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The term aromatherapy was coined by the French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse in the 1920’s. He burnt his hand in the laboratory in which he was working and so plunged it into a vat of Lavender oil to cool it down. He discovered that the oil helped the wound heal much quicker and with less scarring. He went on to research the therapeutic effects of essential oils and coined the phrase aromatherapie in a research paper written in 1928.
Gattefosse was actually re-discovering what had been known for many millennia. The Egyptians knew as long ago as 3,000 BC that plant extracts had anti-septic and anti-bacterial effects. The Persian Abd Allah ibn Sina (980-1037) is credited with inventing steam distillation which is still the preferred method for extraction of essential oils today. It is also worth pointing out that frankincense and myrrh are essential oils. This shows the value put on these materials when they were thought good enough to be presented by The Three Kings at the birth of Christ.
So then what is aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is defined as the systematic use of essential oils in holistic treatments to improve physical and emotional wellbeing. Essential oils extracted from plants, possess therapeutic effects which can be used to improve health and prevent disease. They are readily absorbed through the skin (during massage) or through the lungs (when inhaled after evaporation in an oil burner) and then effect our body chemistry through gentle physiological effects.
From the above you can see that in effect essential oils are natural drugs. My personal concern is that although most people have heard of or experienced aromatherapy they do not seem to realise that for aromatherapy to work the essential oils have to pass through the lungs or skin and into the blood stream i.e. they are entering the body.
Surely then it would be good to know as much as possible about the aromatherapy products you are using just the same as you would a cosmetic or medicine.
Essential oils are aromatic volatile substances extracted from plants. They are usually found in leaves, flowers, tree bark, roots or peel. Similar to animal hormones they are sometimes referred to as the plants ‘life force’. As a practical test crush a leaf or a petal of an aromatic plant between your fingers and your fingers will be scented with the plant’s essential oil. Perhaps you have Tanglad (lemongrass) or Ylang Ylang growing in your garden with which you can experiment for this purpose? Generally, the cells containing the oil are close to the surface but they cannot be seen without a microscope. The essential oils are extracted from the plant material in most cases through steam distillation although other methods usually have to be used for very delicate plants such as Jasmine or Rose as they will be destroyed by the steam.
Once extracted the essential oils are ready for use. It is important to know that essential oils are very concentrated when neat (hence they are blended with another oil, known as a carrier oil, during massage) and are not safe to apply directly on the skin…with the exception of Tea Tree and Lavender.
Many people wonder why essential oils are expensive and some are more expensive than others. The price of an oil reflects the time and energy to produce the plant material and the yield, of essential oil the plant material will provide. For example, more oil is contained in a leaf rather than a flower and so oils from leaves (e.g. Tanglad) will be cheaper than oils from flowers (e.g. ylang ylang). Clearly Tanglad is also easier to grow and harvest.
The expense of essential oils together with increased demand for aromatherapy has created a market for poor quality, artificial or synthetic oils so that companies and individuals have started to adulterate expensive oils to make them go further and in some cases to make more money. Essentials oils can be changed in many ways such as dilution in which the essential oil is diluted in a solvent or spirit base; or stretching when an expensive oil is diluted with a cheaper one e.g. petitgrain is mixed with neroli both of which come from orange.
It is difficult not only to know the contents of these adulterated blends but also to detect synthetic versions such as fragrances. However, in all cases these artificial or synthetic oils will not have the same therapeutic effects and so the effect on the body will be limited or non-existent. The pure oil is made up of hundreds of different chemical constituents, many of which are still unknown to scientists, and mixed together they produce the particular effect. In addition, as the adulterated or synthetic oil will be placed on the skin or inhaled through the lungs it is best to ensure you are using the ‘real thing’.
The most important factor to consider when buying essential oils is who supplies them. With a good supplier there is really no need to worry about the purity and origin. A reputable supplier will be able to answer a checklist of questions such as those below.
- Where is the oil from? What country was it grown in?
- Which part of the plant was used to grow the material?
- How as the oil extracted?
- What is the plant’s botanical name?
- How long has the oil been stored and under what conditions?
In addition, it is worth considering whether the oils are unusually cheap? As an example be suspicious if 10ml of supposed pure Jasmine oil is being sold for 100 PHP. If you are purchasing oils for your own use clearly you can guarantee quality however if you are visiting a spa and choose an aromatherapy massage from the menu it is equally worth challenging your therapist with the same set of questions and ensuring you are happy with the answers. Remember the products will be applied directly on your skin and ultimately enter your blood stream.
Whether using aromatherapy it is necessary to consider the safe use of essential oils. As a first step essential oils should never be taken internally and must be kept away from children. The effects of oils can be positive for many conditions and problems can be avoided by
- Consulting with your therapist so he or she understands your medical history or any contraindications. (You should be immediately suspicious if no medical consultation occurs before your treatment)
- Knowing the properties of essential oils
- Using essential oils at their correct and safe dilutions (e.g. no more than 2% in a carrier oil for massage and at a lower percentage for children, the sick or elderly).
With regard to specific conditions essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy and oils such as fennel and rosemary should be avoided for epileptics. Some oils can be irritants for those with sensitive skin and others can cause photosensitisation.
In conclusion, aromatherapy using the therapeutic effects of essentials oils has many proven benefits. It is worth bearing in mind the above information to ensure you get the very best results.
For further information please contact Spa Essentials, the exclusive Philippine distributor of Australia Botanical Products, the leading supplier of essentials oils in Australia.
02 838 2167 e-mail info@spaessentials.com.ph
Spa Essentials Wellness Oils, using only pure essential oils are exclusively sold in Watson’s stores within Metro Manila.
If you would like to attend an aromatherapy workshop to understand how you can make your own aromatherapy products please call Spa Professionals on 02 838 2170 e-mail info@spaprofessionals.net
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