Soleil and essential oils do not always mix well! Indeed, some of them are photosensitizing: they can therefore cause an exacerbating sensitization of the skin during exposure to ultraviolet rays, as explained by Dr. Angèle Soria, Dermatologist at Tenon Hospital (APHP), in a previous article.
Some essential oils are photosensitizing
“The photosensitivity, sometimes called “sun allergy”, is an immune system reaction triggered by sunlight ”, defines the manuel MSD. It is characterized by redness, itching and inflammation on the parts of the skin exposed to the sun. Brown spots or blisters may also appear.
We talk about photosensitivity chemical when this is induced by the use of a plant or a product, such as a cream, a perfume or even essential oils. “More than 100 substances, ingested or applied by the cutaneous route, cause skin reactions induced by the sun ”, specifies the manual.
This phenomenon can occur in all subjects, even in the absence known allergies and whatever their phototype. On skin that is already sunburned, the results can be even worse.
An American thirty-something discovered it at her expense …
What could be better than a case study to illustrate the previous caveats? In May 2017, a young American named Elise Nguyen, applied an essential oil to the cuffs and the cou, an hour before going bronze in a solarium. The next day, she noticed the appearance of redness and itching on those same areas.
“At first I thought I was allergic to a cleaning product,” she wrote on Facebook. But the situation is not getting better, quite the contrary. “I covered myself with blisters and of weeping wounds in the places where I had applied my essential oil ”, she recounts, posting photos of her skin, taken during the twelve days following the onset of this photosensitive reaction.
Looking more closely at the bottle, she notes: “it was written very clearly that the essential oil was photosensibilisante, and that the skin should be protected from the sun for 12 hours after application. I should have read the label more carefully ”.
Essential oils: they can also be irritating
Note also that some essential oils are very irritants. It is therefore better to avoid using them on skin already burned by a sunburn, at the risk of making the situation worse.
In general, essential oils should never be applied pure to the skin: they should always be dilute, beforehand, in a neutral oil. Also avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes.
Some of them should not be inhaled, at the risk of irritating the respiratory tract, and people with asthma should be extra careful about their use in diffusion. Always inquire about the possible side effects and contraindications essential oils before using them.
Of course, not all essential oils are necessarily irritating or photosensitizing. If you are not familiar with the subject and are not used to handling them, it is better to ask your pharmacist or to a aromatherapist.
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