Can We Use Olive Oil on Baby Skin
Olive oil is one of the healthiest natural oils and is jam packed with great properties such as anti-oxidants, essential fats, lipids, and a high concentration of Vitamin A, E, C, D, and K. It is an extremely healthy option for consumption as well, as it is full of essential nutrients and healthy fats. It is quite widely used in the culinary world.
However, there is more to it than just being plain old cooking oil. Olive oil is a great option to include in daily skincare. It moisturizes the skin, improves overall skin health, cleanses the skin and cures cracked, dry skin. It can also be used on hair and nails as it boosts the production of collagen and keratin. This keeps nails healthy and increases moisture retention of hair.
Olive oil has flavonoid content which actively plays a role as the in the anti-oxidation process from inside the body. Olive oil is very suited for the baby and children, not to mention the adults.
Olive Oil for Baby Skin: 11 Key Benefits
If you're a new mom and have heard about the benefits of using olive oil for your baby's skin, here is a list to help you learn some more regarding your baby's skin health.
Complexion
If the baby has a dull complexion or if his or skin isn't smooth as you would like it to be, massaging olive oil could be good way to achieve desired results. Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties which soother the baby's skin. Its anti-oxides remove toxins from the skin and help in removing the dullness so that your baby's skin can be bright.
How to: Massage the baby with olive oil thoroughly with olive oil before putting him/her to sleep, about three to four times a week.
Treats Dry Skin
Constantly fluctuating weather, high levels of pollution and dust in the air outside can have harmful effects on your baby's skin. The skin could become dry, and because babies have extra sensitive skin, it could lead to further skin complications. The best way to prevent this is application of olive oil, which is easily absorbed by the baby's skin. It has also been proven by research that application of olive oil on the baby's skin can prevent skin cancer in the future.
Covers Patches
Sometimes patches can appear on the baby's skin due to different reasons such as exposure of sensitive skin to sunlight or due to changing weather or the chemical composition of the water being used. Application of olive oil can get rid of these patches on your baby's skin. Extreme dryness could also cause patches in the skin. Rubbing olive oil on your baby's skin returns the moisture to it and keeps it hydrated, thus eliminating the patches.
Prevents Rashes
Babies have extremely soft skin that is prone to itching and rashes due to constant use of diapers. Diapers sometimes have rough material on the inside and can prevent proper flow of air and dry up the skin. This will cause itchiness of the baby's skin and cause discomfort. Applying olive oil on the affected area can soothe the pain and itch. You can also prevent rashes by applying olive oil mixed with a little warm water, just after the bath and just before putting your baby in a diaper.
Removes Crust
Sometimes different weather conditions such as heat, moisture and dryness can cause a white crust to form on the baby's head. This could also be due to a reaction from a shampoo or a lotion you're using. Applying olive oil just before or after shampooing can remove the crust right off your baby's head.
Keeps Head Skin Healthy
The skin on the baby's head is the area of hair growth. When that skin is healthy, so is the hair. Therefore, you need to maintain and give as much nutrient for it as possible, especially for the baby when their head skin is still under development. Apply olive oil from the hair root to the end, massage for a minute and cover it with shower cup or towel, and leave it for ten minutes for the absorption.
Treats Wrinkles
Sometimes lack of a particular nutrient can cause the skin to wrinkle or lose its elasticity in various parts of the body. This shouldn't happen normally, but you can't really tell for sure. If you see some uncharacteristic wrinkles appearing on your baby's skin, you can apply olive oil on it and massage the area gently. Try to use it in copious amounts so that the skin can absorb as much of the olive oil as possible. This will bring more elasticity to the skin and prevent wrinkles.
Keeps Warm
Since the skin of the baby is quite thin, it has trouble maintaining a warm temperature. The skin gets cold easily and can cause the baby to catch a cold from it as well. You might prefer using lotions or baby creams, but olive oil is most recommended for massage to keep the temperature warm, as it contains natural fats. If you don't like the smell of the oil, you can mix a little bit of fragrant baby oil in it, but always use olive oil to keep your baby warm.
Acts as Protective Layer
Olive oil is easily absorbed by the skin without requiring much effort by the pores, and forms a protective layer around the area of the massage. It also provides a cooling sensation to the baby while it is being absorbed, which helps the baby to relax and rest properly. This promotes good sleep and good health for the baby.
Hair Growth
Olive oil works very efficiently for your baby's hair because it contains a lot of nutrient and vitamins to maintain hair growth. When the baby's head has enough nutrients, hair will grow well and healthy. The dried hair of a new born gets a lot of the required nutrients to become healthy from olive oil and it also helps in maintain hydration.
Sun-Block
You can use olive oil as a great natural sun-block layer. If you are taking your baby out frequently but do not want to use harmful chemical-filled sun protection lotions on him or her, using olive oil is the best option for you. It protects your baby's complexion from dullness or tanning while nourishing his or her skin.
Hope this article was of help for all our parents!! Please share your comments/queries/tips with us and help us create a world full of Happy and Healthy Babies!!
References:
https://fitlife.expertscolumn.com/15-beauty-benefits-olive-oil-how-use-olive-your-beauty-applications-beauty-uses-olive-oil
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Can We Use Olive Oil on Baby Skin
Source: https://parentinghealthybabies.com/olive-oil-baby-skin-benefits/