Always refer to an Aromatherapist or health care professional before using any essential oils to treat any medical conditions. Some essential oils should be diluted when necessary before applying to skin. Essential oils are highly concentrated and only a small amount is required. If too much essential oil has been applied to the skin and irritation occurs, please use a carrier or vegetable oil rather than water to dilute the area and remove the oil with a tissue. Do not digest essential oils without the advice of a fully qualified Medicinal Aromatherapist. It is illegal in Australia for aromatherapists to prescribe the ingestion of essential oils. If ingested please consult a health specialist. This website will not be responsible for any harm or damages caused by incorrect usage of any essential oils purchased through us. Always keep out of reach with children and consult a medical practitioner before use during pregnancy or on children. The essential oils that we sell are safe if used as directed.
A consultation service with a certified aromatherapist is unavailable at this time due to being on maternity leave. Please consult a health care professional before purchasing if you have questions.
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ESSENTIAL OIL PRECAUTIONS TO CONSIDER
Essential oils are approximately 70 times stronger than the plant that they came from, and it doesn't automatically make them safe because they are natural. Essential oils pose little or no risk if used correctly. Always consult a health care professional before using to treat medical conditions. The information on this page is for educational purposes only.
Below is a list of some general essential oil precautions to take into consideration.
Primary variables to consider :
- The method of application
- How much of the essential oil is to be used for treatment
- The person being treated
- The potential toxicity of the essential oil and any drug interactions
- The purity and freshness of the essential oil.
GENERAL USAGE – For external use only. Keep away from eyes and other mucous membranes ( mouth, vagina and rectum) . Specialised suppositories may be prescribed and created by a certified aromatherapist only. Do not operate equipment or vehicles after use of relaxation or sleep inducing oils and vary prolonged or constant use of the same essential oil. Some essential oils used for sleep may do the opposite if used in excess.
DO NOT INGEST – It is against the law in Australia for aromatherapists to recommend or prescribe the ingestion of essential oils. This level of knowledge should only be available from those who have studied Advanced Aromatic Medicine. Related Article : Should I ingest essential oils?
VENTILATION – Essential oils are concentrated, and exposure to excess or concentrated essential oils can cause headaches or other symptoms. Use with caution and adequate ventilation.
PATCH TEST – Put a few drops of any new or suspect oil on the back of your wrist or inside forearm, cover with a bandage and leave on for up to a day. If irritation, itching or redness occur, use a plain cream or vegetable oil to dilute and help remove the essential oil, then wash in warm soapy water. Discontinue use or reduce the concentration level used.
NEAT APPLICATION – Essential oils should not be applied directly to the skin unless advised by a qualified aromatherapist. Related Article : Essential Oil Topical Dilutions
PHOTOTOXICITY – These oils can cause skin pigmentation and irritation if exposed to direct sunlight. These oils include angelica root, bergamot, cumin, ginger, grapefruit, lemon, lime, lovage, mandarin, orange and verbena. Skin should not be exposed to sunlight for approximately 48 hours after using these oils.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE – hypertense individuals should avoid hyssop, rosemary, Spanish and common sage and thyme.
EPILEPSY – Due to their powerful action on the nervous system avoid camphor, sweet fennel, hyssop, rosemary and all types of sage. Other essential oils with powerful smells might initiate such attacks.
DIABETES – Avoid angelica.
PREGNANCY – Because of uterine stimulation or possible toxicity, during pregnancy use a maximum of 2% dilution of essential oils in a cream or carrier oil and avoid : ajowan, angelica, star anise, aniseed, basil, bay laurel, calamintha, all types of cedarwood, celery seed, cinnamon leaf, citronella, clary sage, clove, cumin, sweet fennel, hyssop, juniper, labdanum, lovage, marjoram, myrrh, nutmeg, parsley, peppermint, rose, rosemary, Spanish sage, snakeroot, spearmint, tarragon and white thyme. Related Article : Essential oils for pregnancy, breastfeeding & baby
SKIN SENSITISATION – For individuals with very sensitive skin or allergic sensitivity some oils my cause a reaction. Test patch for individual sensitization French basil, bay laurel, benzoin, cade, cananga, coriander, cubeba, Virginian cedarwood, Roman and German chamomile, citronella, geranium, ginger, hops, jasmine, lemon, lemongrass, lemon balm, litsea, lovage, mastic, mint, orange, Peru balsam, Scotch and long leaf pine needle, styrax, tea tree, white thyme, tolu balsam, turmeric, turpentine pine, valerian, vanilla, verbena, violet, yarrow and ylang ylang. Reduce the chances of acquiring a sensitivity reaction from constant use of the same oil over several years by varying your choices.
DERMAL IRRITATION – Some oils may irritate the skin, especially for sensitive individuals or in high concentrations. Dilute these oils in half the usual strength and don’t use more than three drops when bathing. These oils include ajowan, allspice, aniseed, sweet basil, borneol, cajeput, caraway, Virginian cedarwood, cinnamon, clove bud, cornmint, eucalyptus, ginger, lemon, lemongrass, parsley, peppermint, Scotch and long leaf pine needle, white thyme and turmeric.
TOXICITY – Some oils should be limited to use for not longer than two week intervals and used in moderation because of toxicity levels and include ajowan, star anise, aniseed, exotic basil, bay laurel, West Indian calamintha, white camphor, cascarrilla bark, cassie, Virginian cedarwood, cinnamon, clove bud, coriander, eucalyptus, sweet fennel, hops, hyssop, juniper, nutmeg, parsley, Spanish sage, tagetes, tarragon, white thyme, tuberose, turmeric, turpentine pine and valerian.
HAZARDOUS OILS – You should consult an aromatherapist for specific information about these types of essential oils because they are considered to be hazardous in inexperienced hands or can cause severe dermal irritation. These oils include bitter almond, arnica, boldo, broom, buchu, calamus, brown and yellow camphor, cassia, chervil, cinnamon bark, costus, deertongue, elecampane, bitter fennel, horseradish, jaborandi, melilotus, mugwort, mustard, oregano, pennyroyal, dwarf pine, rue, common sage, santolina, sassafras, savine, savory, tansy, thuja, red thyme, tonka, wintergreen, wormseed and wormwood.
MEDICAL ATTENTION – Discontinue use if redness, burning, irritation or itching occur. Follow warnings, precautions and seek medical attention for any problems.
Please always consult with a health care practitioner such as a certified aromatherapist if you have any questions.
A great book on essential oil safety information is :
'Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals'
by Robert Tisserand
Hello Kirsten,
ReplyDeleteThis is such a nice post. Thank you for your essential and useful share. Aromatherapy is very good for health and essential oil too.