Kajal on Newborns: Tradition vs Medical Reality

General
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In many Indian households, newborns are welcomed by applying a lot of kajal (kohl) in their eyes and face. This is deeply rooted in Indian tradition. Often seen as a symbol of care towards the newborn, but is it actually care for something else?

Why do people apply kajal to newborns?

A very large part of the Indian community belief on tradition of applying kajal to newborns will help them.

  • Protect them from evil eye( nazar): It is one of the most common beliefs that kajal help is protecting baby from evil eye and negative energy; thus, many people put a dot of kajal and even line the eyes with kajal.
  • Enhancing beauty: Many regions believe that applying kajal on the eyes will make the eyes bigger and improve the baby’s sight.
  • Cooling effect: Kajal has a cooling effect and help in cools the eyes. But do babies need it?

Does it actually work?

No, it doesn’t do any benefit to the baby. As health care professionals, we should strongly discourage applying kajal due to several risks, like:

  1. Risk of infection: Newborns have an immature immune system. Kajal can introduce bacteria into the eyes, leading to infection like conjunctivitis.

  2. Blockage of tear ducts: As the child is still in the developing phase, practices from kajal usually enter the tear duct and can block it, causing watering, swelling, and discomfort.

  3. Lead toxicity: Most of the commercially available kajal products contain lead, which can be very harmful for a newborn. Prolonged lead exposure in an infant can affect brain development and cause long-term neurological issues.

Cultural practices are an important part of an individual’s identity, but they should evolve with medical knowledge. If families strongly want to follow the tradition, a safer alternative, like placing a small dot of kajal away from the eye, like on the head, foot, or behind the ears, can be done.

Kajal for newborns
Kajal for newborns1024×1536 580 KB

What are your views on this? Is following traditions that important?

MBH/AB

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As clinicians, we often have to navigate the fine line between cultural sensitivity and medical safety. We should educate parents regarding the risk of applying kajal as the newborns eyes are incredibly delicate.

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Yes so good

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Knowing the reason behind a tradition is very crucial. In past times natural things had benefits for them, like in kajal there was incorporation of camphor, which used to give a cooling effect when used in a proper way. In today’s time, the incorporation of chemical and harmful substances needs to be addressed.

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Interesting

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Yes exactly :raising_hands:

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Yes thank you for sharing this information

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Thank you

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True, I’ve seen this practice where newborn babies’ eyes are fully covered with kajal. I used to think about it always.
Following traditions do hold value, it equally important to look at them from a medical perspective and understand what’s actually safe for the child.

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Exactly!! Thank you for sharing your views

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I feel doctors should make it a point to tell the family about the bad effects of kajal because in India no one listens to a new mother. Maybe, pointing this out directly to the elders will make a difference.

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nowadays, this generation is literate enough to understand the traditional rituals and actual medical benefits. It’s really good to know awareness is overcoming the beliefs.

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Honestly speaking, I have personally tried it and even scolded many elders; they usually say yes, yes, we’ll not apply, but after stepping out of the hospital, it’s the first thing they do. Some people do not want to change. And this stubborn nature of many rural people creates a huge mess in the long run.

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Yes

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That’s so good

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