No trial has tested ghee for baby massage, so nobody can say it is safe or better than an oil. The guidance that exists advises no oils in the first month, names sunflower, coconut or mineral oil as preferred, and keeps everything off the cord stump. Here is what it says, and where ghee fits.
Follow your doctor's or paediatrician's advice before massaging your baby with ghee or any oil, and especially if your baby was born early or has eczema, broken skin or a milk allergy. This article is about rubbing ghee into the skin; for eating it, see ghee for babies.
At a glance
- PubMed searches on 13 October 2026 for ghee with massage returned 2 papers, neither about babies; we found no trial of ghee on infant skin.
- The 2013 Cochrane review of infant massage included 34 studies, 20 at high risk of bias, and concluded the findings "do not currently support" massage for low-risk babies under six months.
- WHO's 2022 postnatal guideline says gentle whole-body massage "may be considered" for term, healthy newborns, on low to very low certainty evidence.
- The NHS advises avoiding lotions or oils until a baby is at least 1 month old.
- The Indian Academy of Pediatrics' 2021 guideline prefers sunflower, coconut or mineral oil, advises against olive and mustard oil, and does not mention ghee.
Is it safe to massage a baby with ghee?
Nobody knows, because no one has studied it. We searched PubMed for ghee with massage and found 2 papers, neither about babies. Ghee with babies, infants or newborns brought up feeding surveys, lung problems after fat was breathed in, and ghee put on the umbilical cord. None tested massage.
Himdhara makes ghee, and we still cannot point you to a single study of it on a baby's skin.
What do systematic reviews say about baby massage itself?
The evidence is weak and the two main bodies read it differently. A 2013 Cochrane review found poor-quality studies and did not support massage for low-risk babies. WHO's 2022 guideline says gentle massage may be considered for healthy term newborns, while calling its evidence low to very low certainty.
The Cochrane review by Bennett and colleagues pooled 34 randomised studies of healthy babies under six months; 20 were judged at high risk of bias. Results for weight, length and head circumference favoured massage, but when studies at high risk of bias were set aside, only length stayed significant. The authors concluded the findings "do not currently support the use of infant massage with low-risk groups".
The WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care rest on a review of 30 trials with 3,826 newborns. It is uncertain, WHO says, whether massage changes weight, sleep or development; low-certainty evidence suggests it may increase length. WHO also finds "insufficient evidence on the effectiveness of the use of emollients for massage".
Does the oil matter? What trials of massage oils found
Possibly, but the trials are of plant oils, not ghee, and the results are mixed. A pilot trial found olive and sunflower oil less helpful to one skin-barrier measure than no oil. A Nepal trial found little difference between sunflower and mustard oil. A 2022 Cochrane review found emollients probably raise skin-infection risk in healthy babies.
- Olive and sunflower oil against no oil. A 2016 pilot trial randomised 115 healthy term babies to olive oil, sunflower oil or no oil. Both oil groups had better skin hydration but less improvement in the structure of the skin's lipid layers than babies given no oil. It was not powered for clinical outcomes; the authors urge caution in recommending oils for newborn skin.
- Sunflower against mustard oil. A cluster-randomised trial of 995 newborns in Nepal found no significant difference in redness, rash, dryness or water loss through the skin. Skin acidity developed slightly faster with sunflower oil.
- Emollients in general. The 2022 Cochrane review by Kelleher and colleagues covered 33 trials with 25,827 participants. In healthy babies, skin-care products such as emollients probably do not change the risk of eczema, probably increase the risk of skin infection, and may increase the risk of food allergy (low certainty).
For babies born early, the evidence is separate and mostly from hospitals. A 2021 Cochrane review of 22 trials in preterm babies found that plant oils may reduce serious infection but have little or no effect on deaths, both on low-certainty evidence.
Ghee, mustard, coconut and sunflower oil compared
"Guideline" here means the Indian Academy of Pediatrics' 2021 skin-care guideline, a recommendation from a professional body.
| Massage fat | What trials or guidelines say | Cautions |
|---|---|---|
| Ghee | No trial on infant skin; not mentioned in the IAP guideline | A milk product; ask first if your baby has a milk allergy. Keep off the cord stump. |
| Mustard oil | IAP: should not be used (strong recommendation). Nepal trial of 995 newborns: no significant skin difference from sunflower oil | IAP says it has been shown to cause irritant and allergic contact dermatitis |
| Coconut oil | IAP: among the preferred oils. One Indian trial of 64 preterm babies, coconut against mineral oil, recorded no infections or deaths in either group (2021 Cochrane review) | Preterm babies: only on medical advice |
| Sunflower oil | IAP: among the preferred oils. Pilot trial of 115 babies: better hydration, less improvement in skin lipid structure than no oil | The pilot's authors urge caution with any oil on newborn skin |
The IAP guideline says olive and mustard oil "disrupt the skin barrier" and recommends linoleic-rich oils such as sunflower. Some studies it cites for this were on adult skin.
When can you start using oil on a newborn's skin?
Not in the first month, on NHS advice. The NHS says to avoid lotions or oils until a baby is at least 1 month old and to bath with plain water only for at least that long. Over that first month, or longer for premature babies, the outer layer of skin matures.
The NHS page on bathing your baby suggests after a bath as a good time for massage. Its page on getting to know your newborn explains that the top layer of skin is "very thin and easily damaged" at birth. WHO separately does not recommend routinely applying emollients, including oils, to healthy term newborns without massage to stop skin problems, finding the evidence on benefits and harms insufficient.
On testing a new oil first, the NHS England pages we opened say nothing. An NHS Lothian physiotherapy leaflet for babies in its hospital says the baby's skin "must be tested the day before" massage with oil. The unit uses sunflower oil and asks parents to check with the nurse before using any other oil.
Which babies need a doctor's go-ahead first?
Babies born early, babies with eczema or broken skin, and babies with a known or suspected milk allergy. For each, the evidence on oils is different or thin, and ghee is untested. Ask your paediatrician before any massage fat touches their skin.
- Preterm babies. Their skin takes longer to mature, according to the NHS, and the oil trials in preterm babies were mostly run in hospitals.
- Eczema or broken skin. The 2022 Cochrane review left out babies who already had a skin condition, so its findings do not cover them.
- Milk allergy. The allergy charity FARE says cow's milk allergy is the most common food allergy in infants and young children and lists ghee among milk ingredients to avoid in food. It does not discuss skin contact. More is in ghee and milk allergy.
Why should ghee never go on the umbilical cord?
Because every guideline we opened says to keep the cord stump clean and dry with nothing applied. WHO recommends clean, dry cord care. The IAP says the stump "must be kept clean without any application". The NHS says to keep it clean and dry until it drops off, usually in about a week.
Ghee on the cord has a history. A 1999 case-control study of 229 babies with neonatal tetanus and 687 matched controls in Punjab, Pakistan found nearly a third of babies had ghee applied to the cord. Only ghee heated over dried cow-dung fuel was significantly linked to tetanus. A case-control study shows an association, not a cause, but WHO names animal dung as a harmful traditional substance on the cord.
If your doctor agrees, how should you go about it?
Gently, on intact skin, after the first month, and stopping if your baby objects or the skin reacts. These steps combine the NHS, WHO and Indian paediatric advice above. None of it was written with ghee in mind, so your doctor's word comes first.
- Ask your doctor or health visitor, and wait until your baby is at least a month old.
- Test the oil on your baby's skin the day before, as the NHS Lothian leaflet advises.
- Use clean hands, a warm room and slow, gentle strokes. The IAP adds short nails and no jewellery.
- Keep everything off the cord stump and away from broken or irritated skin.
- Watch your baby. WHO says their reactions must be respected; stop if they fuss or the skin reddens, and tell your doctor about any rash.
For ghee on your own skin, see ghee for face and skin.
The short version
No trial has tested ghee for baby massage, so its safety and value on a baby's skin are unknown. Reviews of massage itself rate the evidence poor to very low certainty; WHO says gentle massage may be considered, while Cochrane did not support it for low-risk babies. The NHS advises no oils in the first month, the IAP prefers sunflower, coconut or mineral oil, and every guideline we opened keeps the cord stump free of anything. Ask your paediatrician first, especially for a preterm baby, eczema, broken skin or a milk allergy.
Sources
Further reading behind the figures above. Himdhara's own numbers — yields, batch results — come from our production records and the batch reports on the lab reports page.
- Bennett C, Underdown A, Barlow J (2013). Massage for promoting mental and physical health in typically developing infants under the age of six months. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
- World Health Organization (2022). WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience. WHO.
- Madhu R, Vijayabhaskar C, Anandan V, et al. (2021). Indian Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines for Pediatric Skin Care. Indian Pediatrics.
- Kelleher MM, Phillips R, Brown SJ, et al. (2022). Skin care interventions in infants for preventing eczema and food allergy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
- NHS (2025). Bathing your baby. NHS, Best Start in Life.