Nowadays, the use of essential oils has become very common. Many massage therapists use them in their therapies as well as you can also use them as calming and relaxing agents. Although, there are many benefits of essential oils and you should know the proper way to use them to avoid any kind of harm to your health. Click here to know about the dos and don’ts while using essential oils to enjoy the best benefits. Below mentioned are some tips for proper usage of these oils:
Don’t forget to dilute them
Essential oils are too strong to be applied directly. Never forget to dilute these oils before use as they are the extracts of the parts of plants and are highly concentrated. If you don’t do so, then it might burn you or you may feel irritation. Proper mixing of the essential oils with vegetable oils or carrier oils is very necessary to avoid high concentration.
Do tell your doctor
If you are using an essential oil, then it is necessary to know if it is safe for you or not. So, you should discuss it with your doctor whether or not to use the oil. He would tell you whether using the essential oils would cause any side effects like cause rashes, allergies, etc based on the prescription you are on.
Considering the age
The essential oils are not good for people of all ages. They may be too sensitive to your baby or any senior. Even a small amount of oil could cause harm. You should dilute them more or avoid some oils like wintergreen, etc. for the children and elderly people.
Don’t use them during pregnancy
There are many studies that state that certain oils are not safe for a pregnant woman. Some of these include basil, bitter almond, cinnamon, cedarwood, sage, roe, thyme, clove bud, and several others. These should not be used in hydrotherapy, via a diffuser or topically. You should check the safety access before using them.
Sun exposure
Some of the essential oils especially which belong to the citrus family must not be sun-exposed as these are photosensitive and can cause allergy as well as pigmentation. So, avoid the application on uncovered areas before sun exposure.
Storage of the oils
The storage of the essential oils must be in cool and dark places as their exposure to sunlight, humidity, air or even the normal light could cause the oil to breakdown. This could decrease the quality as well as the therapeutic value of the oils. Keep them in tightly capped glass bottles. The citrus oils have a shorter span of life and the floral ones have the longest lives. So, their storage must also be done accordingly. The essential oils are also highly flammable so it is very necessary to store them away from the flames and combustible items.
The use of essential oils is now increasing in aromatherapy due to their skin and health benefits. Lavender oil is said to provide a calming effect and cure insomnia while tea tree oil is said to cure skin issues like acne.
