Cradle cap, also known as
infantile or neonatal seborrhoeic dermatitis,
crusta lactea,
milk crust,
honeycomb disease, is a yellowish, patchy, greasy, scaly and crusty skin
rash that occurs on the
scalp of recently born babies. It is usually not itchy and does not bother the baby. Cradle cap most commonly begins sometime in the first 3 months. Similar symptoms in older children are more likely to be
dandruff than cradle cap. The rash is often prominent around the ear, the eyebrows or the eyelids. It may appear in other locations as well, where it is called
seborrhoeic dermatitis rather than cradle cap. Some countries use the term
pityriasis capitis for cradle cap. It is extremely common, with about half of all babies affected. Most of them have a mild version of the disorder. Severe cradle cap is rare.