Cradle cap is a problem that many babies suffer from. It can be a frustrating condition that can be difficult to manage, and many parents wonder about ways to get rid of cradle cap. Certain shampoos can really help to clear up the condition, but what is the best cradle cap shampoo for babies?
The Best Cradle Cap Shampoo for Babies
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This was chosen as the best cradle cap shampoo by Rock-A-Bye Parents readers in 2023. It was actually a slight change from what had been the top shampoo for the previous years. It is highly rated on Amazon though and is often ranked as one of their top choices.
Why You Need to Try a Cradle Cap Shampoo
Cradle cap can be such a stubborn problem. My son had a very bad case of it when he was a baby. We tried many different methods to get rid of it. A few of them helped for a short amount of time, but the cradle cap would always return. Many times I saw it come back within days!
I was beyond the point of frustration when a friend suggested using Gentle Naturals Cradle Cap Shampoo. She said it had been a miracle product for her little one.
She was right! The cradle cap shampoo was exactly what was needed to finally get rid of my son’s case of cradle cap.
Some moms are lucky and can clear up cases of cradle cap simply with natural remedies, but that won’t work for every infant. Some babies require the use of a shampoo that can clear the cradle cap once and for all.
There are baby shampoos on the market that aren’t specifically made for cradle cap, but that still manage to treat and prevent it. For babies that are dealing with a thick build-up, or a really stubborn case of cradle cap, those aren’t always enough though. Cradle cap shampoos are ones made with the complete purpose of treating and removing the cradle cap from your infant’s head, and they do a very good job.
Baby Shampoos for Cradle Cap
For years my recommendation for the best cradle cap shampoo to try was the Gental Naturals Shampoo, but it sadly is no longer available. With that one off the market, I went in search of other such wonderful products. I have spent time researching and reading through product reviews to come up with a list of shampoos that should help clear cradle cap.
Here are the best cradle cap shampoo choices that I could find. I hope that one of these is the answer to your baby’s cradle cap struggles!
✅Best Baby Shampoo for Cradle Cap
Mustela Cradle Cap Foam for Newborns is one of the best-ranking cradle cap shampoos on Amazon. It is ranked 4.6 out of 5 stars and is the ‘Amazon Choice’ for Overall Pick winner. While it has not recently been the top favorite of Rock-A-Bye Parents’ readers it is still usually the runner-up.
This shampoo for newborns is specially formulated to cleanse your baby’s hair while treating and even preventing cradle cap. It is a tear-free formula and 99% of it is plant-based.
Most comments about this shampoo are very positive and say that this product works well. Some nay-sayers felt the shampoo didn’t help their infant’s cradle cap problem, but the majority of reviews raved about it.
One mother wrote that her son had a severe case of cradle cap and this shampoo was what finally worked to clear it. Another mom noted that her pediatrician gave her a sample of this shampoo to try. In my opinion, if doctors are passing it out then it must work pretty well.
More Baby Cradle Cap Shampoos
While Mustela Cradle Cap Foam for Newborns is considered one of the best baby shampoos for cradle cap it’s not your only option. There are many other good ones out there that parents have found success with.
The next several recommendations are listed from the highest rating down to the lowest, although the ratings are all about the same. At the very end of the list is the cradle cap shampoo that Rock-A-Bye Parents readers like the best!
Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo for Children – Rated 4.6 of 5 Stars
Dr. Eddie’s Happy Cappy Medicated Shampoo for Children is the first OTC dandruff shampoo specifically designed for children. It is described as a pediatrician’s solution to fight flaking, redness, itching, scaling, and irritation on the scalp and skin. It is said to be safe for kids of all ages. Due to certain products in the shampoo, it cannot be considered tear-free, but it is much safer for the eyes than a traditional adult dandruff shampoo.
Back when I first added this to the best cradle cap shampoo list it was a newer shampoo option, but it quickly became a favorite. In fact, I have seen the star ranking increase by several tenths over the years.
It only has a small number of low reviews. A few people did write they thought it made the cradle cap worse. Some also felt that it dried up the scalp.
I want to add that I have personally tried this shampoo. My son developed cradle cap as an older child and this is the shampoo that I chose for him. It didn’t clear all of the cradle cap up right away, but it was gone before the bottle was empty. I think this is partly because it was much harder to scrub cradle cap off of an older kid with lots of hair.
I found the shampoo to be of a thicker consistency than most shampoos. This did mean though that it didn’t run down the face and get into my son’s eyes. The shampoo didn’t smell great though. It is listed as having no scent, so it doesn’t contain any irritating perfumes, but it didn’t leave my hands smelling very good.
I also found that after weeks of use, it did seem to dry out my son’s hair, so we did add in conditioner on the days we didn’t use the cradle cap shampoo. I’m not sure I’d choose this brand if I needed to purchase cradle cap shampoo again, but it did get the job done.
Frida Baby Oh Cr*p! Cradle Cap Flake Scalp Mask l Dandruff Shampoo – Rated 4.6 of 5 Stars
Frida Baby Oh Cr*p! Cradle Cap Flake Scalp Mask is a highly rated cradle cap shampoo and it is also an ‘Amazon Choice’ for Popular Brand Pick. It is a good option for babies with sensitive skin because it is hypoallergenic. It is also dermatologist-tested as well as tear-free.
It is important to note that while this shampoo is sold on its own it is considered the first step in a 3-step treatment system. I did not find any commenters who wrote that they used this shampoo on its own, but I don’t think you’d need to purchase the rest for this to work.
Overall the reviews are very positive. A few people did write that they didn’t feel that it worked and some felt it bothered their baby’s scalp. Overall the biggest complaints I saw were that it didn’t smell good. The scent listed is aloe vera.
Dentinox Cradle Cap Baby Shampoo 125Ml
Dentinox Cradle Cap Baby Shampoo – Rated 4.5 of 5 Stars
Dentinox Cradle Cap Baby Shampoo is a true cradle cap treatment shampoo, but it is considered gentle enough for regular use. One thing that many of the reviewers listed they liked was the scent of this shampoo which is coconut.
Most comments are very positive. Many parents wrote that their little one’s cradle cap was gone with only a handful of washes. It is even liked well enough that it has been updated to an ‘Amazon Choice’ Overall Pick winner.
Some commentators were not as happy. This is a medicated treatment shampoo, so it does contain some chemicals. Some parents wrote that their baby cried when this shampoo was applied, and they believed the shampoo caused their baby’s pain.
Many parents did not think this shampoo caused any pain for their babies though. If you are concerned that it might leave your baby in pain then maybe leave this shampoo to try later if other ones don’t work for your infant.
✅Best Cradle Cap Shampoo Winner
So which cradle cap shampoo do Rock-A-Bye Parents Readers find is the best? This one has been the most popular for several years running.
Bella B Bee Gone Cradle Cap Baby Shampoo
Bella B Bee Gone Cradle Cap Baby Shampoo is ranked 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. It is made from natural and organic ingredients and its purpose is to help soothe your baby’s itchy and flaky scalp. The shampoo doesn’t state that it is tear-free, but many commentators mention that they have had no issues with that.
Reading through the Amazon comments it’s easy to see why so many people use this shampoo. It sounds like a miracle product. Review after review is full of positive opinions and notes on how fast it worked. In fact, the only bad review that popped up was one saying that the bottle arrived in bad shape. If I had a baby with cradle cap I think this would be the product that I tried.
