Essential Oil Safety

When talking about how we use essential oils in our family, I get a lot of questions about the safety of essential oils.  While technically the answer is dependent upon the oil being used, in general essential oils are incredibly safe and effective.  They generally do not have side effects - the most common side effect being skin irritation which you can usually avoid if you learn how to use your oils properly.  Before I get into more detail here, I do have to say a few things on a personal note:

1. You have every right to decide how to treat your body.  Use oils, use pharmaceuticals, use them both!  I'm not here to judge your choices.  However, make sure you are informed.
2. I think we should all be curious about what we put in and around our bodies and that means we should be equally curious about how essential oils can play a role in our daily lives as the personal care products we use, the cleaners we use, and the pharmaceuticals we use.  Let's stop blindly taking things without asking.
3. Instead of closing our minds to what we do not know or understand, let's begin to wonder and learn.  No one is doing things perfect.  We are all just trying our best.

Now, back to essential oils safety.   First, it is important to know that there are three ways in which essential oils are used - aromatic, topical, and internal.

Aromatic use of essential oils is often referred to aromatherapy and is done by adding drops of essential oils to a water based diffuser.   The oils are released into the air and inhaled.  Often 1-5 drops are used at a time, depending upon the diffuser size and the duration of diffusion.  In general, it is often preferred to have 15-20 minute diffusion times but it is not required.

As it sounds, topical application of essential oils occurs when you apply the oil directly to your skin.  Many essential oils are gentle enough that you can apply them directly from the bottle - think lavender for example - but if you have sensitive skin or are applying oils to children they should be diluted with a carrier oil.  A common carrier oil is fractionated coconut oil.  Aside from reducing any skin sensitivity, a benefit to using a carrier oil during topical application is the ability to spread the oil over a greater surface of the body.  This also allows you to massage the oil into the skin more effectively, increasing blood flow and oil absorption in that area.  Since essential oils are volatile aromatic compounds the carrier oil slows down the oxidation process allowing your body to absorb more oil.

Topical dosage amounts and frequency are important when using oils safely.  With an acute issue you may need to reapply frequently.  In general 1 drop of essential oil to 3 drops of carrier oil is an appropriate adult dosage.  However, we all have to learn what our bodies can tolerate.  I'm including the below reference picture for further explanation as I feel it is great guide. 

As is noted in the "helpful note", start with a minimum dose.  You can always add more!  If you have not used essential oils before, you will be amazed at how effective one little drop can be.

One safety concern with topical usage is photosensitivity.  You will want to avoid direct sun exposure if you are using an essential oil with this constituent.  These are generally citrus oils such as bergamont, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and orange.

Second, you do not want to apply essential oils inside your eyes, ears, nose, or any other sensitive body part.  Common areas of topical application include the bottoms of the feet, the wrists, the base of the neck, and behind the ears; however, there are many reasons you may apply them elsewhere.

When choosing to use essential oils internally, please make sure you are using a pure therapeutic grade essential that is approved for internal consumption.  Many bottles are labeled with supplemental facts as is required by the FDA with their GRAS (generally regarded as safe) designation and this lets you know if the oil is safe for internal usage.  In general 1-5 drops may be used depending upon the oil and the purpose.   It is best to spread out your dosage as much as possible taking no more than 20 drops within 24 hours. 

Allergic reactions are often a concern to people who may have an allergy to specific plants.  In general, essential oils do not contain the protein molecules and, therefore, cannot cause true allergic reactions.  Sensitivity reactions can occur but since they are not true allergic reactions, often times users can still enjoy the benefits of that essential oil using a different method.

It is worth noting that just because something is an essential oil does not mean it is safe.  There are some essential oils that are known carcinogens and should be avoided, such as sassafras, calamus, yellow camphor, brown camphor, and wormwood.

So to recap:

1. Learn about your essential oils and in which methods they may be safely used - diffusion, topical application, or internal usage.
2. Follow basic dosage guidelines remembering that you may need to apply more often and can always increase the dosage if needed.
3. Consider using a carrier oil with topical application to avoid skin sensitivity and only apply them to safe parts of your skin.

Note: This information has been compiled from many different sources as well as general knowledge gained from experience.  For that reason I have chosen not to site specific sources unless otherwise noted.