Can olive oil be used by newborns?

Women all know that olive oil is very good for women's skin. Regular application of olive oil will make people's skin smoother and more hydrated. In order to make their children's skin better, some parents will use olive oil on their newborns. They will apply olive oil to their children every day and then wash it with clean water to prevent the newborn's skin from becoming dry. So, can olive oil be used by newborns?

1. Can newborns use olive oil?

Newborns can use natural and safe olive oil. If you want to give your child a massage, it is a good idea to use some olive oil. If there is no special need, you don’t need to use olive oil on your child. Generally, oily things will be sticky and uncomfortable after application. It is even more troublesome to use shower gel to clean the child when bathing. Babies can generally be washed with clean water.

2. Disadvantages of using olive oil or sunflower oil for newborns

Now researchers think it may actually do more harm than good. Applying olive or sunflower oil to the skin of healthy newborns may prevent the skin's protective layer from developing and preventing water loss and allergies and infections, according to a new study. Until now, little research has been done on the effects of these oils, even though changes in baby skin care have been linked to a dramatic increase in eczema over the past few decades—from 5 percent of children aged 2 to 15 in the 1940s to 30 percent today.

According to research led by midwifery lecturer Alison Cooke, if the skin's protective layer functions as a wall, then the bricks of the wall are equivalent to cells and the cement is the lipid layer, which combines together to form a barrier. Without adequate development, cracks can appear, allowing water and foreign matter to enter and exit. Olive oil and other substances prevent this wall from building up quickly, causing cracks in it, which may be the condition for an eczema outbreak.

So far, it is not recommended to use sunflower oil or olive oil on the skin of healthy newborns. You should avoid using these two oils on baby skin. After all, there is no evidence that they are harmless to the skin of newborns.