Aromatherapy Mini Course- Hazardous Oils

There are oils that are considered hazardous and dangerous. However, just because oil is not listed here as dangerous does not mean that it is safe or does not have other side effects that you should be aware about. Just be careful and research your essential oils before using them.

Here is a list, in alphabetic order, of hazardous oils that you should avoid:

·         Ajowan (Trachyspermum copticum)

·         Almond, Bitter (Prunus dulcis var. amara)

·         Arnica (Arnica Montana)

·         Birch, Sweet (Betula lenta)

·         Boldo Leaf (Peumus boldus)

·         Broom, Spanish (Spartium junceum)

·         Calamus (Acorus calamus var. angustatus)

·         Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)

·         Deertongue (Carphephorus odoratissimus)

·         Garlic (Allium sativum)

·         Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)

·         Jaborandi (Pilocarpus jaborandi)

·         Melilotus (Melilotus officinalis)

·         Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

·         Mustard (Brassica nigra)

·         Onion (Allium cepa)

·         Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)

·         Rue (Ruta graveolens)

·         Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

·         Thuja (Thuja occidentalis)

·         Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

·         Wormseed (Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum)

·         Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

Again, while this list includes oils that are hazardous in general, this does not mean that there are no other hazardous

oils or oils with possible side effects that could damage you, particularly if you have an existing health condition.

 Safety For Users

Are Aromatherapy Ingredients OK to use on pets?

Just as aromatherapy can be good for humans, it can also help our pets and provide them with the needed healing (both emotional and therapeutic) effects of aromatherapy. However, it is extremely important to remember that animals are much different from humans. It is best to consult a qualified aromatherapy practitioner who is familiar with and comfortable about working with animals. A recommended book on this topic is “Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals” by Kristen Leigh Bell, written in 2002. This book is the only major resource on how aromatherapy affects animals.

Is Aromatherapy Safe for Children?

If you intend to use aromatherapy with your children, keep in mind that most recipes and guidelines currently available with aromatherapy are intended for normal, healthy, average-sized adults under the supervision of a medical professional. Any recipes intended to be used with children should have a significantly lower dosage than the

normal recipe would call for. Certain oils should not be used with children at all. It is better to be careful in this instance and you should always use precaution and care when using aromatherapy treatments with children.

Some oils that are usually ok with children in small doses include neroli, rose, sweet orange, tea tree, lavender, and roman chamomile. Children need to have specific considerations made for age, size, weight, and needs so it is best to consult a qualified person in these matters.

Should Pregnant Women use Aromatherapy?

This is a highly debated subject. Many people do not feel aromatherapy should be used with pregnant women as the possible side effects are unknown in some cases and there is little desire to “test” this out to see if fetuses will be affected by aromatherapy in a negative manner. Some people advise that certain oils are ok to use and it is definitely certain that some oils should never be used by a pregnant woman.

Some oils can cause spontaneous abortions or uterine contractions. Other oils cause problems because they are bad for diabetics – and some pregnant women will become diabetic during pregnancy. It is unclear, however, whether these oils were used appropriately and properly when the incidences occurred. Much of this research has been conducted on animals, as it is unsafe to do this type of testing on human beings.

However, researchers have managed to identify some oils that are known to cause complications during pregnancy.

These include:

·         Benzoin

·         Bergamot

·         Grapefruit

·         Lavender

·         Lemon

·         Neroli

·         Orange

·         Patchouli

·         Sandalwood

·         Spearmint

·         Tea Tree

·         Vetiver

Avoid these oils if you are pregnant or at risk of becoming pregnant. It is much better to find alternatives and be safe, rather than sorry later down the road.

However, some aromatherapy oils are good for pregnant women. For instance, jasmine, clary sage, and rose tend to be very beneficial during the actual delivery even though they are not recommended for use during the actual pregnancy. It is best to have a qualified aroma therapist create a blend just for you to use during your delivery to help ease the pain, stress, and difficulties.

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