Essential Oils
Aromatherapy Oils - Safety Precautions
Many people have no idea how extremely dangerous essential oils can be. Most people take it for granted that the oil is safe to use with no thought about how potent a concentrated essential oil can be. Most essential oils are safe to use, but some can be extremely toxic, even in small doses.
Always be mindful of safety precautions of essential oils. An essential oil is the condensed part of a plant, flower, tree or fruit extracted to get the oil. The extraction of essential oils takes a bulk amount of the substance to create the oil. Hence the essential oil which is produced is powerfully strong.
Always heed the safety data on the side of an essential oil bottle. It should have warnings if you happen to have a condition that could create an adverse reaction. Safety data usually states toxicity levels and whether the oil can cause dermal irritation.
Some essential oils can cause problems for those who suffer from epilepsy, such as: fennel, hyssop, and sage. Pregnant women should avoid essential oils altogether because it is hard to judge how to use essential oils when pregnant. When using homeopathy, some oils to be avoided are: black pepper, camphor, eucalyptus, and any mint oils.
If a person suffers from high blood pressure, they should avoid hyssop, rosemary, sage and thyme. When using clary sage essential oil, it is best to avoid using machinery or drinking alcohol. Be careful with sage and aniseed as they are both toxic.
Some essential oils can be skin irritants, such as: basil, lemon, lemongrass, lemon verbena, melissa, peppermint, thyme and tea-tree, extreme irritant oils which should never be used in full dosage are cinnamon, fennel, fir needle, parsley seed, pimenta leaf, thyme.
People who are photosensitive and must avoid strong sunshine should avoid angelica, bergamot, cumin, lemon, lime, orange and verbena.
The International Federation of Aromatherapists has a list of essential oils which it provides its new members. This list, originally compiled by Robert Tisserand, advises against using certain essential oils: almond (bitter), boldo leaf, calamus, camphor brown and yellow, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove bud, leaf and stem, costus, elecampane, fennel (bitter), horseradish, jaborandi leaf, mugwort, mustard, origanum, pennyroyal, pine (dwarf), rue, sassafras, savin, savory, southernwood, tansy, thuja, wintergreen, wormseed, wormwood. These oils are considered too dangerous to use in aromatherapy safely.
The list of safety precautions can seem off putting, but if used wisely and safely, essential oils can have a great benefit. If you are in doubt, always seek the advice of a professional in the field who knows about proper safety precautions.