Aromatherapy is currently classified as a complementary therapy in most countries, but in the UK, France and Australia, aromatherapy is included in the scope of medical treatment, in conjunction with medication, so that the body recovers more quickly. Essential oils are fascinating because they have a pleasant scent that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also have a magical medical effect, making them a good remedy for health and beauty.
There are many ways to use essential oils, and different methods can be varied according to individual needs, the characteristics of different essential oils, and the medical benefits to be achieved. However, it is important to understand the contraindications of using essential oils so as not to cause regrets. In particular, many essential oils contain toxic ketones, which have always been contraindicated for pregnant women and infants, and should not be used in high doses for long periods of time. Generally speaking, the use of essential oils is divided into external and internal. Regardless of whether they are taken internally or externally, it is important to understand the characteristics of each essential oil beforehand and use them with caution, including the amount, time and place of use, and mixing of different essential oils. Almost all essential oil experts do not agree that beginners should take essential oils internally, and should be professionally instructed to do so. For example, if you are pregnant, you should be extra vigilant when using essential oils and be aware of the properties of the oils you are using, as some oils are not suitable for high blood pressure, pregnancy, heart disease, epilepsy, diabetes, infants, or children under the age of 6 years old.
How to use essential oils safely, you must pay attention to the following points:
1. Before using a new essential oil, it is best to do a skin test to avoid allergies.
Simple skin test:
Add one drop of essential oil (1% dilution) to 10ml of carrier oil, wipe it on the elbow or the inside of the wrist, and leave it on the skin for twenty-four hours without washing it off, if there is no redness or irritation, it means that you can accept it. The most important thing is that you can test six essential oils at a time, but you have to keep track of what essential oils are applied to what parts of the body so that you can be sure that they are suitable for what you want to do.
2. Essential oils must be diluted before use. Essential oils are usually not applied directly to the skin (currently only lavender or tea tree are considered safe for direct use), but have to be diluted with a carrier oil before they can be used on the skin.
3. Do not take any essential oils internally unless you are knowledgeable and have been advised by an experienced aromatherapist or physician.
4. Wounds, infections, inflammations, venous tumors, and epidermal abrasions or ruptures on the skin should not be massaged with essential oils.
5. When you have a high fever, don't massage your body with essential oils, but apply a compress (i.e., a few drops of essential oils on a towel that draws water) is more appropriate.
6. Some essential oils have a spinning spin, in other words, they will make the skin become more sensitive in the sun, so after using these essential oils, at least one hour before contact with the sun. The most common type of essential oils with high sensitivities are citrus oils.
7. Because the molecules of essential oils are extremely small, they can easily penetrate into the body through the skin, so massage with essential oils can be very effective, but pregnant women and infants are best advised to understand the characteristics of essential oils before using them.
8. The same essential oils should not be used every day, and it is better to use several different oils alternately, and change them once every two weeks
Absolute attention to the code - essential oils and eyes
Essential oils should never touch your eyes, not even when diluted, this is the general common sense. This is common sense. But what if essential oils accidentally get into your eyes? Remember, never rinse with water, it will only make the situation worse, the best way is to quickly rinse with almond oil, olive oil or sunflower oil and other pure essential oils. If the amount of essential oils in your eyes is too much, or if your eyes are in constant or severe pain, then you should contact your doctor or emergency center.
As for the treatment of conjunctivitis and other infections, you can choose to use eye compresses. Especially at night when you sleep, you can use chamomile tea bags, cooled on the eyes. Since eye infections are highly contagious, the patient's two eyes can easily infect each other and others. Therefore, patients and other people, must pay special attention to the work of hand washing, rinsing the eyes and washing the instruments used by the patient, must also pay special attention to the work of cleaning and disinfection.
Essential oil therapy has become a great way for people to improve their lives, pursue nature and health, and transform their bodies and minds. However, as you may have noticed, many of the essential oils are labeled "no pregnant women allowed", and even lavender oil, which is the least irritating to the skin, is not allowed to be used by pregnant women. The first thing you need to do is to get your hands on a pair of these.
In fact, one of the reasons is that the purity of essential oils has a certain micro-toxicity, which is not a serious harm to the general public, but to the metabolic system and absorption system of the sensitive pregnant women and the fetus, there is a risk of harm.
For example, some essential oils have the function of "regulating menstruation", which can ease the discomfort and side effects of menstruation and make menstruation smoother for women, but if used by a pregnant woman, it will cause the risk of miscarriage.
But not all essential oils are "high-risk", some essential oils can even be quite helpful to pregnant women, and pregnant women can even use these oils to reduce nausea, back pain, feet and ankles during pregnancy.
List of essential oils that shouldn't be used by pregnant women:
Lavender, basil, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, camphor, tho, marjoram, myrrh, cedarwood, rose, rosemary, thyme, wormwood, arnica, birch, happy sage, cypress, peppermint, wintergreen, and other toxic essential oils. These are the essential oils that should not be used during pregnancy and are provided for your reference.
Myths of using essential oils
Myth 1: Essential oils are just beauty care products
Many consumers think that essential oils are just a purely natural skin or body care product, and believe that essential oils can whiten the skin, get rid of wrinkles, lose weight, enlarge breasts, and so on.
But in reality, essential oils have much more to offer than that! Essential oils help the skin from the inside out, from the health of the mind outward to the health of the body, and then outward to the health and beauty of the skin, which is any expensive skin care products can not do.
Myth 2: You can't use essential oils during the physiological period
Ms. Jin Yunrong corrected the error: in fact, aromatic oils have a very significant effect on the physiological period of the skin conditioning and mental relief, because the essential oils not only can heal the discomfort of the organs, but also more beautifully, it can take care of the emotional problems.
For example, cypress, geranium, ginger and other essential oils are very good for physiological conditioning, for several common symptoms, essential oils are formulated as follows: dull complexion, irregularity of physiological period: rose + cypress + geranium pale complexion, reduced flow of menstrual period: perilla + cypress + geranium dry skin, severe menstrual cramps: lavender + ginger + rosemary
Myth 3: Oral oils are more effective on the Beauty is more effective
Not only can not take essential oils orally, direct use of pure essential oils is not allowed pure essential oils due to the high concentration, is absolutely not allowed to direct contact with the skin (except for tea tree, lavender essential oils), it must be diluted before use.
So massage or maintenance use of essential oils must be diluted and blended complex essential oils, complex essential oils can be used directly on the skin.
Myth 4: Essential oils can be added to creams
The consequence of adding essential oils to creams on your own initiative is that a bottle of good cream goes bad!
The oil and water are separated! It doesn't taste right!
What is the reason? The problem is in the cream, because the essential oils are natural plant-based, if you meet the chemical synthesis of substances or artificial flavors will have a reaction, resulting in the above phenomenon. So when you're mixing your own, you need to choose a cream product that is also made from natural ingredients to make it work.
Myth 5: The more you use essential oils, the better
Ms. Jin Yunrong corrected the mistake of liking essential oils people often make the beauty mistake of using too many essential oils on their own, which can actually be counterproductive.
Essential oils are pure, natural substances, due to the high concentration, even after dilution is not the use of the more intensive the better, the right amount of use will allow the essential oils to play a very good effect, and too much will cause a burden on the kidneys, so that their bodies feel uncomfortable.
Myth 6: Essential oils contain hormones, and frequent use will produce a sense of dependence
Essential oils are pure plant extracts without any additives, unlike pharmaceuticals or hormones, which are not addictive and do not lead to a sense of dependence on the skin. Because its effect is to stimulate the individual's own potential and potential, rather than replace the function.
Essential oils are usually composed of alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, oxides, phenols, and other basic chemical elements, each of which reacts and functions in a specific way to determine the efficacy of the oil.
Myth 7: Essential oils for aromatherapy don't touch the skin, and you can use cheap essential oils
The efficacy of essential oils in regulating emotions is as important as the efficacy of the essential oils that enter the human body and act on the organs. So don't be mistaken for indoor aromatherapy with essential oils as long as the aroma on the line, and choose those cheap poor quality products.
Inexpensive essential oils are often chemically synthesized, the chemical composition of the simulation of the "flavor" will stimulate the nervous system, resulting in dizziness, chest tightness, and even nausea, vomiting, not only on the physical and mental health of the body, but also to the human body damage.
Myth 8: Essential oils can be DIY at home
In the actual use of essential oils, people often do not understand the knowledge of essential oils and cause problems.
For example: with the purchase of 5% of the rose essential oil directly coated in the skin and cause sensitivity; the use of lavender to improve sleep, but because of the overuse of lead to excitement and insomnia the application of essential oils is actually the scope of aromatherapy, although the essential oils used for aromatherapy basically there is no absolute with taboo, but because of the essential oils of the blend of the existence of suitable and unsuitable, perfect and imperfect, so like the DIY essential oils girls, you need to contact the professional aromatherapy academic institutions to learn.
Precautions for using essential oils
1, be sure to use pure essential oils, adulterated with impurities or chemical flavors will cause skin inflammation, but also harm mucous membrane tissue. Before using a new essential oil, it's best to do a skin test first
to avoid allergies. Simple skin test method: add one drop of essential oil (1% dilution) to 10ml of carrier oil, wipe it on the back of the ear, the elbow or
the inner side of the wrist, and stay on the skin for 24 hours, do not wash it off, if there is no redness, swelling, irritation is to indicate that this essential oil is acceptable.
2, essential oils usually can not be applied directly to the skin (currently only lavender or tea tree is considered safe for direct use), to be diluted through the base oil can be used
skin. When diluting essential oils, please use glass and ceramic containers, not plastic, to avoid corrosion and chemical changes in the product. Also, the container must be free of any impurities and
moisture, even a drop of water will destroy the quality of the essential oils.
3, do not use more than the specified amount of essential oils, the lower the dose of essential oils, the better the results, usually the concentration of oils for the face for 1-2%, the body oils for 2-3%, and in the
home use, a bathtub of water can not be more than 8 drops of essential oils, a basin of water can not be more than 3 drops. Inhaling too much essential oil can lead to dizziness or headache and nausea. 1ml of essential oil
There are about 20 drops, so 5ml of carrier oil plus 1 drop of essential oil is the concentration of 1%, and so on
4, citrus essential oils such as bergamot, lemon and so on will have a phototoxic reaction. Should avoid sunlight after use, otherwise it will be sunburned or cause melanin precipitation. It is recommended that the night to use
use, the next day when you get up early to clean, but do not worry too much, like the most powerful photosensitive bergamot, diluted to less than 1%, phototoxic effect will be very weak,
on the skin has no effect.
5. Essential oils must be stored in dark glass bottles, and must be sealed, placed in a cool place to avoid sunlight and heat. Generally speaking, essential oils have a life span of 1-3 years, so please use them within the validity period
. It is best not to use the same essential oil for a long period of time, as the body becomes inertia to the essential oil and its efficacy will be reduced. It is best to choose other essential oils with similar functions
to use alternatively. In general, each formula should be used continuously for no more than 2 weeks.
6. Please see a doctor if you are sick, essential oils are not a substitute for medication. Without the guidance of a professional aromatherapist, no essential oils can be taken orally. Or contact some sensitive parts of the body, such as the eyes
part and around the eyes. If you accidentally get into your eyes, flush them immediately with plenty of water and seek medical attention.
7. Essential oils should be kept out of the reach of children and placed in a place where children cannot touch them.
8. Special populations:
1) Children: 0-6 years old children available essential oils are rose, chamomile and lavender, 6-12 years old children in general essential oils can be used, but do not use basil, and children should be used in a low dose, adults can be 1/2.
2) Pregnant women: should not use hormonal or menstrual essential oils, such as peppermint (can be replaced by the safe green mint Spearmint, aroma or direct inhalation can alleviate morning sickness), happy sage, fennel, basil, clove, hyssop, thyme, jasmine, rose, rosemary, juniper, marjoram, myrrh.
3) Cinnamon leaf, cinnamon bark, fennel, basil, clove, bayberry are contraindicated in liver disease.
4) Angelica dahurica root is contraindicated in diabetics, it increases the sugar content in the urine.
5) Steam inhalation is best avoided by asthmatics to avoid morbidity
6) Juniper should not be used by people with kidney disease.
7) Avoid rosemary, mountain mugwort, hyssop, and thyme in patients with high blood pressure.
8) Essential oils should be used with caution in epileptic patients, as many kinds of essential oils can cause seizures, such as happy sage, mountain mugwort, fennel, hyssop, rosemary, etc. (However, very low concentrations of
rosemary can instead calm epileptic seizure-inducers and stop them from convulsing).
9) Lavender essential oil should not be used by people with low blood pressure; sluggishness may occur.