Use essential oils safely! I would have never guessed that this popular essential oil would give me a chemical burn! But it did, and I might now be scarred forever. If only I had better educated myself before using it!
Last summer, a bump popped up on my ankle. At first glance, it looks like a mosquito bite, but it’s really under the skin.
After doing some research and going to several doctors, I was diagnosed with a ganglion cyst.
I had read that frankincense oil is good for removing cysts and tumors of all kinds, so I began rubbing it on my ankle several times per day, every day.
I used the oil undiluted. Yes, I rubbed it directly on my ankle. And yes, it was a top-rated, high-quality brand.
Before long, my skin had turned red and extremely dry.
I visited my integrative doctor, who was immediately alarmed that I had used any essential oil undiluted. She diagnosed me with a chemical burn.
Many months later, and my ankle is still unsightly–despite me medicating it with various creams. It’s especially embarrassing in the summer, as my ankles are easily noticeable.
If only I had better educated myself on the safe usage of essential oils, I could have avoided what might end up being lifelong scarring on my ankle.
Although I’ve been using essential oils around my home for over six years now–since my second pregnancy–I clearly still have MUCH to learn about these powerhouses of health and wellness.
For many years now, herbs and essential oils have been my family’s go-to remedies for most every imaginable ailment. They’re a key part of our natural medicine cabinet!
But that doesn’t mean I don’t need to continue educating myself about them.
What scares me is the number of women–myself included–who jump on the herbs and essential oils bandwagon without adequately researching the risks (there are some!), side effects, and proper usage of these super powerful botanicals.
The good news is that there are many objective, informative sources on natural remedies available at our fingertips–it just takes knowing where to find them.
So where should you look for credible information on how to properly use herbs and essential oils?
Here are my top 3 ways to learn about essential oils:
1. Books by certified herbalists and aromatherapists
There are thousands of books on the topics of herbs and essential oils, but be sure to scope out the credentials of the authors before investing your time and money in them.
I prefer reading from those who have been educated in the fields of herbs and essential oils as opposed to those who only work for direct sales companies, etc. Those who sell essential oils via the companies may have some solid knowledge on oils, but always double check their advice with what the professionals teach.
Essential Oil Book Recommendations:
Essential Oils: Separating Truth from Myth by Kristen Smith (Family Herbalist, Master Herbalist, and Holistic Wellness certifications)
The Truth About Essential Oil Safety by Lea Harris (certified Clinical Aromatherapist)
Using Essential Oils Safely by Robert Tisserand (this book is a bit technical but has TONS of information!)
2. Courses/Classes from certified professionals
If live aromatherapy classes in your area are hard to come by, consider taking an online course instead! Once in a while I’ll run across a steal of a deal on an online class where I can get more educated on herbs and essential oils from professionals.
Essential Oil Course Recommendation:
Essential Oils for Families eCourse by Certified Aromatherapist Jessie Hawkins of Vintage Remedies
3. Certified Herbalists and Aromatherapists
If you have access to certified herbalists and aromatherapists, then they should be your go-to source of information! We have a small tea shop in our town that is run by a certified aromatherapists. I trust the essential oils and herbs she sells because I know she has spend hours upon hours studying about how to properly use them and where to source the best ones.
Have you ever experienced an adverse reaction to an essential oil? Share your story in the comments!
What to read next:
Common Essential Oil “Mythstakes” (part 1)
Common Essential Oil “Mythstakes” (part 2)
Using Essential Oils with Babies and While Breastfeeding
Kristen Higginbotham
I am confused. The date on the article says it was posted yesterday. The bundle says it is available for a week, but no matter which link I button I click it tells me I missed the sale. Just trying to figure out what I did wrong. Thanks!
Erin
Oh no, Kristen! I just found out their website went down overnight, but it’s supposed to be up again now. I’m so sorry!
Anna
I just took a bath in a huge jacuzzi tub and I added approximately 15 drops of frankincense oil in with my bubble stuff and my skin started burning so bad! It feels like ant bites all over. I immediately washed it off and rinsed off. Now I’m dressed and it’s still burning
Erin
Oh no! I hope you are doing better now! 🙁
Anna Marie O'Connell
Used oregano oil for years, and always diluted it without any problem. I Purchased a bottle from Purity Products, made for them by North American Herb and Spice. This bottle burned my throat so badly that I lost my ability to sing. Sounded like a frog for a long time. I contacted purity who denied I had purchased it, asked me to send the bottle which I did not, but sent pictures. They ignored my complaints, but many many months later I received a check marked refund for order 100545164. I have never cashed it hoping to find a lawsuit against Purity Products and North American?
Juli
I used a lot of the doterra oils undiluted… I thought that because it didn’t immediately ” hurt” I had “tough skin” and all was well, I dont know if this over-doing caused me to develop allergies or if it would have happened anyway, but I ended up very allergic to frankincense, lemongrass, and sensitive to many others… Causing terrible eczema! (Which at first I simply tried to treat with more oils! ). Now I just stay away from most of them for fear of having another breakout that will take 6-12 months to get back under control. Difusing does not seem to cause an issue, but Even that I do very rarely now.
Bonnie S
Juli,
This is exactly what happened to me. I would put all sorts of the oils on my hand and then rub on the bottoms of my feet. I did hear that certain oils do need to be diluted with fractionated coconut oil, and sometimes I would. But it didn’t seem to bother me, so I would often forget. I was doing this for over 2 years. But then this winter my palms developed a nasty eczcema, sometimes getting cracks even. Not sure exactly which oils caused it, but I know oregano and Onguard are pretty strong. I went to the dermatologist and she had me use a prescription steroid cream, and that would temporarily clear it up, but you can only do that for 2 weeks and then have to take a break for 2 weeks because it thins the skin. So after 2 times of that I have been using other things. It is still there, but is better. I work part time as a cashier and wear gloves so that I don’t have to handle money with this issue. Not fun!
Alli
What do you use to clear up your eczema?
gloria h.
allergies point to a toxic liver. i flushed my liver and cleaned my colon and all allergies vanished
Cemone
Hello! I took way to much Oil of Oregano a month and a half ago. It’s still coming out of the pores,underarms,and when I go to the bathroom. I feel like my liver/colon needs a flush as well. How did you do it? I’m desperate to find an answer Thx
jan
First of all u never use an oil undiluted. Secondly always do a patch test to check for sensitivity. Third make sure u are using a pure oil. Purity us the key here and how that brand of oil is extracted. To have a pure oil the botanical name, country of origin, and what plant family it comes from should be on the label or info should be available. Eos are extremely strong and there are many extraction techniques that affect purity.
Victoria
But new people trying oils are seldom told. The lady I bought doterra from never told me about diluting. “These oils are pure and natural and you can use them anywhere and they are all safe to injest”, is what she said to me. I also heard her telling someone on the phone to put a few drops on the babies feet. Don’t know what oil it wax, but hope it didn’t burn.
We should all be told so we know to dilute, and it doesn’t help that the words on the label are to little to read. I suppose I should quit being lazy and grab my glasses when trying anything new.
Alli
What do you use to clear up your eczema?
Annette
Hello!
No essential oil should be applied without a carrier oil directly to the skin!
EO’s are extremely concentrated!
Thought everyone knew that by now…
FYI: NEVER use ANY citrus essential oil & go into the sun as you will burn for sure, even diluted!
These are concentrated oils with healing properties & just like anything can have adverse effects whenever used or used improperly.
Oiltopia
I have always used most of my oils “neat” (un-diluted), but I’m kind of hardcore, and I have never had really sensitive skin. Of course I never use the “hot” oils neat (oregano, thyme, etc.). I teach classes on how to use oils safely and effectively, and ALWAYS counsel people to dilute first, and experiment with what feels right for them. Every BODY is different. We all have different ethnic lineage, we’ve all been exposed to different toxins depending on our diet and the air quality where we live and work, and we’ve all had unique traumas (physical and emotional) over our lives. Therefore, we CANNOT just lump everyone into the same camp. Each person needs to understand the uses and risks, and experiment for themselves in a way that feels safe to them. As I mentioned before, I teach people to start by diluting their oils with an organic fatty carrier oil so it absorbs more slowly into the body.
Also, many people begin to detox quickly, especially if they use oils undiluted and are using medications, or are unhealthy eaters or smokers. I’ve heard of people actually feeling somewhat sick for the first few days once they begin using oils, but that usually passes in a few days, as the toxins wash out of your system. It’s important to drink a lot of water, so you don’t re-absorb the toxins that the oils are helping your body expel.
On the other hand, some people will be miserable in paradise, and there’s nothing you can do about them.
Tilly
Thank you. We should never give/receive advice like it’s fixing a car engine. I don’t have a sensitive skin either, and although I can even use oregano undiluted, tea tree oil burned my skin like hell. Just stumbled into this page while reading around about ganglion cyst. I did dilute the heck of frankincense (5 drops to a 2 oz vial) THEN mixed it with Aloe Vera gel, but I got severely itchy swollen skin with tiny bumps on top of burned dry skin. I’m probably allergic to frankincense.
Everybody’s reaction is different to everything!
Julia Barker
Have you ever tried complete tissue and bone for the scar damage?
Jakob Strohl
Used lemongrass diluted with a little water on a q tip and applied to acne on face… burned pretty bad for a while. I used a wet rag and aloe to get it down in about a half an hour… be careful.
Susy
Oil and water don’t mix so you end up applying the oil “neat” which can irritate your skin. You have to dilute with a carrier oil. Hope your skin is ok.
A
I used lavender and frankincense on a massive bruise and two days later my bruise is near gone but my skin is hot and hurts. Looking back I should have diluted it… I wasn’t thinking. Anyway yup It is quite uncomfortable. My skin is like leather there.
Tra
Peroxide twice daily in a clean gauge laid on the skin a few minutes for a few days kills bacteria and clears acne. It helps to not eat lots of fried food, and wash your face after brushing your hair to get the debris from hoy hair and scalp off, and keep your hands off your face.
Pat
MLM marketing companies are the worst! Cultish following, misinformation to move garages full of product they must buy each month to stay onboard. Only a minuscule percent of the poorly trained reps actually make it. Women, mothers trying to generate an income from home are targeted mercilessly. These reps gush miracle cures and advise as tho they are doctors w/o the Do No Harm oath. The detox is NOT real. Research the background of the founder. Check out Unwell on Netflix.
Lana
Oh my! Thank you for sharing. I’m so sorry that happened to you. The site at the end of my comment is invaluable for safety with essential oils. Lea warns people all the time that these things can happen. She is constantly blasted by people insisting their oils are safe and would never cause these things because they are high quality and pure. She stands firm and stands by her recommendations because of things like you and Juli have experienced. I hope everyone using or thinking of using essential oils will go here first: http://www.usingeossafely.com/
Cindy kurr
My husband developed some weird autoimmune issues after ingesting the capsules bought through an oils company for digestion. He previously had no allergies was very healthy, etc. Then after about 3 months on the capsules he got a staph infection on the front of his leg, then drug allergies, then polymylagia rheumatica. Don’t know if that was a coincidence or what but we have nothing to do with oils now.
Megan
O was taking oregano oil and olive oilnorally for a vaginal infection. I always washed my hands after handling it. But last friday night i forgot to wash my hands and there was a good smount on my hands. I used the bathroom and apparently got it on my toilet paper. It got all down there but surprisingly didnt burn until the next day. Well it has been a week and i am still on fire. It burns terribly when i pee also. Please if you are taking oregano oil mixed with olive oil by mouth please please wash your hands after handling. I am in agony and o pray that this heals!
Amy @ Simple Everyday Home
Wow! I’m pretty new to using oils, and I just found out a few weeks ago that you’re supposed to dilute nearly ALL oils with a carrier oil. I had no idea! It’s easy to think that just because they’re “natural,” they’re safe no matter what. I’m much more careful now, but still feel clueless most of the time. I would LOVE to know more about properly diluting oils (which is also a great way to make them last longer!) and making my own blends for my family’s needs. This bundle looks like a great way to learn more!!!
Fran Lewis
I too have had a reaction to Frankincense oil. I ingested two drops under my tongue. I got hot red blotches on my legs, from the knees down, on the tops of my feet and on my hands. The blotches have turned very dry, are peeling and are extremely ugly. I am too embarrassed to wear shorts or skirts. I’ve been dealing with this for months now!
Skylar S.
I accidentally used oregano oil on my face and now I have a nasty burn. Does it scar? Will it eventually go away and how do I treat it?
Megan
I do not know how old this post is. Hopefully your face is healed by now from the oregano oil. I was taking it orally with a little olive oil and it always somehow manages to get on my hands. I always wash my hands after handling it. Last friday night i forgot to wash my hands and some how it got on my toilet paper. I didnt know because it did not burn initially but sTurday morning i woke up on fire and i mean FIRE. It also burns terribly when i pee. The doctor gfave me hydrocortisone cream. That is helping just a tiny bit. I am so very upset with myself for not being much more careful. I will never use oregano essential oil again. It is much too caustic
Rebecca C
In my early days of using EOs, I thought a peppermint scented bath sounded lovely. So I filled up the bath tub, added just a few drops of peppermint EO, and got in. Within a few minutes my skin started burning, and I rinsed off and got out. I had large patches of redness all over my legs and torso for days. For a couple years after that, I couldn’t use peppermint for basically anything without it burning (even properly diluted). That seems to have gone away, thank goodness. I can use my homemade migraine blend again!
We definitely need to be careful with EOs. If they are strong enough to do all the cool stuff we like to talk about them doing, they are strong enough to hurt you if used incorrectly. I know quite a few of the MLM sales folks, and their suggestions about using oils neat and ingesting all manner of oils scares me.
Julie
#1 Water activates peppermint or any other “hot” oil (oil that can burn such as cinnamon, clove, etc.) The action can be stopped with coconut oil.
#2 Be sure to use a PURE EO, Young Living is the ONLY company that can actually say this. Other companies put as little as 5% oil in a bottle and fill it with a carrier oil and call it 100% pure, because that 5% is!
Lacey
Juniper berry eo did the same thing. Just a few drops in my bath and I got major burns all over my legs. They hurt so bad.
Erin
Yikes!
paula
girls, the oils burned not because they aren’t good, but because they MUST be used with an emulsifier when added to bath!!! you can use epsom salt, the bath gel, even some coconut oil, just mix the eo’s with the emulsifier and only after that add it to the water!
when added to water directly from the bottle, they won’t mix with the water, so the skin will take contact with the whole drops or eo’s. of course it can’t be pleasant, as it’s always recommended to dilute the oils when applying to the skin. 🙂
Andie
I added my customary 2 cups of epsom salts to my bath water. After it was dissolved, I add frankincense EO. Within a minute of sitting down in the bathtub, my skin was red and burning!
Dawn D.
Essential oils are like a prescription, you must follow the recommended usage directed by the manufacturer. All manufacturers have this information on their websites, they will tell what the oil was made to help with how to apply it and what dilution ratio to use. Very similar to prescription medications and you check if your oils might interact with your prescription meds. Oils are very therapeutic for everyday life, but if not applied properly or if over used they can become toxic to our bodies. I have been using oils for 20 years and love them. Become knowledgeable about using oils and you will love your oils too.
Rachel R.
Actually, they unfortunately do not always have proper usage information on the bottles or the websites. Many of the essential oil distributors are guilty of perpetuating the misinformation. 🙁
Hannah S.
As an essential oil educator there would only be two brands on the market that I would put in or on my body but I do prefer one over the other. Please keep in mind that just because the bottle says 100% pure does not mean that it actually is. Many essential oils on the market are diluted with water, have have harmful fillers, are sourced and harvested in an area where they do not naturally grow or are actually a synthetic version of the product. Also, keep in mind that everyone is different and can react differently to the oils even oils that are truly high quality oils. I always tell people to treat essential oils just as you would conventional medicine- only use the recommended dose, dilute if necessary, and keep out of reach of children. I highly recommend before getting started using essential oils you find a qualified educator or someone who has been using them a long time in your area to teach you how to use them properly!
Loretta
Hannah, what would those two be, and which is your preferred?
RJ
I’m with Loretta.
…what would those two be, and which is your preferred?
Oiltopia
My guess us Young Living or DoTerra. I would only ever use Young Living, have been committed to them for almost 10 years now. I know where their oils come from, I’ve been to their farms, helped sow and reap, have seen firsthand the labs where they do their on-site testing. I appreciate their transparency. There’s not another company out there that would allow you to visit their farms or see how they do things. I know, because I called every single major oil company to ask them where they got their plant material. Most of them told me they didn’t know, or it was proprietary information they couldn’t give out. I won’t be buying my oils from anyone but Young Living – ever!
Leah
It is so good to see people getting the word out about safe essential oil usage! A friend invited me to the Using Essential Oils Safely Facebook page, and I’ve learned so much there. I was using essential oils completely wrong with my two little ones. I’m so glad I realized it before either of them had negative reactions.
TCR
I am sorry but what sort of doctors are you going to that it took “several” to diagnose a ganglion cyst? I had one several years ago, diagnosed immediately by a doctor’s assistant.
Kristi
You need to know how the company makes the essential oil so you know if it is truly pure. If you can not ascertain purity, do not use that essential oil. By the way, essential oils have been used safely and effectively for thousands of years, so the alarmist blog post title is a bit over the top.
Erin
Kristi, I don’t feel like it’s alarmist. It is a true story of what happened to me–someone who had been using EOs for 6 years. There is a LOT of misinformation about oils on the web today, and people need to be cautious and well-informed in using them. 🙂
Jenn
I don’t think it’s alarmist at all. I was an EO Distributor for the largest EO company in the U.S. I did it until I started having horrible allergic reactions to 2 of our most popular oils. I put a couple drops of one on the bottoms of my feet one night. My tongue, lips and mouth and throat got itchy & swollen. I’ve been in anaphylaxis before, so I was extremely worried. I took Benadryl & my inhaler. To this day I cannot let that oil touch my skin. I only diffuse it. It doesn’t bother me that way. The smell of lavender & frankincense has made me physically ill & given me migraines. I can’t even attend EO parties any longer. I can taste any oil I put on me. Diluted or not. EOs are extremely potent. We know this from our training. You put just one drop on the back of your neck & it’s in your bloodstream in seconds. Can be extremely dangerous if someone is allergic.
Mercy
There is only one EO that I have had any reaction to. Lemongrass. In the paperwork, it states sensitivity and suggest diluting. I have done both diluted and alone. After several weeks of using the oil, my arm looked sunburned. I discontinued using the oil and it cleared up. Now I only use it on the bottom of my feet.
I use several other oils on a daily basis, and have shown no adverse affects. I can see a difference when the oil is diluted. Like with Elevation-when diluted it seems to do nothing for me, but alone my days are much calmer and my mind is more clear. But that is me. We are all different. Like others have said, it all depends on the meds we take and our bodies in general.
Kate
I am new to oils and I use them daily…even in my car! I was so excited to work on my circulation and diabetes issues. I added clove oil to coconut oil, rubbed my legs nightly. I love the smell of clove! Being on the edge of my bed and ready to get horizontal, I would use the extra on my face. Well, it triggered a rosacea flair up that had my cheeks burning and bright red. Lesson learned! I am much more careful applying oils now!
Olwyn
Hi Kate, I picked up the wrong bottle and put undiluted lavender oil in the bath, it didn’t burn but a couple of days later I started with red, burning and itchy skin on my face (even though I don’t think it touched my face) – now turned to very tight and dry patches. I cannot have heat on my face without it burning- this was 2 weeks ago. Is this similar to your experience?
A
That is similar to what happened to me! How long did it take to clear up?
Candace
I am going to guess that those who accuse your title of sounding alarmist are MLM sellers/enthusiasts, not that there’s anything wrong with that, when I first got into oils that was me all the way. I still love essential oils don’t get me wrong, but I’m not brand loyal anymore. There are several good companies out there that sell high quality oils, a lot of companies that sell poor quality oils, and every place in between. I always thought I could handle most of the oils undiluted and that I had “tough skin” and was reassured that I had the Best oils from the Best company when I got chemical burns on my neck from swiping a popular blend down both sides. It blistered and bled. And I do think that it was and is a high quality oil, which is why it did what it did. I learned my lesson. I dilute everything except for sometimes lavender…and I should probably dilute that too??? As I am writing this I am recovering from a minor burn on three of my fingers (trying to unscrew a lightbulb while it was hot – genius move!) and the lavender oil is really helping with the pain…they can be used for good but we gotta be careful!!!
Erin
I totally agree, Candace! My integrative doc told me lavender is the only one she would feel comfortable using undiluted.
A
I did, and it burnt the crap out of my leg! Never again. 🙁 It’s horrible!!!!!
Pat
I’ve had several mishaps now, despite research. Oregano neat + a bandaid on a skin tag resulted in infection. Echinacea in bath water caused me to cough and my small dog was pacing the floor. We fled from the bathroom. Right now my cheeks are still red, hot, burning from accidentally touching my eye with my hands after applying a lotion which I’d added a cpl drops of rosemary, peppermint and lavender. Had to visit ER and take prednisone & Benedryl. Day 2 and still hot, red, swollen around eye and cheekbone. Tiny blisters forming. Luckily I’d wiped eye immediately with a dry tissue. Dr didn’t prescribe a topical cream. I’m worried it’s a chemical burn and 4 days of Benedryl is not enough.
Kim
Hi Erin! I have chemical burns from bergamot on my neck and wrists. Blisters, open wounds were caused. How long did it take for the scars (discoloration) to go away, any scarring, and what did you use for treatment during the healing stages of your burns?
I always tell my holistic wellness clients do not use bergamot in the sun. It was in my suitcase from traveling with it in the winter time. I put it on before going outside on a very sunny day and 5 days later massive chemical burns. I knew better from lots of training and from working with EO’s for so long.
Thanks for sharing your similar experience. Please share how your healing went. Thank you🙏
Kim
How would you recommend treating a chemical burn once it has happened? I was using oregano and frankincense to treat MSRA and burned the skin so bad that it blistered and is infected?!
Sandy Hayley
I have the same question! I used oregano and Frankincense for my sinus because I was getting infection, and that combo usually works for a lot of things, but I didn’t get the coconut oil mixed in well enough or didn’t use enough. Now I have a burn on the side of my nose and along the ridge of my nostril. Very very painful!! What can I do?
Sandy Hayley
I forgot to mention in my comment below that the oil I was using was high grade therapeutic YL oil. This was not a matter of an unpure oil. It was a matter of carelessness on my part and I wanted to make that clear. But I seriously need some help here!
Kristen @ Smithspirations
I finally sat down and read this post after seeing it on Pinterest a few times. I’m so glad you shared what happened to you! I made a big mistake once of putting neat (undiluted) oregano oil on a wart that was growing on my son’s elbow. I put a bandaid on it, left him for about 10 minutes, and found him later crying from pain with the bandage shriveling up against his skin! I felt terrible, but what a lesson. When we know better, we do better!
Clythene Selzer
That is because the oils you are using are not Pure. They have been adulterated with other synthetic products to make them go further and sell for cheaper… Have you tried Young Living Essential Oils. They are grow from Seed to Seal.. nothing in those bottles but the pure blood of the plant.. You should not have had a chemical reaction.. Its not a Chemical!. Especially Frankincense!
Jesse
Young Living Thieves oil left me with second degree burns on my face, requiring a visit to urgent care and two weeks of antibiotics and steroids. Was told I’m detoxing, or it must be toxins leaving my body, or some version of a “flaw” within me because “it’s impossible to be allergic to EO’s, especially pure ones like X brand.” This was obviously a severe allergic reaction. Use common sense – essential oils, they’re not for everyone. 🙂
Rachel R.
With all due respect, that is incorrect. (I have level II aromatherapy training under my belt, so I have a bit of background with essential oils.)
1. That something is natural doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any chemicals in it. Even water is a chemical — dihydrogen monoxide, or H2O. Essentials are full of numerous chemicals — naturally-occurring, yes, but chemicals, nevertheless.
2. It is important to have pure, unadulterated essential oils because we don’t want to have toxic adulterants on our skin, but being pure doesn’t mean it can’t cause a reaction. Think about it: “pure” poison ivy can sure cause a reaction! “Pure” oleander can kill you.
3. Some essential oils can cause chemical burns. Others can cause skin irritation, or sensitization (which is systemic and works much like an allergy). True “allergies,” per se, are less common, because there isn’t much left in essential oils as far as proteins are concerned, but they can still happen with highly-allergenic plant families.
Dayle
Used pure Young Living Myrrh on DH back with coconut oil last night. I slept with my hands on my skin. I take sun every morning and this morning had red itchy edematous splotches where my hands were. I quickly got out of the sun and the red raised itchy areas increased throughout the day. I showered again this morning and am using only carrier oils on my skin until healed.
Dayle
Been using IR light and healing fast.
Julie
Thank you for saying this!!!!!! So many don’t realize the time and effort Gary Young has put in to creating 100% pure and safe EOs! Just because someone had a bad reaction or “chemical burn” doesn’t mean that ALL eo’s are bad.
Anni
I once spilled some peppermint oil while making a properly diluted roll-on. I thought I got it all cleaned up, but I missed a spot. The tip of my left index finger quite literally blistered painfully. It looked like a very deep second degree burn, and it was very painful. It took several weeks to heal.
Delia
I used Braggs apple cider vinegar on a skin tag in my pubic area. It burned like hell. Every time I applied it I thought I was going to pass out. I did get a chemical burn on the inside of my thigh when the cotton I taped to the tag touched it. My pubs were fine despite the horrible burning sensation but I’m glad to say it worked.
Rachel R.
Keeping two things in mind can go a long way toward using most essential oils safely:
1) They’re really, really, REALLY concentrated. How much plant matter is needed to produce a bottle of essential oil varies by type, but as an example, a drop of peppermint oil is roughly equivalent to something like 25 CUPS of peppermint tea. Can you imagine taking a bath with 75 cups of peppermint tea? lol I find that kind of mental image really helps me keep it in perspective.
2) Essential oils are not water-soluble. That’s why they’re called essential OILS. That means if you put them straight into a bath they won’t dissolve in the water — but they’ll be attracted to the oils in your skin. If you put them in a glass of water, they won’t dissolve in the water — but they’ll be attracted to the fattier tissue of the mucous membranes in your throat.
So they should virtually always be diluted, and always, ALWAYS with fat or oil.
chan
hello,
what would you recommend for burns left after using sandalwood oil for scars?
it has left white spots not spots white depigmented skin.
thanks
Erin
Oh no! 🙁 I honestly have no idea. I’m sorry. I would consult a certified aromatherapist.
Audrey Kelley
An hour ago, I rubbed essential Cedarwood oil on a mite bite on my shoulder. I rubbed the excess oil down my arm. In a split second, I was in such pain from the burns, my caregiver had to put ice packs around my arm. The pain is now subsiding, but it is a lesson learned. The oil was one of four I received as a gift; the manufacturer was Healing Solutions. I had no idea it could cause such discomfort.
Jennnifer B
I made a facial serum last year with rosehip oil, frankincense, myrrh, helicrysum, and geranium essential oils. Most of the oils were Doterra but a few were not. I used it every day for months without any problem. Then one day I woke up and my skin was burned. I didn’t realize it was from the serum so I put more serum on it because I figured it had lavender and other oils that were good for burns in it so that would help. WRONG! It just made it worse. It was very red and painful, like a sunburn but much worse. I didn’t use the oils after that.
Nine months later I decided to try to make the serum again, this time without the helicrysum oil, which was one of the non-doterra oils and is what I figured I was sensitive to. I used the serum only twice and woke up this morning with burned and painful skin. Sadly I realize now that I will never be able to use any kind of oils, even diluted, on my face.
Be careful out these!!!
Kyna
Germanium oil is one that must be diluted before applying. Helichrysum is used to heal skin, and the others you listed are safe to use “neat.”
Kristy Branson
What did you use to help with the red and painful skin? I’m experiencing the same thing, feels like a really bad sunburn, but worse!
Peg
I had a similar reaction to Frankincense eo. The first time I applied it to a mole on my back undiluted. It dissolved the mole in a couple of weeks and I had no other problems. I was encouraged so I started to apply it to a few other spots on my body and broke out in a rash. After that I diluted it and tried again but still got a rash. I think I became sensitized to it.
Teri
Peg, your comment sounds all too familiar. I had the same success as did you using DT Frankincense eo, but currently when I applied YL Frankincense eo on a few spots under and between my breasts, a red angry itchy rash appeared along with small bumps on my chest. It’s driving me up a wall.
Michelle
Teri, I had a similar experience. I have that same rash location from my YL Thieves oil and Orange oil dripping out of my diffuser necklace. It was a small rash at first, but has spread about a week later. Applying carrier oil and washing has not improved the rash. I wish I could find something to help the redness and bumps.
Kristy Branson
I’m having the same redness, pain, and bumps. Did you ever find anything to help?
Mandy
I’m currently experiencing what I believe to be a chemical burn on my ankle from undiluted tea tree oil. Also new to essential oils but have heard a lot about benefits and interested in trying out alternatives.
I have what my family thinks to be a wart on my ankle so I read that 1-3 drops of tea tree oil and a bandaid would help kill the virus and eventually kill off the wart or it would fade away or die off. Day 3 of applying tea tree oil and band aid overnight and I woke
up with the area of skin covered by bandaid pad completed burned. As in layers of skin gone and raw irritated area surrounding the wart. I stopped using the tea tree oil and have been attempting to care for the burn with antibiotic ointment, aquaphor and even tried coconut oil to help heal the skin and a week later it is still very red and raw and irritated. The concentration of the oil for the overnight period was clearly way too much for my skin or the oil itself was not good quality and burned me.
Afraid this will be a long healing process and my ankle looks far worse now than with the small eraser size wart to the 1 x 2 inch burn.
Hadley
Hi Mandy, I did the same thing with two small moles on my right arm. I applied undilluted oregano (neat) 2x/day for a couple of weeks and one day left it under a bandaid (not a neat application) for a couple of hours. I experienced the same thing you did, it stung and over the course of several days layers of skin kept peeling off. I was then left with a reddish mark where the entire bandaid was, and around the mole area was bright pink. I have been to the dermatologist twice now, the first time she gave me a steroid cream to clear up where the bandaid mark was. It cleared up where the sticky part of the bandaid was but I still have two red marks/scars where the bandaid pad was. Nothing is helping it clear up!! It’s been a little over a month. The marks have definitely improved but I’m worried I am scarred for life!!! How is your ankle? Any better? Let me know what helps. I am now scared to use any essential oils. Even my dermatologist is not sure what to do. She said to discontinue the steroid cream and to just give it time. Let me know if you find something to help fade your redness/scar!
Anah
I did practically the same thing except on my finger. I had dyshidrotic eczema on the top most part of my finger (blisters under the skin). The second day of putting tea tree oil on it I took off the band aid. The next day my finger was bright red and seriously irritated. The skin started peeling off in really thick clumps, and now it just burns and itches. So instead of eczema I have chemical burns. Hooray!
john
mandy and other people on here i will warn you of tea tree oil, frankincense oil, mace or nutmeg oil, cypress oil, at least, —– to name a few essential oils that i have had unbelievably negative results from! i have been using essential oils from a minimum of 40 + essential oil companies for about 66 years! what every company that i have contacted about their essential oils is this—–“none of our oils are to be used internally and even the ones that we suggest for inhalation, skin contact, or burning you must dilute them very well to avoid any complications”! the biggest problem that i have found is that even the companies that claim their products to be clean, organic, certified by any company or certified to be free of chemicals can’t totally guarantee that because even the safest means used to process these essential oils can contain contaminants from test tubes, processing equipment, etc…! my one example that i can recall is i have been using grapefruit seed oil—–which is an extracted essential oil from grapefruit seeds! it now has been proven by government and 3rd party agencies that it contains the chemical benzethonium chloride which is not a component of grapefruit seed essential oil! in any case, essential oils have been used for the length of time that man/woman has existed period! all of the above being said——essential oils are not truly medicine in the strictest sense and even though many can possibly cure or control disease——my advice is to use unbelievable caution because i have developed massive allergies and/or sensitivities to all the above essential oils! my worst experiences are with tea tree oil, nutmeg or mace, and frankincense! tea tree made me swell, bleed, and suffer like when i had shingles! frankincense and mace/nutmeg made me have a headache like a bomb went off in my head! yet frankincense was used during the time of jesus for killing microbes—–viruses, bacteria, and fungi! so, my best solution to using essential oils is be aware of all of the risks of the oils and realize that by using essential oils you could be——like me, risking an allergy, burn, or toxicity from said essential oil!
Jennifer
Two weeks ago, I made a horrible mistake and used some undiluted bergamot on my arm as perfume. Later that day I went to a tanning salon and the next day noticed my arms were sensitive and red. It quickly escalated to bright red with blisters that grew by the hour. I went to the dr. First thing the next morning and everyone in the waiting room said I should’ve went to the Emergency room…. however the doctor treated me for 2nd degree burns that were huge and painful. Wish I could post pictures here because it is unbelievable how badly this EO burned me. After follow up with dr. He has now referred me to a plastic surgeon to try to help prevent scarring and discoloration. My arms are now healing bright red with a brown pigment scar around it…. I have no idea if it will go away or be forever hyperpigmented. I am to start on Silicone pitches next week as per the Plastic Surgeon. I am emotionally devastated by this and only wish that the Natural Practioner that recommended Bergamot Oil to me had warned me that it is a photosensitive oil. I did not know and had trusted the person that I purchased from.
H
Hey Jennifer. I’m so sorry about your burns/scars. I feel your pain! I had a similar incident and am going back to my dermatologist tomorrow for the third time. My spots are on my upper arm where I applied I diluted oregano oil (about 2 months ago) under and bandaid and it burned my skin pretty badly ( 2nd degree burn I think). Anyway, I am all healed up as far as the wound goes, but I have hyperpigmentation where the burns were. It’s so annoying and taking forever to heal. I am Caucasian with fair/medium color skin and the spots are a darker pinkish/brown in color and about the size of a dime, but they really stand out! My dermatologist prescribed a hydroquinone 4% cream and I am really hoping it helps. How are your burn scars/hyperpigmentation? Has anything specific helped you heal quicker? I have been trying to find someone who was going through the same thing in hopes to gain knowledge on the healing process. Seems like the challenge is getting rid of the hyperpigmentation
Lisa
Hi,
I hope your receive this message as I’m scouring the Internet for information. I applied Bergamot in my neck and chest and broke out in a terrible terrible rash. Looks like the worst sunburn you’ve ever seen in your life plus blisters. It’s hot, itchy and overall awful. Dermatologist gave me topical and oral steroids. I’m in day 4 and no relief. What happened to you? Hoping to hear good news!!!
Lisa
Hi,
I hope your receive this message as I’m scouring the Internet for information. I applied Bergamot in my neck and chest and broke out in a terrible terrible rash. Looks like the worst sunburn you’ve ever seen in your life plus blisters. It’s hot, itchy and overall awful. Dermatologist gave me topical and oral steroids. I’m in day 4 and no relief. What happened to you? Hoping to hear good news!!!
john
jennifer and all people on here——all citrus essential oils can cause photosensitivities in/on all humans and animals period! so, if you use any of them then stay away from any form of uv radiation! if you use them in any form——perfume, deodorant, etc…. wash it off thoroughly before exposing yourself to the uv radiation!
Missy
I’m so glad you shared this post! Too bad I didn’t read it sooner. I was also unaware that you have to dilute most oils, so I rubbed a store sample directly on my wrist. It turned a deep purple and looked severely bruised within minutes, and I later learned I had a reaction to the pure oil.
When I told friends what had happened, they tried to tell me that I just needed to use a better brand. Nope, I needed to dilute the oil. Sigh. I’ll never make that mistake again. 🙁
Erin
Oh no! I’m so sorry it happened to you too! I’ve had friends tell me the same.
Sandra
Hi, what brand and what oil was it?
Christine
I also made this mistake…I have what I believe to be a skin tag on my upper chest and read that putting some frankincense on a cotton ball and leaving it on for a bit would help to remove it. Within about 10 minutes my skin started to feel like it was burning and a huge area around where I applied it had turned red. Now it looks infected, is oozing pus and looks worse than the skin tag did. I used undiluted YL essential oil thinking it was safe. Now I get to go to a dermatologist. Lesson learned. 🙁
Hadley
Erin, How is the spot your ankle? I see you originally posted this almost a year ago. Has the scar improved at all? I made the same mistake and am dealing with two spots on my upper arm that seem to be taking a very long time to heal. I am so devastated and wondering if anything helped you? Thanks!
Dave
Hi Erin. Sorry about your burn. There is even more to the frankincense misinformation issue out there. Frankincense essential oil (EO) does not have the components reputed to work on cancers. The EO only has the lightest oil soluble components of the frankincense and not the heavier boswellic acids that have been studied as an anti-cancer agent. An absolute, the resin itself, or an oil-based extract from the resin of the right kind of frankincense (ex. Boswellia serrata, which is least expensive too). Not all frankincense has the boswellic acids that are of interest.
To make an oil-based extract, boil some frankincense resin granules. The water soluble part of the resin will dissolve into the water. The oil soluble part of the frankincense (OSF) will float. This can be collected and mixed with warm oil to produce something that can be applied to the skin. The temperature needs to be warm enough to keep the OSF liquid. It also takes good mixing and a good bit of time to get a homogenous mixture. (Side note: cleaning the pot also consists of warming and dissolving the stuck resin into oil, then cleaning the oil with dish soap). Alternatively, an absolute can be purchased and dissolved into warm oil. More oil should be used than OSF (min 10:1, but down to 3:1 if planning further dilution) or absolute (min 12.5:1, but down to 4:1 if planning further dilution). The infused oil can be used to make lotions, creams or salves. Dilutions based on maximum recommended usage of 8% for the absolute published by good scents company for safe use in perfumes. 3% is plenty good and quite fragrant.
Frankincense (not the EO) is also reported to help heal scars.
Also gotta say it: DON’T USE PURE ESSENTIAL OILS ON YOUR SKIN! They might be good for you, healing, etc.; but they are the most volatile components of a plants chemicals, often representing much less than 1% of the original plant material. Only a little bit is needed. Dilution is _generally_ on the order of 1% and is sometimes less. Often, the healing components are not in the essential oil anyway.
We happen to live in a world where some people see money as having higher value than truth or human health and many of them have chosen the natural health industry (high margins, few regulations). Salespeople and network marketers are generally not good sources of reliable information.
Kelly Lopez
I made a blend for my skin using Grapefruit Seed Oil, Frankincense and Heliochrysm in fractionated coconut oil. I keep getting this weird burn like thing on my top lip and have come to the conclusion that this blend may be the culprit, however I don’t know which oil is causing the irritation. I guess I should just stop using it but I’d like to know which one so that I don’t use it in any other blends.
Kyna
Grapefruit is an oil that causes sun sensitivity and should only be used on skin that will not be exposed to sunlight for at least 12 hours after application.
My daughter learned this when she applied a blend which contained grapefruit under her nose and ended up with peeling bumpy skin there for about a month.
Beth
Erin, how is your burned area now? Did the skin return to normal? What did you do to help it heal/get back to a normal pigment?
Erin
It took about a year but it FINALLY healed! I seriously thought it would look like that forever! I tried different creams and finally just let if alone. I think I was aggravating it and making it worse by touching it all the time.
sara
do you have pictures of the burn and what it looks like now?
Vickie King
I developed a sensitivity to Lemongrass oil. I used it as a deodorant with almost half and half coconut oil and lemongrass. My armpits would burn fiercely then it would go away and I smelled amazing. Now I can’t even use a tiny bit without getting chemical burns from it.
This mistake lead me to research more on it. Wish I’d have followed the directions I knew about which was to extremely dilute it. Instead I barely diluted it and now I can’t use it at all.
I miss the smell. It was my favorite for deodorant.
Sue
I had used EO’s for several months without any reactions so I begin to believe that they were ok for my skin. Then one day I broke out in a small bumpy rash on my forearm. Went to the doctor and they thought it may be hives. After several days, the rash had spread to both arms and both legs. Dermatologist said it looked like poison ivy, but I had not been near anything like that. When I mentioned essential oils, he immediately said that it is a reaction to an EO – and was pretty positive since he had seen this happen many times before. He prescribed Prednisone for the rash and it did get better. The Prednisone, after I stopped taking it, sent me into a state of sickness and depression that I had not experienced before. After talking to the dermatologist, he said it was the EO’s, not the medicine that caused it (which I still am not sure about). The rash has cleared up, but I do still get breakouts on my arms and legs, but they are manageable. Have not used EO’s much at all since then, but hope to again one day…because I know they are helpful when used PROPERLY!
Erin
WOW! I’m so sorry this happened to you. 🙁 I feel I have a responsibility to tell people. I’m glad you are better now!
Brenda
Do you have pictures of your Chemical burn and its progression? If so I would love for you to share those. I have, what has been diagnosed as two chemical burns, one on my neck and one on my chest where a therapist touched me with full strength lemon essential oil. I would love to see how what has happened to me compares with your pictures just so I would get more confirmation as to what is going on. Your pictures would also be a help to others in case it ever happens to them they could see how it begins and hopefully take the right actions at the beginning to keep it from spreading
Thank you, Brenda
Erin
Hi Brenda! Unfortunately, I don’t. 🙁 It is healed up now. It took about a year to heal. Many wishes for your healing as well!
Hadley
Hi Erin, I had a similar experience burning my skin with oils about 5 months ago. The burns are healed, however my skin is still red/discolored where the two burn marks were (depending on body temp etc). I really dislike the way it looks and l I’m worried the redness will never fully go away! Is this what you experienced as well? Your post has given me hope, thank you!!
Bethany
My five month old brother is teething and we read clove oil is a natural remedy. We used it and at first he seemed to like it, but the most recent time it seemed to burn him and no he has a sore throat and his voice is muffled. We are trying to schedule a doctors appointment for him, but in the meantime what are some things we can do to help him? Any safe remedies?
Will O
Clove is a very strong oil and should only be used with a carrier oil and is not recommended for children under age two. I would recommend not using it again. Instead, Try a cold compress or a frozen wash clothe to chew on. You could also try chamomile hydrosol (http://bit.ly/2giGYUL). Also these teething tablets http://amzn.to/2y5itDu (affiliate link)
I would definitely see a doctor this site is for educational purposes only.
Jazz
My god, you used a strong oil for a toddler, just like that, without any research before??? Are you insane or just terribly dumb? Poor child!
Kate
I too have burnt myself with both doterra oregano and neals yard lemongrass. I was using the lemongrass mixed with aloe Vera as deodorant. It would sting but then my armpits would smell wonderful and it would last days. Then without warning one day after a few weeks I applied it and they burnt badly. It’s been about 2 weeks and they are still sore and red. I also used oregano to clear up a spot and it literally burnt my skin away.
As much as I love EO, There needs to be more caution information on these! I felt like it was perfectly acceptable to experiment like this. I’m about to get hold of essential oil safety by Robert Tisserand. Hopefully that will help in finding out more accurate safety guidelines than the doterra MLM which was my introduction…
Erin
I agree that there needs to be more education. 🙁 It took over a year, but my burn finally went away and my ankle looks normal again. I seriously thought it would look like that forever! Robert Tisserand does seem to be the gold standard!!
Sandy
Hi, Erin. I had a terrifying reaction to undiluted Jasmine Oil recently. I had some leftover jasmine oil from my soapmaking endeavor last year so I Googled how I can use it for skincare, and if I can apply it topically. Almost all of the websites that came up in the search results say I can, and that the oil is actually good for soothing sore muscles and diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. I got no reaction when I applied it on my back, but when I applied it on my face, I got a mild, chemical burn. As soon as I patted the oil on my face, I felt some stinging around my eye area, forehead, and the high points of my cheeks. I thought it was a natural reaction to the oil but when it turned into a burning sensation, I knew I had to rinse it off. The reaction wasn’t too bad, and thank God I didn’t have blisters at all. The redness also subsided the next day (I applied a bentonite clay mask right after the incident), but the experience was scary. I googled whether other people had similar reactions to pure oils, which is why I landed on your site. Anyway, I agree that we should exercise caution in using pure essential oils and that we shouldn’t just rely on what some websites are saying. For all we know, these websites just want to sell a product or are just intended to make money from website ads or traffic, without any consideration about the safety of their readers.
Erin
Oh my goodness! That sounds like a terrible experience but I’m so thankful you are ok!
Sarah
I got a slight burn on my skin from having a bath with some grapefruit essential oil in it, not too bad though.
However my major incident with either was right after receiving an electric diffuser for Christmas. I put way too many drop in the little reservoir and did this multiple times a day for several days.
Myself and other people in the household started having difficulty breathing, crazy dreams, headaches and trouble focusing. I looked up the symptoms and they seemed pretty darn close to carbon monoxide poisoning!!! So we immediately left the house and got a hotel room for the night (just like carbon monoxide poisoning, the symptoms disappeared soon after we left the house).
The next morning we called the fire department and they came and did testing from basement up. Nothing. We also bought a c.m. detector. Nothing.
I was wracking my brain trying to think what it could have been! Then the oil diffuser came to mind and when I googled it, I came across a similar story! Too much oil! I felt so stupid, but at least we have a c.m. detector installed in the house now in case we ever need it!
Nikki
I had an allergic reaction to frankincense a few weeks after I used it with success. It took a week to resolve the reaction and I have found any of the clothes I wore while I was using the frankincense causes a minor rash. Do you have any recommendations for removing any traces of the oil from clothing and do you have any issues with other oils.
Kelsey
I was treating some dark acne scars around my chin with Helichrysum and Lemon oils undiluted for the first time. For the second time a day later, I only used Helichrysum undiluted. There was some pretty intense burning that I ignored (tiredness got the best of me) and went to bed. After getting up, I noticed on the areas of application, my skin was super dry and flaky like an accelerated peeling process of a chemical peel. Still dealing with it currently but I’m sure it’ll be recovered within a week. Looking at the label now, Helichrysum does have a dilution recommendation for sensitive skin but not required for other areas of skin. Just wanted to give a heads up that facial skin may be sensitive for some people when using undiluted essential oils!
Rebecca
Aloha,
I unfortunately made the mistake of putting undiluted DoTerra Oregano Essential oil on a zit to the right of my lips, it burned my skin and four hours later, I still have a huge red mark where I put the EO. Please please please, do you have any suggestions as to what I can put on the area to help it heal? Is this something that requires a dermatologist? This foolish mistake was unfortunately made on my face and I really don’t want it to scar, I’d love to prevent that ASAP!
Judy
This morning i had a bad accident. For a long time, since the mid 1990s, i have used peppermint oil for nausea. That is the only thing i’ve ever used it for. Back then, i was getting a mild but unpleasant nausea fairly often. i think it was because i was on a pure simple cleansing fasting diet, first time i ever did such a thing and the health results were amazing and lasting, i was on it strict for 10 years. So, i searched the internet for non-toxic or non-pharmaceutical nausea remedies and ended up with peppermint essential oil. i was advised to heat water and put 2 or 3 drops of peppermint oil in the water and drink it. When i did that, the whole house smelled like peppermint, it was so strong. From the beginning, this gave me healthy respect and caution about this stuff. It worked great on the nausea, got rid of it each time, though it continued to come back. I found i often needed it at night, evening, when driving to work at my night job, i had to drive in heavy rush hour traffic. I obviously couldn’t make peppermint tea for that. So, i figured out that i could bring the little bottle with me and i could hold it over my pinkie fingertip and get one drop on it, and then carefully touch just the tip of my tongue with my fingertip, real lightly, careful, not too much. Still, it make my whole mouth feel some burning sensation of peppermint, as if it were all over my mouth, and that would last maybe a minute. Then, the nausea would be gone. Eventually i stopped having nausea. For a long time, i only get it once in a great while. i don’t always use my peppermint oil remedy but sometimes i do. 2 or 3 times a year?
i had some mild nausea a couple of nights in a row this week so last night i did some peppermint oil, the light touch of the tip of my tongue to my fingertip. It worked great. i had it on my night table by my bed. Usually i keep it in the drawer. This night it was outside the drawer.
Then the unthinkable happened. The last year or so, i have dry eye, only in the mornings, it happens during sleep, i don’t even think of it as dry, but when i wake up sometimes it seemed like my lids were stuck together. i would open them with my fingers if necessary. Sometimes after that, during the day, my eye would start hurting, pretty bad sometimes. And i learned that this is because the lid is stuck to the cornea while sleeping and opening the eye quickly injures the cornea, it never lasted more than the first part of the day, sometimes only an hour, but it was bad. Eventually i learned to use over the counter Refresh Tears, to squirt it between the lids, even if just a little gets through, and as i could get more Tears in, the eye would open easily from the lubrication. Problem solved. I keep the Tears on the night table by my bed.
This morning i woke up, barely awake, in the dark, reached for the Tears and started squirting it into my eye. Then i realized something was wrong. I had squirted a couple of drops of peppermint oil into my left eye. 🙁
It hurt less than i was expecting it too, compared to how it feels on the tip of my tongue, but just knowing how caustic peppermint oil is, i was freaked out. i had no idea what to do. i wasn’t ‘educated’ about safe use of oils because i only mainly used this one oil and i was cautious with it. I never expected to squirt it in my eye while i was laying down.
i was in no condition then to google about what to do. It was 7:45am. i knew that nobody i could call would know anything about peppermint oil. PEPPERMINT OIL!!!! in my eye! not just a tiny bit, a lot. so i started splashing my eye with warm water, then i put my eye next to faucet and tried to get water to wash it, running over it. i was so freaked out, i called 911, i don’t want to lose the vision in my eye, and peppermint oil seems capable of doing that. They sent paramedics. The paramedics didn’t know anything about peppermint oil, they said i should keep flushing it with water, they said that would be all i could do, that’s what they would do in the hospital. He said it should feel better in a couple of hours. i was skeptical. i definitely didn’t want to go to any hospital. So i kept flushing it with water and taking frequent breaks to look on the internet to try to find information for search terms ,”peppermint oil in my eye,” and similar. i was surprised that couldn’t find anything. i couldn’t believe there was no info about what to do if you get peppermint oil in your eye.
Eventually i found a google hit that said to use a carrier oil to dilute and move the EO, and then it said only use oil for skin, for eyes, use milk. It was at a website called commonscentsmom.com Because of my condition, one eye in pain and staying involuntarily closed, i couldn’t read much, but on the site, it said free consultation and there was a phone number. I called and got someone who had things to say about what to do. He said they had a number of experiences with peppermint oil and milk, and that milk will give immediate relief. He told me the story of a child that got peppermint oil in her eye and that milk cleared it up fast. I didn’t have any milk or carrier oil. i wasn’t in condition to drive, with only one eye, but there is a store two blocks away so i drove there and got milk and avocado oil. When i got back, i put milk in an eye cup and put it in my eye. it really did feel good, but the pain in my eye the redness, and how my eye kept wanting to stay closed made me think there wasn’t going to be such simple solution. The pain and other stuff continued, maybe slightly better, but not enough to feel any hope. i wished i could just keep my eye in the milk because it felt good.
Eventually, with trepidation, i called my optometrist and he said to call a corneal specialist ophthalmologist he recommended and he gave me the number. I say trepidation because although well intentioned, regular doctors do a lot of unnecessarily unhealthy and harmful things, seriously unhealthy things. My only hope with them is to not be in a vulnerable position where i need to do something and they are all i have. I only use them rarely. This was one of those times.
I went to the doctor recommended. She was not a good match for me (some are better than others). I asked questions as they came up for me, nothing argumentative, just curious and seeking to learn. My second or third question was when she was trying (unsuccessfully) to get a lens bandage into my eye. i asked ‘what’s it made of’ and she said ‘you don’t need to worry about that, just stop being anxious.’ Stop being anxious?? OK…
So i suppressed further questions as they came up, with few exceptions, like about the reason for steroid drops, and to tell her that the oral doxycycline she prescribed had given me bad anorexia in the past, back in the late 70s. She said it was a “bad” medication, meaning harsh, she said “you must take it with meals.” But anything you read about doxycycline says don’t eat it with food, it will lose it’s effectiveness. I got the prescriptions filled but haven’t started taking then yet. In order to trust a doctor, i need for them to trust me. But i may lose a greater or lesser amount of my vision in that eye, due to scarring. That’s an unknown thing right now.
in the middle of the day, sticky discharge started coming out of the eye. the lid sticks together so that the eye can’t open without using my fingers and a moistened tissue to open it and even still it’s hard. I have an appointment to go back to her on Friday to see if there is progress. So, i need to start taking the 4 medications she gave me, but i’m not sure i will take all of them. They might not be necessary, i’ve started doing research on it and so far, i have not been able to find anything on chemical burns of the cornea, which is what she called what i have.
She also said that the milk was not good and i asked why and she said that sometimes it can interact with an acidic substance and increase the damage to the eye.
So when i got home i started googling to see if peppermint oil is acidic All i could find is that oils don’t have PH because they are oils. Or it can’t be measured. So i don’t know if it’s acidic.
i thought if i googled, i would find websites with lots of info on peppermint oil but there doesn’t seem to be anything.
I also can’t find anything about chemical burns to the cornea in order to evaluate the prescriptions i was given. She didn’t say were is an infection yet. I read about the downsides to steroids, topical, for the eye, i mean in regular medical journals, not ‘alternative’ sites.
This blog was the first one i found that came close to what i was needing to find, it had the terms chemical burn and essential oils in it, and reading other people’s experiences is always helpful. I appreciate it.
Maria
I recently bought Young Living’s Thieves EO, and I made the mistake of following a tip online to put one drop onto my toothbrush/toothpaste.
My entire outside mouth (lips mostly) feel swollen, and are SOO dry! It’s been 48 hours already and no change.
I’ll try some coconut oil today to see if it helps heal it.
Any other tips? Never doing that again!
Harvey Lee
Very informative! I really like the info provided by you about essential oil. Thanks for sharing the great article.
Andrea
I simply smelled cinnamon straight from the jar, way too close to my nose, and within minutes I had a sunburn-like painful redness on the lower half of my face. Must be allergic?
Erin
Oh my goodness! That is scary! I would avoid it for sure!
Hazel
I have always used essential oils diluted. I have found however that some essential oils are too harsh for me. Frankincense & vetiver being some of those “harsh” essential oils. Even in natural products where they are at the end of the ingredients list I find myself reacting to them so I stay away from them now. When I first read the headline for this post I thought, oh was it eucalpytus oil or tea tree? As those essential oils can be quite strong for some people as well.
Jordan DuPont
I had a facial this weekend using Young Living essential oils and sole water. I got a pretty terrible chemical burn from the frankincense used. It’s been over 24 hours and now the red spots are starting to become tiny open wounds. Not sure what to do.
Teresa
I have read all the comments to date. I only wish more was said about the remedies used once the burns occurred. I too found this site only after I used an EO undiluted and was looking for help to relieve the pain, itching, burning, and eczema-like rash that erupted in the area of application.
Someone needs to start up a website for “ignorant EO users” or “remedies for misused EOs”. We all seem to run to Google first for information on what to do RIGHT NOW to stop the pain!
I gathered from the comments that you should slap on some coconut oil at once and use it to remove, wipe off, or dilute the burning oil…before the soap and water as oils do not respond to water as well.
If there is such a site…please suggest where to find it. It is not a case of giving out medical advice…it is more along the lines of emergency procedures that we can use to mitigate the damage as we wait for the dermatologist to get off the golf course.
The damage we accidentally did to ourselves is devastating and the healing process is slow.
Bliss Doubt
“I only wish more was said about the remedies used once the burns occurred.”
Me too, Teresa. I’m reading eagerly because I have a wound from tea tree oil for about six weeks now. Progress is so slow. I try remedies and I don’t know how long to keep them up because the redness doesn’t clear, so I try something else. Strange scabby flakey places come and go over the wound area. The scabs roll off in the shower, and then come right back when I dry off. I’ve tried triple antibiotic ointment, Aveeno hydrocortisone cream, manuka honey, Dr. Smith’s diaper rash ointment, castor oil, castor oil with a drop of lavender added, coconut based unscented lotion, MJ’s Herbals Calendula salve.
The more I read, the more I realize that using oils elsewhere on the body can affect the wounded area, so I’m leaving off using lavender as deodorant.
I would like to point out something I’m seeing a lot of in this comments section, about damage from bandaids. I’m pretty sure that the adhesive in bandages can increase the damage. One night I tried occluding my wound with Durapore surgical tape. Occluding eczema patches with surgical tape was something that helped immensely during my last battle with it, so I expected it to help with my tea tree wound. Wrong. I had an immediate, violent reaction. The redness spread far beyond the wound, and my eyes swelled shut. I carefully removed the tape and tried to clean off the adhesive, but was still rolling off tiny balls of it the next day. It increased the size of the wound, and probably set back my healing by several weeks.
What I re-started last week, which I was not using while trying to heal, is my Alpha Hydrox. I was afraid to use it on wounded skin, but my wound is not open or raw. It has these scabs that wash off without even trying, then come back. That indicated to me that my skin was struggling to recreate itself under the flaky weak scabs. I read about alpha hydroxy again, about how it helps your skin create new stronger layers. Is it helping? I won’t know until I know, but it doesn’t seem to be hurting. Not a medical professional, but I would certainly not advise using AHA on a wound that is raw or open, exuding or itching.
I imagine others are doing what I’m doing, groping in the dark, reading hours online, trying things, trying other things. I have improved my diet and started taking cod liver oil caps to boost skin health. I am confident this wound will heal and become only a bad memory. I just wish I knew how long it will take.
carrie settle
I was very sorry i spent a long time reading all these posts when the description alluded to help for chemical burns from essential oils and all it was was tons of people begging for help with this and no answers…very sad…just someone saying over and over not to use undiluted oils or poorly made oils….hello!! obviously most of these people figured that out…im only going to suggest some things ive read elsewhere if they post this…i tried coconut oil and it was soothing at first but after several days still did not help w the contact dermitits rash and redness /itching from the burn,,,so i am going to try pure aloe vera from the leaves of a plant few times per day as well as a washrag dipped in whole milk held on there ten min maybe couple times day and also organic chamomille tea bags while still warm for several minutes couple times per day…those were suggestions on other sites which made sense to me, and sounded soothing to the skin…but they were hard to find…researched for hours, just to hear same thing as on this blog over and over, telling you what you already did wrong…hope this helps someone, if they post it
Irene Oman
I used frankincense on a dark spot on the side of my knee for three days not diluted just straight out of the bottle no reaction. Then I tried a spot on the inside of my thigh, ok for three days then little pimples started to form. Each day they would get larger and more of them and blisters. I tried Benadryl spray for poison ivy/oak no relief so I grabbed my bottle of Dawn hit the shower rubbed the Dawn on my thigh, let it sit on my skin for about 5 minutes then rinsed with cool water and repeated the Dawn application two more times. I also applied Calamine lotion to the area to help dry up the blisters. I repeated this treatment twice a day and after three days the blisters are gone and my skin is healing. I will dilute the frankincense and try a test spot after everything is healed up. I hope this works for others.
Bliss Doubt
“…a washrag dipped in whole milk held on there ten min maybe couple times day.”
Yup. At the beginning, when I was so freaked out by my tea tree wound, trying everything on earth I could think of, I did a thing I’d not read about anywhere. Eating plain whole milk yogurt seemed wonderfully soothing, so I dipped in my fingers and patted some of the yogurt on my burn. It felt so good. It felt like a cure from heaven. Of course, as you’ll see in my other comment, it wasn’t the cure, but it was very, very comforting and calming, which I so needed at the time.
Carrie
I have learned a lot reading your posts. I have been using Copiaba best on my back to treat pain from compression fractures about 3 months now. About 2 days ago discovered a blister had broken so looked at my back this morning. Wrong thing to do! The blister is raw, knew that, but about 2×2 in size, but my whole back, from my neck down to my hips, is reddish brown now. It doesn’t hurt, just very unsightly. Glad it is my back that can be covered daily and not anywhere else. So guess I will not be using Copiaba in such quantities any longer. I am hoping the blister heals fairly quickly but will take steps to protect it while it heals. Of course with out using any type of bandages. Good luck everyone on healing. I just never gave any thought to having to protect ourselves from something “pure”.
Dawn
I got a drop of essential oil on my hand while diluting and making a blend. I was blending my carrier oil with some lavender and tee tree. The spot on my hand is clearly irritated and itchy what’s the best steps to taking care of it? Any advice?
Dawn Angel
Never mind I’ve been using pure 100% aloe Vera gel no alcohol it seems to be helping
Brooke
I wish I could share my photo. Four drops of Frankincense in a hot bath. I had burning sensation on my lower back & my bum. Now 5 days later I have a very obvious burn. I never would’ve thought as I’ve used oils in the bath for years.
Leah Terrell
Hi all,
I have not studied EOs but my family has used them. Once my sister applied an EO to her face (I don’t remember which, cinnamon?) that immediately gave her a burning rash. The first thing I thought of was “oil dissolves oil”: learned from getting band-aids off skin, grease off hands, pine sap out of hair (and many other applications) … So I slathered coconut oil all over her face and then dubbed it off with a paper napkin and repeated the procedure till it stopped burning. I didn’t let her do it because her fingers still had the EO on them. As I was cleaning her face she repeatedly “washed” her hands with the coconut oil and then with warm water and soap. I then washed her face with warm water and soap and applied a clay mask to the area. She didn’t have any blistering or permanent side effects. I think we had success because of how quickly and copiously we were able to dilute and dissolve the oil on her face. I believe any oil would work; coconut is what I had in the kitchen at the time and plenty of it.
I also have read that coconut oil is safe for use in the eyes. A friend of mine has a genetic defect that causes her tear glands to not produce tears and every 10 minutes or so, all day every day she had to put pharmaceutical drops in her eyes since she was 7 years old. After a few months of using coconut oil exclusively in her cooking and applying coconut oil in her eyes every night she now can go all day without having to use eye drops. I have also used coconut oil in my eyes to knock out pink eye infection (it’s anti-fungal/viral/bacterial). I would assume that it could be used to dissolve and dilute EOs in the eyes also.
My suggestions:
1. Immediately apply a kitchen oil or carrier oil, wipe it off and repeat till it feels better
2. Wash with soap and lukewarm water
3. Apply a clay mask (if you don’t have clay you might try activated carbon, a cabbage poultice or even mud from your garden)
4. Do what Carrie Settle and others said and treat it like a burn (minus using lavender EO I would think!): aloe vera from the plant, milk, yogurt, cucumbers, herbal compress, colloidal silver, honey, cannabis gel/cream… pharmaceuticals recommended by your Doc…
I wonder if histamines have anything to do with the allergic reactions, if so, maybe take an herbal anti-histamine? … ask your Doc.
Kristie
I’m kicking myself that I didn’t find this post earlier. My 21 month old hit his hands on a bottle of oregano oil this morning & my guess is he smelt it and put it ins his mouth. I don’t think he would of actually ingested anymore than a drop or two but he has a red patch still – 12 hours later – and what looks like a blister. I washed it with water but gosh I wish I thought of diluting it with oil. I think aloe Vera will be our best friend for the mext few days! Thanks for your post 🙂
Joseph
I had multiple fillings done, including my two front teeth and the three adjoining ones on my right side. I had a high level of sensitivity and was having some jaw pain. I was taking 3,000mg of Tylenol extra strength a day (prescribed nothing) and went to the Dentist to get more answers and a second look after a month of intense pain.
When he saw me he said nothing was wrong. I assured him I am in a lot of pain but not tooth pain feels like my upper jaw. As he took his 3rd look now, he noticed an abrasion he said could be an ulcer or abscess. He told me don’t take any more Tylenol just use Orajel. He said to let him know in 2 weeks if I am not in pain.
As I started to use the Oragel my sister-in-law recommended Clove Oil. I did not look for or purchase any, she gifted me the remainder of hers. I used a Q-tip to dab some essential oil on it and ran it across the affected areas on my gums. A few moments later and the pain was gone. “Wow! I thought, seriously that is like a miracle drug!”
The only thing I can stress from this point forward was I wish I read the bottle and did my own research. As I started to get a weird burning sensation on the areas I put the clove oil I became suspicious and searched for the bottle and its directions. Not only did the bottle say Aromatherapy, but it also said NOT for INTERNAL USE. Upon seeing this I immediately googled it and sure enough, you are not supposed to use undiluted. Now I have chemical burns in my mouth on my gums and the only remedy seems to be drinking a cold glass of water or icing it. Orajel and Tylenol have absolutely no phase against these chemical burns. As my mouth drys out the pain becomes unbearable. And at the same moment, one swish with cold water can completely dull the pain.
TLDR:
Please do your own research, please read the bottles, be a google for yourself, be aware of side effects, and even when you feel comfortable with a family member/friend helping you something to try to do your own research and take it slow.
Joey Cahan
I used diluted, so I thought, tea tree oil on my eyelids & they got burned immediately. Had to see dr & get prescription steroid cream for 10 days.
Carol
I am currently off of work because as a LMT I wasn’t aware I could get a burn. Boy, was I wrong. I wish I could post the pictures of the burns on both of my hands.
Melanie Lynn Arant
I have a question. We had a tenant in a boarding home with a very small room in a very old house. She used the oils with a diffuser a lot. It is going to cost the owner a lot of money to replace carpet and wall paper. The oils are even coming thru the wall. I can smell them in the refrigerator and the vet says my cat now has Asthma due to chemicals. smells. I think a really big mistake was trying just to have the carpet cleaned and the oils mixed with the cleaning solution and water. It was bad before but got worse afterwards. Is there any solution that can help The insurance company will not pay and the owner has to wait until he has the money. Thousands of dollars. Her room was next to the Kitchen. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated. I really believe these oils should be regulated more.
Carol
I am currently off of work because as a LMT I wasn’t aware I could get a burn. Boy, was I wrong. I wish I could post the pictures of the burns on both of my hands.
Kayna
Over the years, one thing I have learned is, always dilute the harshest oils with carrier or use less in water (for gumbs, washes, douches, etc.). And, some oils can be used to counteract the negative after-effects of other oils. I have never, in all these years, had contact dermatitis nor come down with Eczema which is connected with parasites, mice that are spreading house insulation they used for their nests, and skin mites to baby fleas which are impossible to see with the naked eye most often. Dry, leathery skin? Never that, either. A good application with food-grade Bentonite clay for two or three days followed by a moisturizing oil or even that Crack Cream stuff Wal Mart’s now selling did the trick for a few of my friends who were inexperienced oil enthusiasts. I like Bentonite, as it dries, it really pulls things out while delivering nutrients the skin actually needs, naturally, of course.