Is dropping buffalo on the head of a newborn due to poor hygiene by the mother?

Babies usually have soft, smooth skin. But there are also many babies who have rough, scaly patches on their scalp and don't know where they come from. When you see your baby with these scales, you worry he is having a serious problem. In fact, it could be the head of a baby buffalo, a common and often harmless condition. You can help your child get rid of this situation with a few simple steps. Even if you do nothing, it will go away on its own over time.

Buffalo cut ( seborrheic dermatitis ) is most common in 3-month-old babies, but it can last up to a year or more. Most cases of buffalo shit usually disappear by the time the baby is 1 year old, but there are also cases that last until the baby is 4 years old.

Not all babies have buffalo shit. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), about 10% of boys and 9.5% of girls experience the condition.

The cause of buffalo shit in the head of babies

Currently, doctors do not know the exact cause of buffalo shit in the head of a newborn. They believe that rough patches appear when the oil glands on a baby's scalp are overproducing. This may be due to the hormonal effect of the mother remaining from the time the baby is in your womb.

In adults, there is an association between seborrheic dermatitis and malassezia yeasts, but this association is not clear in the infant. In rare cases, the head of a baby's buffalo shit is caused by an immunodeficiency, but the baby will develop other symptoms.

From the above reasons, you can see that it is not the newborn with buffalo shit due to the mother's poor hygiene. So, let go of that thought when you see a child covered in buffalo.

Symptoms of a child with buffalo shit

Your baby's skin may be oily, with white, yellow or darker scaly patches on the scalp. The color of buffalo shit depends on the color of the baby's skin. Over time, these scabs may peel off.

Sometimes, a baby's scalp is red without scabs or flakes. Seeing buffalo shit on the head of a newborn, many people think it causes itchy babies, but in reality this does not happen. In rare cases, your baby may experience hair loss where a buffalo shit is present. Hair will grow back after the buffalo shit disappears.

Dumping of buffalo on infants' heads or seborrheic dermatitis can also occur in other parts of the body other than the scalp. Common places are: on the face, behind the ears, diaper area, armpits.

Diagnosed when a baby has buffalo shit

This condition is so common that your doctor can recognize it right away. The doctor just needs to observe the baby's scalp and other parts. Babies don't need to undergo any tests to diagnose buffalo shit.

How to treat buffalo shit for babies

When your baby has buffalo shit, you will be able to treat him at home by:

1. Wash your hair cleanly

Keeping the scalp clean can help with this, as washing the hair will wash away excess oil from the baby's scalp. Use baby shampoo or buffalo shit shampoo. You should not use dandruff shampoos unless your doctor recommends them. Not all shampoo products are safe for babies.

Perform

Wet hair and scalp

Massage the shampoo into the scalp

Use a small bucket towel to wash your hair and rub gently on the affected area

You can also try brushing your baby's hair while shampooing

Rinse baby's hair to remove all shampoo.

Consult with your pediatrician how often to wash your baby's hair . You can wash your baby's hair every day instead of every few days. However, repeated washing can dry out the scalp and make buffalo shit worse. The method of washing hair is quite safe, just be careful so the soap doesn't get into the baby's eyes.

2. Comb your baby's hair

After you've washed your baby's hair and scalp, you can gently brush your baby's hair with a soft infant comb. At this time, the scales are no longer attached to the scalp, so it is easier to peel off. You can choose to buy specialized combs to brush the buffalo shit off of babies. If not, you can also use a new toothbrush and gently brush your baby.

Perform

When you brush your baby's hair, you move in one direction

Slowly brush the affected scalp area so that the flakes come off

Continue brushing to remove any flakes that attach to the strands of hair

You can brush even if your hair is dry. Only brush 1 time / day. If your scalp becomes red or irritated, reduce the frequency of brushing your hair.

3. Apply oil

Consult your doctor when you want to apply a little vaseline, baby massage oil, olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba or almond oil. Some parents do this and the head of the baby's buffalo shit improves markedly. The application of oil both prevents buffalo shit from sticking to the scalp and nourishes the skin at the affected site. Regardless of the oil you use, try a small amount on your scalp before applying it to see if your baby gets irritated.

Perform

Apply a thin layer of oil to your scalp

Gently rub the oil for about 1 minute

If your child still has a sore on the head, use caution when applying oil in this area

Let the oil soak for about 15 minutes

Wash off the oil with gentle baby shampoo.

You can use this method once a day. As long as your baby is not allergic to oil, this is a safe remedy for him.

4. Apply medicine

In case your baby has severe dermatitis, your baby's doctor may prescribe an anti-fungal cream, a cream containing hydrocortisone or zinc. When using this remedy, you should not take it on your own without a prescription from your doctor.

Some antifungal shampoos like ketoconazole also work well. However, this type can irritate the baby's scalp, so mothers should not overdo it.

Medicines or shampoos when choosing to use for babies should avoid ones containing salicylic acid because this substance easily causes poisoning and skin irritation.

5. Try essential oils

Consult your doctor before using an essential oil for your baby. Using antibacterial essential oils can help fight yeast-induced buffalo shit, and anti-inflammatory essential oils can soothe the scalp. When choosing essential oils, choose either lemon or geranium essential oil. Some people recommend tea tree oil , but this oil may not be safe for children and should be avoided in babies younger than 6 months.

Perform

Dilute 2 drops of essential oil with 2 then base oil soup (oil used to make essential oils, e.g. coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil)

Apply essential oil to the affected area. Leave on for a few minutes

Brush to remove the buffalo shit from the baby's head

Rinse all oil with shampoo.

Preventing children from buffalo shit

Once the shit is under control, keep washing your hair regularly with baby shampoo and brushing with a soft brush. Consult with your pediatrician about how often to wash your baby's hair once the shit is gone.

When should I take my child to the doctor?

The condition of a baby's shit is usually not dangerous, but if the baby's scalp is very red, infected, irritated or has spread to his face or body, you should take him to the doctor.

Seborrheic dermatitis resembles eczema at times in a newborn , but it will be easy for a doctor to tell the difference between the two. Baby eczema is often itchy and buffalo shit does not. If you are concerned about your child having buffalo shit, take him to the doctor for the right advice and have a more effective way to treat the baby's shit.