What are risks of aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is an ancient practice that has become increasingly popular in the last decade. The practice involves the use of essential oils to promote health and well-being. While aromatherapy is generally considered to be a safe, natural, and non-invasive form of therapy, there are a few potential risks associated with it.

The first risk of aromatherapy is skin irritation. Essential oils are highly concentrated, and can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions if applied directly to the skin. For this reason, it is important to properly dilute the essential oils with a carrier oil before applying them to the skin.

The second risk of aromatherapy is inhalation toxicity. Essential oils can be toxic if inhaled in large concentrations. This is particularly true of essential oils that contain high levels of phenols, such as eucalyptus and thyme. It is important to use aromatherapy diffusers and nebulizers to properly diffuse and dilute the essential oils before inhaling them.

The third risk of aromatherapy is drug interactions. Certain essential oils can interact with medications, especially those that affect the central nervous system or cardiac system. It is important to speak to your doctor or pharmacist before using essential oils if you are taking any medications.

Finally, essential oils should never be taken internally, as this can lead to serious health complications. Essential oils are highly concentrated and can be toxic if ingested in large quantities.

In conclusion, aromatherapy is generally considered to be a safe and natural form of therapy. However, there are some risks associated with it, including skin irritation, inhalation toxicity, drug interactions, and internal toxicity. To minimize these risks, it is important to properly dilute the essential oils before applying them, use a diffuser or nebulizer to diffuse the oils, and never take essential oils internally.