This condition is a red, scaly, itchy rash in areas various locations on the body. The scalp, sides of the nose, eyebrows, eyelids, and the skin behind the ears and middle of the chest are the most common sites. These areas have the highest concentration of sebaceous glands.
Dandruff appears as scaling on the scalp without redness.
Seborrhea is oiliness of the skin, especially of the scalp and face, without redness or scaling. Patients with seborrhea may later get seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrheic dermatitis has both redness and scaling. Cradle cap usually clears without treatment by age 8 to 12 months. This may be due to the gradual disappearance of hormones passed from the mother to the child before birth.