Aromatherapy 101: How To Do A Skin Patch Test
Most, but not all, essential oils require a skin patch test before using to make sure it’s safe for you personally. Do this when in good health and not in need of medicine. Put 2-3 days between each skin patch testing.
The following is an excerpt from Aromatherapy and The Body Systems by American College of Healthcare Sciences:
How To Do A Skin Patch Test
Skin patch testing is highly recommended prior to the use of new essential oils to rule out the possibility of allergic reactions.
To conduct a skin patch test for sensitization, test twice in 48 hours.
Use the proposed concentration (usually 0.5-2% in a carrier oil), place in the crook of the arm, and cover with a band-aid or something similar.
After 24 hours, check for irritation, remove, and then patch test again.
Usually, any sensitization reaction will show itself within 48 hours.
Potential sensitizers include, but are not limited to:
cinnamon C. zeylanicum - the aldehyde content
cassia Cinnamomum cassia - the aldehyde content
the lactones in costus Saussurea costus and elecampane Inula helenium
oxidized monoterpenes in citrus
tea tree Australia Melaleuca alternifolia
pine P. sylvestris
lemon verbena Lippia citriodora
benzoin resinoid Styrax tonkinensis
Peru balsam Myroxylon pereirae
Ylang ylang Cananga odorata var. genuina
In the event of a sensitization response:
Remove the offending material with carrier oil or whole milk.
A homeopathic antihistamine or Urtica urens may assist to calm the immune response.
Once the immune response has abated, try an alternative essential oil. Turmeric Curcuma longa essential oil has been shown to have a more powerful effect than cortisone and may assist for sensitization responses. The significant anti-inflammatory effect of turmeric C. longa essential oil was attributed to its histaminic and prostaglandin inhibitory activity.
