In Aged care – cradle cap & scabs on face

Hi Carole,

Thank you for submitting this query. Cradle-cap is a skin condition that is most commonly found on infants and is often characterised by redness and white or yellow scaly patches on the scalp. In adults and elderly people, it is also known as Seborrhoeic Dermatitis and generally appears similarly as greasy white or yellowish scales occurring over a patch of inflamed red skin.

Seborrhoeic Dermatitis generally occurs on the scalp and face, or on the trunk on the body where there are more oil glands. While there is no absolute known cause for Seborrhoeic dermatitis, it is thought to be an abnormal immune response to a fungal organism called Malassezia that is found on healthy skin types as well. While there isn’t a cure for this skin condition, it is something that can be managed.

If you suspect that someone in your care has adult cradle-cap/seborrhoeic dermatitis, you could try to relieve their itchy and inflamed skin through using a tar-based product such as Sebitar for the scalp or products in our Pinetarsol range. Both Sebi* and Pinetarsol* are brands designed to gently cleanse the skin with a pH-balanced formulation and help relieve the skin from inflammation and itching. Follow up cleansing with a good moisturiser to help further restore skin moisture and its barrier function, a good moisturiser like our QV Cream will also help with the general maintenance of skin health for those in aged care. A gentle cleansing routine and a good skincare regime will help with skin health and the management of the condition.

Please let us know if you have any further questions and don’t hesitate to or contact our friendly Customer Service Team on 1800 033 706 or via email through customerservice@egopharm.com.

Kind regards,
Ego Pharmaceuticals

*Always read the label. Use only as directed