Informative Essay: Are Essential Oils Safe

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Are Essential Oils Safe?

Essential oils are free form the adverse side effects when used properly. That is only when it is used according to the manufacturer's instructions on a specific essential oil. However, with any substance you introduced in your body, it is important that you use them intelligently. As a precautionary measure, it is best not to ingest (eat or drink) essential oils.

Essential oils are highly concentrated. This isn't your ordinary herbal medicine as it takes around hundreds of leaves of the plant to make one bottle. As a reference, one pound of peppermint essential oil is around 256 pounds of peppermint leaf. It would also take thousands of pounds of roses to make one pound of essential oil.

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However, there are some compounds in essential oils that have hormone-like behavior that can affect pregnancy. Some essential oils are listed as abortificient oils and should not be used at all times.

Babies and Children
It is not advisable to use essential oils on babies less than 3 months of age. This is because their skin is not mature enough to be permeable and sensitive to essential oil. Newborns are also not capable of dealing with the adverse reactions of essential oils until they reach at least 3 months. This is a general guideline, but great care should be taken in the use of these essential oils.

The maximum number of essential oils to be used topically should not exceed 2% of the recipe or about 20 drops of essential oils per ounce of carrier oil. Some essential oils cannot be used with children younger than 6 years. Peppermint oil is a good example of that as peppermint oil can cause breathing to stop for young children.

Diluting Essential Oils
When using essential oils, it is recommended to have it diluted first. This reduces the potency of the oil and makes it safer to use. Also, essential oils should not be applied directly to the skin without diluting

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