Olive Oil for Baby Hair – Benefits and Usage

You might feel like all babies tend to have similar hair when they are born, but a closer look might reveal they all have different hair texture, length, and volume. This is where parents begin to question whether olive oil is good for improving the health of babies’ hair. Not only is it good, but it is also highly recommended for treating certain hair conditions and keeping your little one’s scalp healthy and clean. Using olive oil for baby hair has a documented effect on accelerating hair growth and gifting your little one with a mane they can be proud of.

Can You Use Olive Oil on Your Baby’s Hair?

Olive oil is safe to use on your baby’s hair. Moreover, it has various benefits that keep your baby’s head healthy and happy. However, if you notice that your baby has cradle cap, then you shouldn’t use olive oil as it can increase the risk of a yeast infection (1).

Benefits of Using Olive Oil for Infant’s Hair

Many people recommend olive oil for baby hair growth, and they have good reasons. Olive oil’s benefits range from improving hair health to protecting against potential infections.

1. Improving the Manageability of Hair

Some babies tend to have dry hair and miss essential nourishment. Their hair gets entangled easily. Warm olive oil can quickly resolve the issue.

2. Improved Hair Texture

Olive oil contains many elements, mainly antioxidants and vitamins A and E. All of these work together to maintain a substantial amount of keratin in the baby’s hair. This works by trapping moisture within the hair, making it healthier and shinier (2). It also stimulates the formation of new hair.

3. Treats Eczema of the Scalp

At times, your baby might have specific patches on the scalp that are scaly and flaky and cause a lot of itching and redness. These can even result in conditions such as psoriasis or the formation of fungi. Squalene in olive oil helps retain the skin’s moisture and prevents such conditions from occurring in the first place (3).

4. Removes Dandruff

Another side effect of a dry scalp is the presence of dandruff. All it takes is a little olive oil with lemon juice and a gentle scalp massage to get rid of dandruff within no time. The acidic action of lemon removes dandruff, while the olive oil moisturises the skin.

5. Improved Hair Growth

A head massage with olive oil is highly recommended for babies to improve the thickness of their tuft. Vitamin E is essential in reducing hair fall and removing the frizz present in the hair.

6. Presence Of Fatty Acids

Olive oil helps protect the damaged layer of the hair, thanks to the presence of fatty acids. These not only improve the scalp but end up making the hair smoother, too.

7. Presence Of Antioxidants

Besides the vitamins, antioxidants are present in substantial quantities in olive oil. These are essential to keep the scalp healthy and protected from external factors such as weather and pollution.

8. Enhanced Moisturising Ability

The presence of vitamin E is what makes olive oil such a great moisturiser. This is also what allows it to combat dry scalp.

9. Better Hair Strength

For baby hair that seems to have lost its sheen, olive oil returns the moisture to it and softens the texture, making it shine again.

10. Prevention Of Hair Grease

Cleansing the scalp is highly needed to prevent the formation of sebum that restricts new hair growth. The presence of polyphenols in olive oil does the trick and removes any dry hair.

11. Protection From Infection

Babies tend to suffer from problems such as head lice or fungal infections. Olive oil contains strong anti-bacterial properties that help in combating such infections effectively.

12. Relief From Itchy Scalp

The presence of dry hair and scales on the scalp can make your baby suffer from an itchy head. Massage his head with olive oil to prevent it from getting inflamed, which brings almost immediate relief.

How To Apply Olive Oil On Your Baby’s Hair?

When applying olive oil to your little one’s hair, the procedure is simple, but you must take only a few precautions.

• Start by applying a little olive oil directly to your baby’s scalp.
• Massage it with a soft brush or cloth and let it soak for 8-10 minutes.
• Once done, use shampoo and water to rinse the scalp properly and wash it off. Repeat to clean it thoroughly.

FAQs

1. Is olive oil safe to use on a baby’s scalp?

Yes, olive oil is safe for your baby’s scalp as long as they don’t have cradle cap. It contains Vitamins A and E and nourishing fatty acids that lock in moisture, strengthen the roots, and add shine to your baby’s mane.

2. Can I leave oil oil on my baby’s hair overnight?

Yes, you can safely apply oil to your baby’s hair and leave it in overnight. However, if your infant is prone to catching a cold, washing it off before bedtime is best.

If you are considering olive oil for bay hair growth, choose alternatives with the fewest preservatives and as natural and organic as possible. This reduces the chances of your baby suffering from an allergic reaction and ensures that your baby receives the most benefits.

References/Resources:

1. Cradle Cap; Seattle Children’s; https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/cradle-cap/

2. Vossen, P.; Olive Oil: History, Production, and Characteristics of the World’s Classic Oils; HortScience shorts; https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/42/5/article-p1093.xml; 2007

3. Bilal, R. M., Liu, C., Zhao, H., Wang, Y., Farag, M. R., Alagawany, M., Hassan, F. U., Elnesr, S. S., Elwan, H. A. M., Qiu, H., & Lin, Q.; Olive Oil: Nutritional Applications, Beneficial Health Aspects and its Prospective Application in Poultry Production.; Frontiers in pharmacology; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8424077/; 2021

Also Read: 

Tips for Baby Hair Growth
Essential Tips for Baby Hair Care
How to Wash Your Baby’s Hair
Shaving a Baby’s Hair To Make It Thicker – Fact or Myth

Our Editorial Policy

Parenting is a huge responsibility, for you as a caregiver, but also for us as a parenting content platform. We understand that and take our responsibility of creating credible content seriously. FirstCry Parenting articles are written and published only after extensive research using factually sound references to deliver quality content that is accurate, validated by experts, and completely reliable. To understand how we go about creating content that is credible, read our editorial policy here.