Sindle A, Martin K. Art of Prevention: Essential Oils - Natural Products Not Necessarily Safe.
Int J Womens Dermatol 2020;
7:304-308. [PMID:
34222588 PMCID:
PMC8243157 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijwd.2020.10.013]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Aromatherapy is defined as the use of essential oils, through inhalation or direct application to the skin, to achieve physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. It has become an increasingly popular trend in modern-day holistic approaches to health care. Essential oils are thought to be natural and pure products, some of the most common being lavender, tea tree, peppermint, and ylang-ylang. In recent years, however, the composition of these oils has been found to be more complex than previously thought. Increased use has led to increasing reports of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction to allergens in sensitized individuals. Inquiring about essential oil use is important when conducting clinical evaluations of suspected ACD. Herein, the authors seek to highlight the possibility that natural products may not be necessarily as safe as once thought and in particular seek to highlight ACD caused by essential oils.
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