Why You Might Want To Avoid Essential Oils

Don’t you just love how delightful and fresh essential oils smell? They have enhanced lives with their fragrances for thousands of years now. These oils are obtained for their distinct scents that can trigger emotions that are complex or pleasant. Sounds harmless, doesn’t it? But, essential oils are highly concentrated plant constituents that may have certain dangerous elements in them as well. Their fragrances can soothe, and they do have some proven benefits, but they can also have harmful side effects. Despite the fact that they have aromatherapy benefits, essential oils may cause irritation and allergic reactions to sensitive skin. All that is natural need not be necessarily good for you. Here are a few reasons why you might want to avoid essential oils.

• Skin Burns And Discoloration

Did you know that certain essential oils can damage your skin in the sun? Yes, that’s right. After you apply certain essential oils, if you remain indoors, there is no problem. But the moment you step out, your skin can experience a burning sensation in the sunlight. A few essential oils exhibit photosensitizing properties on your skin that causes "sunburns" and discoloration of the skin to a certain extent. These mild reactions tend to worsen slowly and turn into oozing burns and swellings. There are several essential oils that may be toxic and can cause severe damage to your skin even through mild contact. So, it might be best to avoid them.

Some oils that you might want to avoid before stepping out in the sun are citrus oils such as Grapefruit oil, Lemon oils, Bergamot and Lime oils. These essential oils contain properties that are phototoxic and may cause harm to the skin under the sun. Hence use them with caution.

• Risks Of Consumption

Just because essential oils are natural, it does not mean they are safe for consumption. Some enthusiasts may try to take them orally, but health specialists recommend not to do that. These oils are highly concentrated and sometimes contain toxic properties. If they are consumed directly, your body might develop allergic reactions such as vomiting, blurrred vision, diarrhea and nausea. In severe cases, the substances present in essential oils can cause miscarriage if consumed directly. If not fatal, some oils may cause potential side effects that may get worse with time.

• Irritation And Skin Allergy

If an essential oil has the potential to bring relief to you, there are also chances of it causing discomfort. Always make sure to test the essential oil on a small area of the skin before going all in. It may be diluted in a carrier oil, but still, if it causes a reaction on your skin, it will worsen in no time. Avoid going overboard with essential oils if your skin is sensitive and prone to allergies. Also, to protect yourself from skin damage, do not use them undiluted. If you want to prevent skin irritation, keep a check on the amount of essential oils you use. If you are allergic to a certain ingredient in your food, you are probably allergic to it in topical products too. Highly concentrated oils of Cinnamon and Frankincense are most likely to cause irritation to sensitive skin.

• Dangerous Side Effects

If you have any health or skin conditions, you should completely avoid any interaction with essential oils. If you have breathing issues, the strong fragrances may hinder proper breathing. If you have skin allergies or any other problems, using essential oils may worsen the condition. Essential oils should be used only after taking proper precautions and consulting with your skin specialist. Don’t assume that every oil is safe to be directly used on your skin. It is not recommended to use essential oils during pregnancy or childbirth as they may cause harm.

Many factors can transform an essential oil into something slightly harmful, uncomfortable, or even toxic. It could be due to lack of proper dosage, purity, application or ingestion. It’s true that essential oils may not be problematic to everyone. But if you have sensitive skin avoid using essential oils. You may assume that just because they are all natural ingredients, they may not do any damage, but there are harmful natural ingredients too. These ingredients can cause inflammation, redness, and even disturb the natural pH balance of your skin. So, before you try an essential oil, do your research, there is more to them than meets the eye.

References:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allure-magazine/the-surprising-reason-you_b_9188586.html

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/dangerous-side-effects-of-peppermint-oil/

http://www.allure.com/story/essential-oil-skin-irritation