Sensitization - II

[Guest guest]

Sensitization ** II

 

Hi y'all,

 

If you're not tired of hearing about sensitization yet .. then I've

not done what I set out to do. It is a very important subject and I

believe that pushing the facts is worth the effort. Even those who

are tired of hearing about it will not forget it. ;-)

 

Extracts from a post I made to another list years back. It has been

slightly modified in order to make points more clear.

 

Someone wrote:

>>Hope this helps. I am aware of sensitization issues, and would not

>>post a formula that I thought might harm someone. I've used this

>>formula for years on myself and my family and friends, and no one

>>has ever had sensitization issues from it.

 

Considering the list of oils listed in your formula .. lots of folks

have been very lucky. Some of those oils are known to be sensitizing

oils .. so odds are that luck will not continue to protect some of

those folks in the future.

 

There are no signs we can look for that will alert us to the fact that

the immune system might be deciding to kick in and go haywire in an

attempt to protect the body. What we can do is pay attention to the

scientifically tested safe percentages shown in the Plant Aromatics

Safety Manual .. and we can avoid frequent use of oils over large

areas of the skin - and we can cross our fingers and hope for the

best.

 

>>I always check to be sure new users don't have sensitization to

>>these ingredients before I apply it or have them apply it.

 

Problem with the above is that new users often don't know they have

been set up (previously) for sensitization .. and in some cases they

are not yet sensitized .. but might become so soon .. or maybe later.

And though the use of patch testing is better than nothing .. it can

not alert us to sensitization issues UNLESS a person had previously

become sensitized to a chemical or combination of chemicals in the

oil .. or in some other substance. Patch testing can tell us if the

agent applied will cause irritation .. but irritation is not a big

deal in that it goes away shortly after the irritant is removed ..

this is not the case for sensitization .. its almost (with some

exceptions) something that will stick with us for life .. and can

cause us to have to take unwanted trips to the emergency room.

 

> of course, if they already are sensitized, it would cause tremendous

> problems.

 

If they are already sensitized and know what caused it then they won't

allow a patch test using the oil they think they are sensitized to ..

but we never know when the last straw will break the camel's back ..

so lack of a sensitizing reaction to a patch test should not give us

total confidence. Sensitization is a matter of the immune system

overreacting in an attempt to protect the body from some thing it has

perceived as being a dangerous, foreign invader. We don't know the

exact point where the immune system will make this determination.

 

Someone else wrote:

>>but using that strong a dilution on broken skin is HOW sensitization

>>happens.

 

(ADDED) This is not the only way but it is the most risky manner ..

odds are good that such use could result in Sensitization)

 

There are but a few chemical components of an EO that, if

unassisted, can penetrate the skin (our body's largest protective

organ) to a depth that the chemical would enter the blood stream ..

however, it is not necessary for a chemical to enter the blood stream

in order to activate the alarms for the immune system .. but if the

skin is broken then we are increasing (many fold) the potential for

sensitization.

 

> There are too many people on this (and other) lists, and in this

> industry already sensitized to the oils you are using.

 

Yep .. there are many folks who are sensitized even to the two EO that

the misinformed often claim are safe for neat use .. Lavender

(Lavandula angustifolia) and Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia).

 

> it's a game of Russian Roulette.

 

Dang betcha on that .. folks often come on line and claim that they

have used this or that oil for X number of years without negative

effect.

 

But the same can be said for folks who routinely drive while under the

affluence of inkohol .. its just a matter of time afore it can jump up

and bite them in the butt.

 

There are no sure fire ways to ensure we do not become sensitized to a

particular chemical .. but we can reduce the odds by proper dilution,

reducing the frequency of use .. and reducing the area of application.

 

Y'all have a good one .. and keep smiling. :-)

 

Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

[Guest guest]

Butch, is there a list somewhere of eos that are known to have an

increased risk of causing sensitization? This would be handy since I

(and I'm sure many of us) use essential oils in skin care formulas.

 

Thanks,

Cindy Jones

http://www.sagescript.com

 

 

> Considering the list of oils listed in your formula .. lots of

folks

> have been very lucky. Some of those oils are known to be

sensitizing

> oils .. so odds are that luck will not continue to protect some of

> those folks in the future.

>

> There are no signs we can look for that will alert us to the fact

that

> the immune system might be deciding to kick in and go haywire in an

> attempt to protect the body. What we can do is pay attention to the

> scientifically tested safe percentages shown in the Plant Aromatics

> Safety Manual .. and we can avoid frequent use of oils over large

> areas of the skin - and we can cross our fingers and hope for the

> best.

> d one .. and keep smiling. :-)

>

> Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

>