You know your perioral dermatitis flares up at the slightest thing, but you want to use some powerful lavender or tea tree essential oils to keep those spots from getting infected... is it safe to use essential oils?!
Yes, it's safe to use essential oils if you’re prone to perioral dermatitis, but proceed with caution!
Firstly, remember that perioral dermatitis (PD) is a complicated condition to treat; it is likely to be affected by all sorts of things, from hormonal cycles, the stress you’re under at work, to what you’re putting on your skin and even the fluouride in your toothpaste!
Flares of PD can also be triggered by strong or sensitising ingredients in skin care, which includes essential oils! Essential oils contain extremely high concentrations of volatile compounds that can irritate and damage skin, and some are definitely more damaging than others.
Oils to avoid if you have sensitive skin include any citrus oils (lemon, lime, tangerine, grapefruit, mandarin, and bergamot), mint oils (peppermint, wintergreen, pennyroyal, and balm mint) and spice oils such as cinnamon, camphor, or clove.
However, PD can also be aggravated by bacterial and fungal infections, both of which can be kept well under control by natural remedies, including antimicrobial essential oils. The right essential oils can help keep skin clean and nourished, battling against the microbes and inflammation that cause outbreaks of spots. So adding essential oils to your PD skincare routine can be a really positive thing to do!
It’s just a question of being careful and aware of how your own skin reacts to anything you put on it. At the very least, essential oils should not be used neat on skin, so make sure you use a ready-made blend, or add to a carrier oil yourself.
TO SUM UP: Use essential oils carefully! There are many benefits to using selected essential oils on skin prone to perioral dermatitis, but know your own skin, patch test, and stop using anything that irritates your skin.
We’d suggest trying a few drops of Balmonds Scalp Oil as a rescue oil for perioral dermatitis. It contains antimicrobial tea tree and rosemary essential oils, as well as gentle, infused oils of calendula, nettle, borage, olive, hemp, safflower and chickweed.
You can also be safe in the knowledge that our Skin Salvation balm and Balmonds Daily Moisturising Cream are entirely essential oil-free!
For more detailed information about what you can do holistically to manage flare-ups, see our blog on How To Treat Perioral Dermatitis.
Recommended products:
Balmonds Scalp Oil with tea tree, rosemary & borage (f14.99 for 50ml)
Balmonds Daily Moisturising Cream with hemp & shea (from £13.99 for 100ml)
Balmonds Rosehip Scar Oil with rosehip & calendula (£18.99 for 50ml)
Balmonds Natural Shampoo & Body Wash with nettle and chamomile (£19 for 200ml)
