Can infants take a bath with shower gel?

Sep 09, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng

Introduction

In general, whether infants can use shower gel depends on their age in months, skin condition, and the type of shower gel. Infants who are older and have healthy skin may use shower gel specifically formulated for infants, while newborns or infants with sensitive or damaged skin are not recommended to use it. To protect infant skin health, water temperature should be controlled between 38-40°C when bathing infants routinely.

Generally speaking, whether infants can use shower gel depends on their age, skin condition, and the type of shower gel. Infants who are older with healthy skin may use baby-specific shower gel, while newborns or infants with sensitive or damaged skin are not recommended to use it. Detailed analysis is as follows:

If the infant is over one month old, with gradually developing and maturing skin barrier function and no skin problems such as redness or eczema, baby-specific shower gel can be used. These shower gels usually have a mild and non-irritating formula with a pH close to that of infant skin, effectively cleaning sweat and dirt from the skin surface while minimizing skin irritation.

For newborns whose skin is tender and fragile with underdeveloped barrier function, or those with conditions such as eczema, diaper rash, or skin damage, using shower gel is not recommended. Newborns only need to be cleaned with warm water daily, as using shower gel may disrupt the natural oil layer on the skin surface, worsening dryness or irritating existing skin issues.

To protect infant skin health, when bathing infants, control the water temperature at 38-40℃, and keep the bathing time under 10 minutes. If using shower gel, once or twice per week is sufficient, and it's unnecessary to use it every time. After bathing, promptly dry the infant and ensure adequate warmth and skin moisturizing.

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