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Certain essential oils are more inclined to cause skin irritation and/or sensitization in normal individuals than other oils. For those with a sensitive skin some oils should be used with care.
If you have never used a specific essential oil and think that your skin may be irritated by it, do a skin patch test before using it.
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Since people differ, it is difficult to predict if a specific oil will irritate your skin or cause dermal sensitization, even when the individual has never shown allergies before.
Skin irritation is an inflammation caused by a reaction to a certain oil and the severity is normally dependant upon the exposure to the oil. It has been thought by some that it is the terpene content in oils that cause skin irritation, but tests have shown that it is more likely to be caused by a high phenol content in certain oils.
Should skin irritation occur, immediately cease using the particular essential oil or oil blend that you suspect is causing it.
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Certain oils do have the tendency to irritate the skin, and we have listed some of the common irritants: |
Dermal or skin sensitization can happen when certain essential oils are applied to the skin, even when diluted, and the skin normally reacts in the form of a rash, blotches and itching, and in some cases blistering can occur.
Normal allergic reaction involves the interaction of the immune system causing formation of antibodies to render the antigen (the offending oil) harmless, yet research has shown that skin sensitization is an immune system response and not an antigen antibody reaction.
Although not all skin sensitizing agents are known, it is the cinnamic aldehyde in cinnamon bark (we sell cinnamon leaf oil) and cassia oil that causes this reaction.
- Costus
- Elecampane
- Cinnamon bark
- Fennel (Bitter)
- Cassia
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