Essential oils have been getting a lot of buzzes recently for helping with everything from headaches to sleep to sore throats. But do these concentrated plant-based oils really work?
Essential oils can make a positive impact on our health and well-being as long as we use them in a safe way.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils basically are plant extracts. They’re made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves, or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. It can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil. In addition to creating a scent, essential oils also perform other functions.
What Are Essential Oils Good For?
Although people claim essential oils are natural remedies for a number of ailments, there’s not enough research to determine their effectiveness in human health. Results of lab studies are promising — one at Johns Hopkins found that certain essential oils could kill a type of Lyme bacteria better than antibiotics — but results in human clinical trials are mixed.
Some studies indicate that there’s a benefit to using essential oils while others show no improvement in symptoms. Clinical trials have looked at whether essential oils can alleviate conditions such as Anxiety, Depression, Nausea, Insomnia, Low appetite, Dry mouth.
The safest ways to use essential oils include:
.
Aroma Diffusers:
Certain Laboratory results advise using essential oil diffusers because small household appliances that create scented vapor. Diffusion in a public area or household with multiple members can affect people differently. If we use it in the right way with the right time lag, it will be better for our bodies.
Aromatherapy accessories:
Necklaces, bracelets, and keychains made with absorbent materials you apply essential oils to and sniff throughout the day.
Body oil:
A mixture of essential oils with a carrier oil such as olive, jojoba or coconut oil that can be massaged into skin. Because essential oils are concentrated, they can cause irritation. Avoid using them full-strength on skin.
Aroma stick:
Also called an essential oil inhaler, these portable plastic sticks have an absorbent wick that soaks up the essential oil. They come with a cover to keep the scent under wraps until you’re ready.
Allergic reactions to essential oils
A small number of people may experience irritation or allergic reactions to certain essential oils. You’re more likely to have a bad reaction if you have atopic dermatitis or a history of reactions to topical products. Although you can experience a reaction to any essential oil, some are more likely to be problematic, including:
Oregano oil
Cinnamon bark oil
Jasmine oil
Lemongrass oil
Ylang-ylang oil
Chamomile oil
Bergamot oil
Because pure essential oils are potent, diluting them in carrier oil is the best way to avoid a bad reaction when applying directly to the skin. If you get a red, itchy rash or hives after applying essential oils, see a doctor. You may be having an allergic reaction.
Dos and Don’ts of Essential oils
Do Try It If You’are Anxious
Simple smells such as lavender, chamomile, and rosewater may help keep you calm. You can breathe in or rub diluted versions of these oils on your skin. Scientists think they work by sending chemical messages to parts of the brain that affect mood and emotion. Although these scents alone won’t take all your stress away, the aroma may help you relax.
DON’T Just Rub Them Anywhere
Oils that are fine on your arms and legs may not be safe to put inside your mouth, nose, eyes, or private parts. Lemongrass, peppermint, and cinnamon bark are some examples.
DO Check the Quality
Look for a trusted producer that makes pure oils without anything added. You’re more likely to have an allergic reaction to oils that have other ingredients. Not all extras are bad. Some added vegetable oil may be normal for certain more expensive essential oils.
DON’T Trust Buzzwords
Just because it’s from a plant doesn’t mean it’s safe to rub on your skin, or breathe, or eat, even if it’s “pure.” Natural substances can be irritating, toxic, or cause allergic reactions. Like anything else you put on your skin, it’s best to test a little bit on a small area and see how your skin responds.
DO Toss Out Older Oils
In general, don’t keep them more than 3 years. Older oils are more likely to be spoiled because of exposure to oxygen. They may not work as well and could irritate your skin or cause an allergic reaction. If you see a big change in the way an oil looks, feels, or smells, you should throw it out, because it has probably spoiled.
DON’T Put Edible Oils On Your Skin
Cumin oil, which is safe to use in your food, can cause blisters if you put it on your skin. Citrus oils that are safe in your food may be bad for your skin, especially if you go out into the sun. And the opposite is true, too. Eucalyptus or sage oil may soothe you if you rub it on your skin or breathe it in. But swallowing them could can cause a serious complication, like a seizure.
DO Tell Your Doctor
Your doctor can make sure it’s safe for you and rule out any side effects, like affecting your prescriptions. For example, peppermint and eucalyptus oils may change how your body absorbs the cancer drug 5-fluorouracil from the skin. Or an allergic reaction may cause rashes, hives, or breathing problems.
DO Dilute Them
Undiluted oils are too strong to use straight. You’ll need to dilute them, usually with vegetable oils or creams or bath gels, to a solution that only has a little bit — 1% to 5% — of the essential oil. Exactly how much can vary. The higher the percentage, the more likely you are to have a reaction, so it’s important to mix them correctly.
DON’T Use On Damaged Skin
Injured or inflamed skin will absorb more oil and may cause unwanted skin reactions. Undiluted oils, which you shouldn’t use at all, can be downright dangerous on damaged skin.
DO Consider Age
Young children and the elderly may be more sensitive to essential oils. So you may need to dilute them more. And you should totally avoid some oils, like birch and wintergreen. In even small amounts, those may cause serious problems in kids 6 or younger because they contain a chemical called methyl salicylate. Don’t use essential oils on a baby unless your pediatrician says it’s OK.
DON’T Forget to Store Them Safely
They can be very concentrated and may cause serious health problems, especially if used at the wrong dose or in the wrong way. Just like anything else that little hands shouldn’t be able to reach, don’t make your essential oils too handy. If you have young children, keep all essential oils locked away out of their sight and reach.
DO Stop Use if Your Skin Reacts
Your skin might love essential oils. But if it doesn’t — and you notice a rash, little bumps, boils, or just itchy skin — take a break. More of the same oil can make it worse. Whether you mixed it yourself or it’s an ingredient in a ready-made cream, oil, or aromatherapy product, gently wash it off with water.
DO Choose Your Therapist Carefully
If you look for a professional aromatherapist, do your homework. By law, they don’t have to have training or a license. But you can check to see if yours went to a school certified by a professional organizations like National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.
DON’T Overdo It
More of a good thing is not always good. Even when diluted, an essential oil can cause a bad reaction if you use too much or use it too often. That’s true even if you’re not allergic or unusually sensitive to them.
DON’T Be Afraid to Try Them
Used the right way, they can help you feel better with few side effects. For example, you may feel less nauseated from chemotherapy cancer treatment if you breathe in ginger vapors. You may be able to fight certain bacterial or fungal infections, including the dangerous MRSA bacteria, with tea tree oil. In one study, tea tree oil was as effective as a prescription antifungal cream in easing symptoms of a fungal foot infection.
DO Take Care if Pregnant
Some essential massage oils may make their way into the placenta, an organ in your uterus that grows along with your baby and helps to nourish it. It’s not clear if this causes any problems, unless you take toxic amounts, but to be safe, it’s best to avoid certain oils if you’re pregnant. Those include wormwood, rue, oak moss, Lavandula stoechas, camphor, parsley seed, sage, and hyssop. Ask your doctor if you’re unsure.
