Scabies

Scabies

Dandruff is an abundance of oily dandruff that can appear on the scalp of infants, usually when they are between 2 and 10 weeks old. Scabies usually goes away on its own within a few months, and most people are completely rid of scabies by the time they are about a year old. Scabies can itch a little, but is not dangerous and rarely bothers the child.

​

What is scabies?

Scabies, also called milk scabies, is a type of oily dandruff that infants can get on the scalp. Dandruff consists of dead skin cells and fat from the sebaceous glands, which settles on the scalp as a greasy and thick yellowish-white scale. In some cases, scabies can spread to the forehead, eyebrows, behind the ears, around the nose and mouth as well as to the armpits and nappy area.

What does scab look like?

Dandruff can look like anything from normal dandruff to thick, oily and yellowish-white dandruff on the scalp. The rash mainly occurs on the scalp, but can also spread to other parts of the body (forehead, eyebrows, behind the ears, around the nose and mouth, armpits and nappy area). Scabies has a color from white to yellow, if red areas appear you should contact a doctor as there may be signs of infection.

Why do many infants get scabies?The reason why infants may develop this type of dandruff is unknown. But one theory is that scabies is caused by overactive sebaceous glands.

How can scab be removed?

Remember that scabies is not dangerous, rarely bothers the baby and usually goes away on its own after a few months. Many still want to speed up the process of removing the screw, then you can try different things:

Use baby oil or another neutral neutral oil on the baby's scalp. Leave the oil on for a few minutes and then comb it out with a fine-toothed comb. Alternatively, the oil can sit on the scalp overnight, in which case it is advisable for the baby to wear a thin hat.Wash out the oil after it has been on the scalp for the desired length with a mild baby shampoo.If there is a lot of scabbing on the scalp, salicylic acid oil 2% can be used. Apply the oil to the affected area and leave it on for three to four hours or overnight. Salicylic oil has a weak dissolving effect and can contribute to the dandruff flakes "letting go" on the scalp. Wash out the remains of oil with mild baby shampoo after the desired length of treatment.Do not pull or pick at dandruff, let the dandruff loosen from the scalp on its own before removing with a fine-toothed comb.