TRADITIONAL SALTING PRACTICES IN UNANI MEDICINE: EVALUATING BENEFITS AND RISKS IN CLASSICAL AND MODERN CONTEXTS

Traditional neonatal salting practices from ancient time, particularly as outlined in Unani medicine under the term "Tamlīḥ," have deep historical roots. From a Unani viewpoint, Tamlīḥ (salting) promotes the elimination of excessive moisture, hardens the skin, reduce sweating, removes bad smell, strengthen muscle, prevent infection and protects against foreign agents and from heat and cold and may improve wound healing. This article examines the contributions and views of major Unani philosophers Galen (Jalinoos), Ibn Zuhr, Ibn Sina, and others as presented in Unani literature. These views are contextualized with their stated techniques, the materials used, and their reasoning. Moreover, the paper evaluates the physiological impacts of these methods on neonatal skin, comparing their immediate and long-term outcomes in both Unani and modern biomedical frameworks. Special emphasis is placed on differences in skin anatomy and physiology between neonates and adults, highlighting how salting practices may alter or influence neonatal skin development, positively or negatively.