Black Spots on My 9 Week Old's Head

I'm going to make people mad, but oh well, here goes. First Cradle cap is NOT dandruff, it is Seborric Dermatitis. I am 41 and have it on my scalp, eyebrow area and creases of my nose. Sometimes it spreds to my cheeks and ears. It is not caused by too much oil. It is caused by overproduction of skin cells and there is NO known cause or cure. I have a cream called Elidel that helps but you cant put it in your hair. It does get worse if you wash it too often and, for me, eating less sweets and fruit and more protein and fresh veggies helps.
Do NOT use vaseline! It is a petrolium product and therefore IS oil! I use SelsumnBlue Max strength (even on my face), but I'm sure it would be too harsh for a baby. Both my daughters had it and both seem to have outgrown it (cross fingers, knock on wood, etc) Mineral oil can help loosen large scaly patches before washing, but oil left on the hair will just make it worse as it clogs pores and looks bad.
I hope this helps, and no, I don't want to hear from the people I ticked off. A pediatric dermatologist (hard to find) could help with both problems although one persons thought that the black spots could be blood, could be true, I have scratched til I bled and scabbed. Yea, I know, yuck, It does suck.

Cradle cap is dandruff. Your not supposed to wash his hair everyday maybe 2wice a week. Make sure to keep lotion on his head to help with the dry scalp. It will go away. Now the black spots im not sure what they are. I would call his ped. and just ask it wont hurt to ask.

My oldest had cradle cap until he was 5. It was just under hair, didn't seem to bother him, and I thought it was no big deal. His Dad scrubbed it off (which = screaming mad boy). It hasn't come back, but I don't recommend that approach, especially not with a 9 week old!!!!!!!!

If the black spots are not raised, it is possible they are birth marks. I'd ask your doctor. Good luck.

My DD scratches her head to bits. Cradle cap is very itchy - could it be dried blood?

Our family has bad food allergies and DD shows signs also - thus we had a time finding a formula she could tolerate. Her eczema and cradle cap cleared up a bit once we went from breastmilk to formula, and now that we're on an organic lactose-free, DHA/ARA FREE formula it's nearly gone, minus the occasional dry scalp that appears five or six days after a bath. Then we bathe with Mustela, and it disappears again.

As others have stated, best care is washing once a week, softening first with vaseline (not an oil based product!) and brushing with a soft toothbrush - although I have noted you didn't ask for care advice.

Shampoo his hair everyday with a very soft baby hairbrush-keep his scalp very clean-do not pick it! No one has fingernails clean enough to pick anything-even after washing your hands. Picking can lead to a staph infection. I think I used a mild solution of hydrogen peroxide on my Grandson when he had it-after shampooing-but I can't remember. It improved in a few days-you just have to be diligent and not afraid to wash his hair daily-I know you are tired with a little newborn-you don't have to give him a bath to do his hair, though-it's just easier to rinse in the tub. Perhaps the black spots are tiny scabs caused by the cradle cap-and will lift off after a few washings?

if you will mix up some baking soda and warm water into a paste and work that into his wet head like you would a shampoo it will loosen it up and help dry it up. after it is all rinsed out use a small comb to help comb out the cradle cap. i don't know about the spots. cradle cape is caused from to much oil. don't put baby oil on it or any other kind of oil. good luck, mom of 7 , R. you can do this more then once. it is also good to use on your own hair to get out all the product build up about once a month. my oldest son had a spot on his head once and the dr. called it something black fungus. he gave him a shampoo we got at the drug store by persciption. it helped.

I don't know about the black spots... But for the cradle cap, DO NOT wash hair every day. Cradle cap is caused when the oil glands on his head are over-productive, and causes flakes. Washing every day will tell the glands that they need to be MORE active, and will make it worse. (this is per my pediatrician when my DD had horrible cradle cap.) What you want to do is wash once or twice a week, and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to GENTLY scrub his head. You can also use the toothbrush to help brush the flakes out. Some parents will soften the flakes by putting olive oil on the flakes 5-10 minutes before washing. Good luck! :)