Despite the fact that the U.S. is plagued with epidemics relating to obesity and opioid abuse, many Americans are obsessed with their health and wellness. And while the U.S. holds 45% of the global pharmaceutical market, there are a considerable number of people who would rather pursue natural treatments than rely on Western medicine.
One such alternative? Essential oils. They’ve found widespread appeal for their purported benefits, which include relief for anxiety, stress, nausea, insomnia, and lack of appetite, as well as reducing inflammation and evening skin tone. Now, one study has found that certain compounds in essential oils might actually speed up the wound healing process — which means that those Young Living representatives might actually be onto something.
We use oils for all kinds of purposes. After all, oils in concentrations ranging from 1% to 99% can be found in all kinds of personal care items (including skin creams, face cleansers, sunscreens, cosmetics, and hair products). But essential oils are a bit different than what you might normally find in your medicine cabinet or even your kitchen. Essential oils are extracted from different species of plants and capture the scent or flavor of that original plant. They can be obtained through mechanical methods or through distillation and must be combined with carrier oils in order to be used safely on the skin.
While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend removing old bandages to check for signs of infection every 24 hours after the skin has been cut, sometimes even conventional bandages may not always do the trick. However, a study conducted by Indiana University researchers recently found that a specific compound in essential oils improves the healing process when topically applied to skin wounds. Researchers identified that beta-carophyllene (which is found in lavender, rosemary, ylang-ylang, black pepper, and other herbs and spices) increased cell growth and migration in mice subjects — a process that’s vital to the wound healing process.
It’s no wonder that essential oils have long since been used to minimize the appearance of scars — though there hasn’t been much scientific evidence to back up those effects until now. And ultimately, scientists are merely verifying that home remedies involving these herbs really do have more than the placebo effect going for them.
Of course, researchers warn, the results are not definitive proof that you should start applying essential oils to every cut and scrape you get. In the study, essential oils with known purities and dilutions were used — and because essential oils aren’t regulated in a way that allows the consumer to know for sure that what they’re getting will be truly effective, there’s still progress to be made. Complicating matters further is the fact that some people actually have allergic reactions to certain essential oils. And since there are currently 7.2 million open healthcare positions available worldwide due to staffing shortages, it might not always be advisable to take risks with a homeopathic remedy.
That said, there’s substantial demand for these kinds of natural developments. Many Americans are veering away from prescription medications in favor of treatments like chiropractic care or even cannabidiol (otherwise known as CBD). The World Health Organization has even released a report that endorses the use of acupuncture for over 200 health symptoms and diseases. And these days, massage therapy isn’t just for relaxation; it’s often viewed as a medically advisable form of care. So while essential oils might still be on the outskirts, there’s a lot of potential there.
As the study author explained in a statement, “There are many things to test before we can start using it clinically, but our results are very promising and exciting. Someday in the near future, we may be able to develop a drug and drug delivery methods using the chemical compounds found in essential oils.”