Using Essential Oils for Aromatherapy Treatments: What You Should Know about Contraindications

Aromatherapy is a simple and yet very  effective stress relief tool and service offered by many spas and aestheticians, as well as massage therapists. Essential oils are commonly used in aromatherapy, with many clients swearing by their effectiveness. Just what is an essential oil? Essential oils are liquids that are distilled, usually by steam or water, from the stems, flowers, bark, leaves, roots or other parts of plants. These liquids are not really oily feeling and most are clear. Some are amber or yellow, such as orange and lemongrass or patchouli. They contain the true essence of the plant derived from, are highly concentrated and generally only small amounts are needed for desired results.

Essential oils are different from perfume and fragrance oils. Perfume oils are fragrances created artificially and do not have the therapeutic positive benefits of essential oils. The benefits can be both physical and psychological.

Often carrier oil will be used to dilute the essential oil. Sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil and grape seed oil are commonly used for this purpose.. The essential oils will be carefully inhaled during therapy and molecules will enter the lungs and be absorbed in the bloodstream of the client.

Essential oils will very greatly in both quality and price with numerous factors that can affect the quality and the price of the oil including how rare the plant may be, the country of origin and the conditions under which the plant was grown and distilled, as well as the quantity of oil produced by the plan.

Essential oils can usually  be purchased as blends of several essential oils which is advantageous. This allows purchase to be combined rather than individual purposes and this saves the client money. A disadvantage however is that there is no individual control over the blend or the amount.

Aspects of aromatherapy have been in existence and common use  for thousands of years. The term aromatherapy, however, was introduced earlier in the 20th century. It has grown in popularity due to the health consciousness now more common, and the fact that the media has popularized aromatherapy, as well as the Internet.

No practitioner claims that aromatherapy can cure all of a client’s ills. Aromatherapy and the use of essential oils is simply one of the tools available to help ensure a client’s health and well being. Stress reduction and relaxation is enhanced by their usage and that alone is usually worth the effort.