Safety Flashcards
1
Q
Why are adverse reactions so much more common with essential oils?
A
Many of the oils used in aromatherapy have been used for thousands of years, but in the form of the whole plant. But because essential oils are 100% or more concentrated, the properties become much more pronounced.
2
Q
Irritation
A
- while some oils are classified as potential irritants they may not provoke a skin reaction in everyone
- it is recommended that someone with sensitive skin do a patch test prior to using the essential oil
- essential oils with high proportions of either aldehydes or phenols are often the culprits in provoking irritation
3
Q
Which essential oils are considered to be extreme irritants?
A
- horseradish
- mustard
4
Q
Which essential oils are considered to be strong irritants?
A
- cade (rectified)
- massola
- pine (dwarf)
- terebinth (if oxidized)
5
Q
Which essential oils are considered to be moderate irritants?
A
- albies alba
- birch sweet
- bitter almond
- cassia
- cinnamon bark and leaf
- clove bud, leaf, and stem
- fennel sweet
- fig leaf
- fir needle
- hyancinth
- laurel
- ocimum gratissimum
- oregano
- flouve
- parsley leaf and seed
- pimento leaf
- rue
- sage dalmation
- sassafrass
- savoury summer
- savoury winter
- spruce hemlock
- taget
- tarragon
- thyme
- verbena
- wintergreen
6
Q
Sensitization
A
- allergic skin reaction
- an autoimmune response that usually manifests as a rash
- a Japanese study showed mens skin to be twice as sensitive as womens
- situations of severe stress, lack or sleep etc. all skin types become more sensitive
- dermatitis is usually an indication of skin sensitivity
7
Q
Toxicity
A
- acute toxicity
- poisoning by way of ingesting or the absorption of too much essential oil at one time
- chronic toxicity
- a small amount of a toxic oil is repeatedly applied over a period of time and thus damaging the body in some way
- also includes the hazards related to pregnancy and cancer, skin allergy and/or phototoxicity, liver and kidney dysfunction, effects on the CNS and the endocrine system and damage to the eyes
- toxicity is dose dependent
- oral ingestion carries the highest risk
8
Q
Quenching
A
- when essential oils are combined in a synergy to overcome potential side effects
- if an essential oil contains one or more components which are thought to be hazardous in some way, the unwanted action can be “quenched” by adding a nullifying component in a different essential oil
9
Q
Contamination
A
- may be by way of herbicides or pesticides used in large scale crop cultivation
- steam distillation, solvent extration and expression do not eliminate biocides contained in pesticides and herbicides
10
Q
Adulteration
A
- a substance may have been added to modify the composition of an essential oil
- typically a synthetic aroma chemical or an aroma chemical extracted from a less expensive esssential oil
an example is Bourbon geranium oil - which is the most expensive geranium oil. It has a rose-like scent, so often less expensive geranium plants are distilled over roses or blended with rose odorants. Although this doesn’t affect the oil if it is being used for scent alone, but it’s chemical composition may be very different
11
Q
Degredation
A
- a process by which the quality of the essential oil is reduced over time
- this usually occurs with essential oils due to poor storage or prolonged storage
- main factors are oxygen, heat, and light
- oxidization
- accelerated by heat and light
- changes the chemical composition of an essential oil which in turn alters the therapeutic value and can make a typically safe oil hazardous
- oxidization
- to avoid degredation, keep essential oils in dark coloured bottles, in a cool, dark place and as you use the essential oil, transfer it to a smaller bottle to avoid oxidization
12
Q
Shelf Life of Oils per Oxidization
A
- citrus fruits, neroli, frankincense, tea tree, pine and spruce oils: 1 - 2 years
- most other essential oils: 2 - 3 years
- sandalwood, vetiver, and patchouli: get better with age
13
Q
Oxidization prone essential oils
A
- ambrette
- frankincense
- angelica root and seed
- galbanum pine
- ginger grass
- pepper
- pteronia
- bergamot
- grapefruit
- ramy bark
- blackcurrant bud
- grindelia
- salcia stenophylla
- cape may
- satsuma
- caraway
- issa
- cistus
- kanuka
- spruce
- clementine
- hemp
- celery seed
- juniper
- melissa
- white cloud
- fleabane
- orage
- yuzu
- silver fir (cones)
- larch needle
- sumach
- cypress
- lemon
- tangelo
- dill seed
- lime
- tangerine
- elemi
- longoza
- tea tree
- ferula
- mandarin
- turpentine
- fir needle
14
Q
What must be considered when applying essential oils via massage?
A
- the percentage of dilution of the essential oil
- the total quantity of the oil applied
- the total area of the skin to which the oil is applied
- the particular essential oils being used
- the particular carrier oil being used
- the parts of the body on which the oil is applied
- the temperature and moisture content of the skin
- the absorption capacity of the skin
- the extent to which the body is covered after massage
- how soon the skin is washed following the massage
15
Q
Dermal Application
A
- essential oils diffuse through the skin relatively easily because of their small molecular structure
- various components of a single essential oil may be absorbed at different rates which probably results in the composition of the oil changing while it’s on the surface of the skin
- the rate of absorption and the total amount absorbed depends on several factors
- due to the oils being volatile, essential oils evaporate rapidly when applied to warm, uncovered skin and so the amount applied to the skin’s surface is substantially more than the amount absorbed
- when skin is damaged or diseased, the rate of percutaneous absorption can greatly increase which increases the risk of skin reactions
- viscosity tends to impede absorption through the skin, so thicker carrier oils (olive oil and almond oil) are more slowly absorbed than thinner carrier oils
