
• Article: Randomized Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Half-Head Study to Assess the Efficacy of...
• Dandruff, Cradle Cap, and Other Scalp Conditions -- see more articles

Children

• Pediatric Seborrheic Dermatitis (Logical Images)

Teenagers

• Dandruff (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Cradle cap Also in Spanish
• Seborrheic dermatitis Also in Spanish
• Tinea capitis Also in Spanish