Essential Oils & Their Link With 10 Different Skin Conditions, Part 2

Natural and pure essential oils provide a safe and gentle alternative to harsher medications.

They are the natural way to treat skin conditions and have an added pharmacologic benefit, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antispasmodic, antifungal and antiseptic properties.

Storing essential oils

These should be stored in a dark amber or cobalt blue glass bottle to help keep out the sun and the light as over time such outside influences can cause your essential oils to deteriorate. If you have several different bottles of essential oils, a wooden box or holder makes the ideal container to keep them safe in one place.

We have already written about the first batch of skin conditions in part 1.

Here is the second batch of skin conditions which can be treated with the help of pure essential oils.

6. Rosacea is a skin inflammation affecting the face so that there is often a permanent redness and flushing of the skin, plus pimples and even visible red blood vessels that branch across the face. More common in the 30s and 40s age group, particularly if you are fair skinned and of Irish or English descent, rosacea affects some14 million Americans. Although the face, including the nose, cheeks, forehead and chin, are the main sites, occasionally people experience symptoms on the neck, back, scalp, arms or legs. Rosacea can sometimes be confused with acne because of the appearance of pimples and papules but with rosacea, no blackheads are visible and there is no scarring. If left untreated, rosacea will often progress in stages. Up to 50% of sufferers may experience symptoms related to their eyes. This secondary condition is called ocular rosacea and although it does not usually affect the sight, the eyelids may be chronically inflamed, and small lumps called chalazions may be visible. Very occasionally the cornea of the eye, and therefore the vision, is affected.

7. Skin tags are a very common condition and because they often occur in overweight or obese people, they can be a useful early warning sign of ill health such as diabetes type 2. Generally, skin tags are small, benign, non cancerous, pendulous sacs known as acrochordon. They are more of a nuisance than a health problem, usually occurring on the neck, the armpits, beneath the breast (and other skin folds or creases) or on the eyelids. Sometimes skin tags will develop in clusters hanging off places like the eyelids or neck. Where there is one, there are often more, particularly on the face, chest and back. The frequency of skin tags will increase with age and obesity. They usually occur in equal numbers in both males and females. Skin tags can also occur in the genitalia and cause some embarrassment. An anal skin tag is slightly different because its cause can be as a result of a prior anorectal injury or condition such as an untreated hemorrhoid. Skin tags can be successfully treated and many prefer to remove them because of their appearance and the fact that they become irritated or caught on clothing or jewellery or injured when shaving.

8. Stretch marks can occur at times of rapid weight gain such as during pregnancy or puberty. Although the skin is usually fairly elastic, stretch marks can become noticeable when the skin is pulled or stretched too quickly so that the elastic fibers break, disrupting the normal production of collagen. Collagen is the major protein that makes up the connective tissue in our skin so stretch marks are actually a form of scarring. The medical name is striae and their appearance depends on the color of your skin as they can start out pink, reddish brown, brown or dark brown and fade over time to a more silvery color. Stretch marks can be both prevented and treated by limiting or avoiding rapid weight loss or gain, keeping the skin moisturized and well hydrated, and using essential oils.

9. Warts are so well known but the most common are flat warts, body warts, common warts on the hands of adults and children, and plantar warts of the feet. Most warts have the appearance of small and rough raised bumps or clusters of skin. Many people liken them to small cauliflowers. The symptoms of all types of warts can be successfully treated with essential oils.

10. Wrinkles are an inevitable part of the way we age. We have all seen examples of the thin, creased and sagging skin that is especially noticeable on the face, neck and hands. Lifestyle choices can play a part in premature wrinkles including smoking, too much sun damage, dryness and even rapid weight loss. Our skin is made up of 3 layers – the epidermis, the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. It is the epidermis and outer layer that functions as a barrier to the external environment but as a person ages, the epidermal cells become thinner and less sticky making the skin look noticeably thinner. The skin is less able to repair itself quickly, and dryness increases, but essential oils are one way to reverse the ageing process and help the skin to glow again.