Essential oils can be used in a number of ways and it is important to know the pros and cons of each method of administration to best take advantage of the capabilities of essential oils.
La voie cutanée : une efficacité maximale pour une excellente tolérance
Therapeutically, the transcutaneous route is undoubtedly the one to be preferred, as it offers the best efficacy/tolerance ratio. It is also the least toxic and the least risky in terms of side effects. Since essential oils are lipophilic, they pass perfectly through the skin to reach the microcirculation for a local and then general action on the body while not penetrating the liver, thus avoiding liver or digestive toxicity.
The local action when applying an essential oil on a painful knee may seem obvious, but know that it is also possible to act on organs such as the stomach or bladder with a local application.
The cutaneous or transcutaneous route is often used for prevention. However, this is to misunderstand the penetrating power of essential oils as they are also very effective intreating acute infections.
In addition, choosing to administer through the skin also allows you to benefit from the olfactory action of the oils. This is particularly the case when they are applied to the wrists or the solar plexus, which are among the most regularly used methods.
HE sur la peau : pure ou diluée ?
For this, everything depends on theessential oil chosen and the action sought. Many HE are said to be "dermocaustic", which means that they can cause skin burns, so there is no question of applying them pure.
Moreover, by mixing them with avegetable oil, the action and penetration of certain essential oils can be optimized or even multiplied. This is why, in the majority of cases, it is preferable to dilute the EOs in a vegetable oil before applying them.
Some exceptions exist, however.
In case of mosquito bite, applyessential oil of lavender aspic pure directly on the bite.
In case of herpes, apply a lavender essential oil. EO of niaouli or of tea tree pure directly on the lesion.
The pure or diluted application will also depend on the area to be treated as well as the sensitivity of each person. Be very careful not to apply a pure Essential Oil to mucous membranes (uterine, nasal, and intestinal) without the advice of a health care professional.
Les huiles essentielles, où les appliquer pour plus d’efficacité ?
The essential oils are to be applied first to areas close to the organ to be relieved. This is how many physical pains such as joint pain, but also bronchitis or stomach ache, for example, will be treated.
In the case of a deeper and more general action, it is then better to apply the essential oils to areas rich in vascular tissue.
The inner side of the wrists is the first place to focus in these moments: 2 drops on one side then rub the 2 wrists together to penetrate the essential oil. To finish, it will be useful to complete the cutaneous action by the olfactory action by breathing in one's wrists deeply.
Other areas of application for essential oils are:
the solar plexus: for an action on the nervous system;
paravertebral areas ;
behind the ear: for infectious diseases;
The sole of the feet: for a general action on the body. Interesting to use in the context of foot reflexology. To be preferred by people with very sensitive or reactive skin;
at the level of the 7 chakras: for those who master this approach and these particular energy zones.
Une huile végétale pour chaque indication
To make a topical application, it is sometimes best to dilute the EOs in a vegetable oil that serves as both a carrier and a softener for the essential oil. There are many vegetable oils, each with different properties and they will therefore be chosen according to the pathology to be treated as well as the area of application.
Here are the main ones vegetable oils With their particular actions:
La voie olfactive : pour une action émotionnelle
The "olfactory pathway", which acts therapeutically, should not be confused with the "diffusion" of essential oils in the atmosphere of a room, which acts preventively. The latter does not have the same potency as the individual olfaction.
The principle of olfaction is simple: regularly breathing in essential oils through :
application on the wrists;
application on a handkerchief;
the use of an aerosol or a bowl of hot water which allows a "fumigation".
Contrary to popular belief, the olfactory pathway does not only act on the respiratory tract. Indeed, thanks to the nerve endings present in the nasal cavities, the cortex also reacts to the scents deployed to influence the emotions but also the hormones or endocrine glands.
This method allows a very general action thanks to its action on the central nervous system. Thus, breathing a lavender essential oil Can cause stress relief and even have an antidepressant effect.
Thecutaneous and olfactory routes are the only methods of applying essential oils that have therapeutic acceptance. This acceptance is primarily given to relieve pain and to treat infections of the ENT and pulmonary spheres.
Warning! The olfaction method has precautions for use and side effects to be aware of.
Be careful not to inhale essential oils too repeatedly. Inhaled too often,EO become irritating to the mucous membranes of the nose and sinuses, and may cause headaches or even dizziness.
If you have asthma or allergies, caution is advised with the HE used. For example.Peppermint EO May cause respiratory spasms in children or sensitive individuals.
La diffusion : pour assainir l’air ambiant
One of the most common uses ofessential oils is undoubtedly atmospheric diffusion, especially in confined areas.
Already in the Middle Ages, theincense was widely used in diffusion by priests in churches mainly to mask body odor and disinfect the air.
Nowadays, essential oils are used for the same reasons, i.e. to improve air quality. Beyond this "smelling" action, the diffusion of essential oils also has a preventive role. In winter, the diffusion is used to sanitize the rooms in which the passage is important. This allows the transmission of germs to be limited.
The diffusion of essential oils can be very useful in the spring or summer to scare away unwanted insects, although the size of the room being diffused may decrease the effectiveness of the diffusion.
To learn more about the different methods of diffusion, you can visit here. Don't forget to be sure to clean your diffuser. after each use.
Warning! : Breathing essential oils for too long can cause irritation of the respiratory tract or side effects on the nervous system. Therefore, please avoid diffusing HE in the bedroom overnight or in a living room for too long.
La voie orale : pour les confirmés uniquement
The use of HE per os, i.e., orally, is the most powerful, but also the most delicate of the methods of using essential oils.
This method of administration is not recommended if you are new to the world of aromatherapy and are not familiar with its contraindications and precautions for use. In addition, this route is often not recommended for pregnant women and children under 6 years old.
When essential oils are swallowed, they pass through the liver. However, this organ can suffer from taking too many essential oils and the risk of hepatic toxicity is not to be forgotten. This is why it is not recommended to take essential oils for more than 10 consecutive days without medical advice. For some HE, it will be beneficial to combine herbs or hepatoprotective essential oils (lemon essence ).
For certain indications, the oral route is nevertheless necessary. In these cases, it will be necessary to avoid taking pure essential oils and prefer either
either diluted in food, a little vegetable oil (olive oil), honey or even a herbal mother tincture ;
either laid out on a neutral tablet, bread crumbs or honey.
One can also take the essential oils in the form of capsules sold as is by a laboratory or in a capsule prepared in a pharmacy.
HE par voie orale : ne pas se tromper dans les doses
I will give you many practical examples in this file. I will talk about numbers of drops of essential oils for home use, but I may also give you amounts in milligrams, especially for magistral preparations to be made in a pharmacy.
Similarly, you may find widely varying dosages in books that use milligrams as well as drops or even milliliters.
Unfortunately, there is no real consensus, as the weight of a drop depends on the dosage bottle and the density of the essential oil. So I will give you the averages that are generally used.
The European pharmacopoeia indicates that if a dropper of reference in the form of glass pipette is used :
20 drops = 1ml
1 drop = 50mg
But each manufacturer actually does what they want depending on the bottles they decide to use. The diameter of the droppers varies from one brand to another. Today, most of them use "stilligouttes" bottles (the drops are finer with a stilligoutte than with a glass pipette), which give on average :
30 drops = 1ml;
1 drop = 30 mg on average, but it can go from 25 to 40 mg.
In practice, use these figures, which are close to reality.