Are Essential Oils absorbed through the skin

[heather c]

It is possible that an amount of the oil (or the chemicals within the oils) penetrated the skin. The point for me during any research is not really whether the oils penetrate, but whether sufficient is absorbed to be of therapeutic benefit. As I have mentioned before the oils enter through Inhalation into the lungs and Inhalation by the olfactory system this could have produced a Taste.
Totally off topic will open new thread

 

[Pompal 09.]

(copied from other thread, as you're right it was going off topic)

That's intersting fleur, cos that would mean that the essential oil would have had to go through your skin, into your bloodstream and pass into your stomach in the reverse direction from how the nutrients of your food are extracted. I'm no expert but I don't think that that is biologically possible, even with substances that are known to be absorbed through the skin.

 

[dearcheerio]

Very possible, I used a drop of fennel on my sister to help with her trapped wind, within 30 seconds of putting it on she went blotchy all over with a allergic reaction to it but the smell does not affect her in this way

 

[Craven]

Indeed Paul, I think allergic or intollerance to substances in this way is good enough proof that something is getting into the bloodstream so that the antibodies come and attack it.

 

[pytmiulc]

hi giles,

i just did a big splat on the other thread... hmmm maybe i'll do some chopping and stick some over here, but it may get messed up!!

ahhh i seem to have managed it!!

Patchouli

its not been proved that oils dont get absorbed either. fleur gives us "anecdotal" evidence. there is also the one about rubbing garlic on the soles of your feet and your breath smelling 24 hours later. surely for oils to reach the olfactory they are being absorbed through membranes. are you suggesting that for aromatherapy to work, we may as well just only inhale?

so... "something" does go through the skin? and, who is to say what is of theurapeutic value?





these seem a bit contradictory. either you found research catergorically stating oils arent absorbed or you didnt. if you did, i'd like to see it. its not for me to find anything for you really. the article you cite, by your own admission, isnt "evidence based" - bit strange to quote it then . bit like proving the existence of God... neither of us know for sure, do we. i'd hazard a guess you found no "scientific research evidence" either way.

however, to be a qualified aromatherapist, i think you will find that ALL awarding bodies say oils are absorbed through the skin, so unless you write your own course, based on evidence scientifically researched, and then set up your own accredited "body", you are going to have to accept that that is what is taught. .

once qualified, any therapist is free to practise what they believe and do further study and research (well, you can do the research and study before - why be an aromatherapist if its not believed that oils work in a specific way? may as well just do a body massage and burn some oils - but wait... is it scientifically proven that massage works? )

until funding is made to do real scientific research, i am happy to believe what others have, over the hundreds of years, that oils are absorbed through the skin.


btw, i agree with you on hopi ear candles and residue.

i'm still interested in your views of how reflexology works.

 

[*ajidamoon* the Eh team]

IMO the facts are that research has been going on in aromatherapy for many years.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries there was much research carried out to ascertain the true antiseptic properties of essences. It is worth noting that those working with aromatics and perfumery at those times came through practically unscathed. The old ideas of fumigation may also have had some value.

The Pasteur Institute in Paris was to discover that micro-organisms of yellow fever were killed in less than half an hour by Essential Oils of cinnamon, thyme, angelica and sandalwood. Other experiments concluded that tuberculosis bacilli were killed within twelve hours by vapour of oil of lavender.

Doctor Jean Valnet in more recent times has achieved much success using herbs therapeutically and used essences for the treatment of wounds during the war.

We now live in an age where Essential Oils with their gentle therapeutic powers have been largely superseded by chemicals. So it may be seen that a return to the ancient arts of Aromatherapy will come as an enhancement to our modern lives. You will need to remember that Aromatherapy is a holistic treatment, the aim of which is to produce a physical, spiritual, emotional and mental sense of well being.

 

[tera_duke]

I just want to add, I used the Fennel to help the spasms of IBS, it eased that, so assume the oil must have penetrated my intestines to do that. The burping effect i would assume because it entered the respiratory system.
Somehow it penetrated externally to internally, I used natures medicine to help my pain and was very grateful at the time, as IBS can be very painful.

 

[b90t3r1]

This is all very interesting and I would love to be able to prove it to be true.

However, in the real world, society often looks for proof.

We don't have any. That is my point.

My dispute isn't that "essential oils are not abosorbed through the skin" rather we have no proof either way.

Anectdotal evidence will not wash with the medical profession, the Government etc and if we make claims that cannot be substantiated then we make ourselves look silly.

I wish it could be different but it is, as yet, not.

 

[Fennec Fox]

I totally agree with some of the research that you have listed as I have read this myself. Most of it was done "in vitro" though as opposed to "in vivo".

I also agree that essentail oil may be transported via broken tissue into the human body. However my points are....can it be absorbed through intact skin?

I have looked and looked for proof after a great debate with my dermatologist friend (who said no way can they be absorbed) and I was very, very dismayed to find no evidence to suggest otherwise.

 

[Candy Apple Red]

hi patchouli,

i know i am labouring the point, but it was this quote of yours that i took exception to:



maybe you should have qualified it further then, by saying, "mind you, there is no proof that oils dont get absorbed either", instead of ridiculing what someone else has said.

 

[wuttup]

Yes Rosie, I think you are starting to labour a point.

The fact of the matter is...the medical profession are laughing at the complementary health profession as we make claims which cannot be substantiated. Having worked for the NHS and the complementary health industry I know that to be a fact. To say that many in the medical profession only tolerate us is also a fact.

You only have to look at all the eminent Consultants who are having a major backlash against Homeopathy at the moment due to the fact that its claims cannot be substantiated. Do you want this to happen to all complementary therapies?

We will continue to be laughed at if we cannot back up our claims. Which is why I am saying we shouldn't be saying that essential oils can be (or cannot be) absorbed through the skin without proof.

p.s. This was also the college that told it's students not to ever, ever touch anyone who had or has cancer. For this, I took them very much to task (i.e. where does that leave Vodder MLD?) and they had to admit they were wrong and back down.

I still say we should ensure that knowledge departed to students should be based on evidence or it should be made very clear to students that it is all just theoretical. Some students I have met are taking some of this information as gospel and spouting it to others (as one did in front of my doctor friend and was subsequently shot down in flames by her)

Anyways, so we are not again "off topic"...has anyone concrete evidence that EO's are absorbed through intact skin?

Regards

 

[TIAJ]

I think I understand a bit more from where you are coming from
(I Hope).

As an Aromatherapist like many others, I have a database of treatments, Oils used, Results etc. This to me is research albeit not pure scientific research. When I was taught aromatherapy my professor taught me that oils are absorbed through the skin and yes, I accepted that as being the truth, without question.

As for scientific evidence, if we waited for that evidence to be produced in a journal then yes you would be right in saying that we should not say so in our courses. Perhaps the way forward would be to suggest that as far as we are aware, based on years of experience and varied research, that some essential oils may be absorbed by the skin, but that the pure scientific evidence of that is not yet available.

Mind you this would mean the so called leading institutions would have to re think their courses (I do not think so)

I have been teaching aromatherapy for many years and based on my experience I would say that yes some essential oils can be absorbed. Until I can find clear cut scientific evidence to the contrary I will continue to say so with the overider that I stated above.

 

[Cluless]

Darn, I had posted an answer to you Healistic and then my server went down.

Suffice to say that you got me right.

 

[Nora]

Yeah, but that's current society, not something that's easily changed.
I've yet to see scientific proof for a lot of things that science tells us are proven facts. Anyone seen an electron yet? erm... No. But scientists tell us they exist. Or should that be that scientists believe they exist.

The whole of life is about beliefs. Just that some have shouted louder and have more money and clout behind them and, in every field, there are gullable people who will just take things as read because they don't know any different.

Science used to tell us that electrons orbited in "shells" around the nucleus of atoms. Now they say it's an electron charge cloud around the nucleus. The only fact that exists is that nobody knows what is reality and what isn't.
Newton discovered the laws of motion and proposed that the Universe operated like clockwork. This was totally against the religious beliefs of the time that said that it was God that controlled the universe. But beliefs changed and people accepted that Newton had a good model to describe motion. Now we have Einstein come along and create the laws of Special and General relativity, which totally blew Newtons laws away (although they can still be used for a lot of things).

A lot of Complementary Therapies are based on teachings and methods that have been in use for 1000's of years around the world. "Orthodox" medicine is something that is really very current in the who scheme of things.

It all comes down to everybody wanting control and wanting to be able to say that what they do is the correct way, thus they have to put everything else down.

Everything has it's place in life, and should be based on it's own merits by people who have actually taken the time to look into those areas. So many will discredit something that they know nothing about. IMHO, that's their problem.

Love and Reiki Hugs

 

[blonde bitch]

lol, You're kiddin' right? - Surely this is irony

Frankly I couldn't give a monkeys what they think... perhaps you personally feel you have something to prove there, but as far I'm concerened , within the CAM arena there has not a been a recent phenomina like either individuals of the Dr Shipman or the several 'Angel of Death' nurses variety ... let alone howlers (and I mean real stinkers that wrecked lives for whole families) like the misuse of thalidomide...


They can laugh as much as they want, but while the same people also find placebos a kind of 'joke' yet their trials and tests prove them as decidedly efficacious - so much so that they are considered and sanctioned as a viable and prescribable treatment plan - I think I'm happy enough in the knowledge that 'fact' and 'proof' are capricious and whimsical bed partners at best... and the scientific world knows that well enough too.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and if my client phones me and says "hey after that third treament I'm finding myself rubbing my tummy and saying 'yum yum' these days" - well I'm happy to think the pudding was proven!

 

[Sgt. Snarky]

I totally agree with what you say, and believe me, I have had some pretty heated discussions with my doctor friend about things such as thalidomide, MMR, and lets not forget one of the latest....statins destroying Co Q 10.

The problem is...it is the medics (and drug companies) that have the Government by the proverbial balls and are making enough noise to set back any credibility with which me might be taken.

As seen the homeopaths are finding to their cost as the Govenment is slowly withdrawing funding and I know that where I stay the NHS Homeopathic hospital is in jeopardy of being closed.

Yes, the proof in the pudding is when you have a client say that what we have done is wonderful and made a change to their lives and reinforces what we are doing is needed.

I still would like to see CH treatments being made available in the NHS more and this won't happen while the medical profession and the drug companies are out to discredit us. Which brings me back to the point that we have to be seen as credible.

 

[ThisIsntMyTaco]

I find this topic absurd!

Of course oils can penatrate the skin! Why is there no proof?

If the application of aroatherapy is in question, then all other atopic solutions must be too... are we going as far in saying nothing can penatrate the skin and acsess the blood stream?

 

[Hax A]

My friend is a consultant dermatologist at a local hospital and states that EO's and yes even topical creams do not penetrate the dermis. Topical preparations are only manufactured to act on where they are applied anyway.

My point is that much literature states that eo's are not proven to penetrate the skin. Not proven being that there is no proof either way.

So, Urban Hippy, if you have irrefutable proof that they do, we would be most grateful if you could provide the source of your information as, I have searched high and low (for a long time) for definitive information to say that eo's are absorbed through the skin to no avail. Indeed some literature on websites and books that discussed aromatherapy only served to reinforce what my friend had said i.e. there was no proof.

I am glad you are so certain in what you know, I was too until last year when my friend made me question my supposed knowledge, hence my search for irrefutable evidence which I have not found.

 

[dull_sux]

Hi Patouli

Get your friend to get in touch with me and I will give him/her an easy way of proving this, I will not post it on the open forums as it could well be dangerous under certain circumstances, but the results would be very hard to refute as the physiological results affect an internal organ not the external skin

 

[The Bird]

Do nicotine patches penetrate the skin? Yes, otherwise they wouldn't do what they are designed to do. They are not a topical application.

If they can get into the bloodstream why can't essential oils?