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Lavender

The essential oil of lavender is extracted from the lavender plant and used for a variety of health benefits. It is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, making it useful in topical inflammatory conditions like eczema and acne. For more information, please see our Essential Oil article.

Aromatherapy

The scent of lavender can be of great benefit in cases of anxiety and stress by promoting relaxation. For more information, please see our Stress and Anxiety articles. The calming properties of lavender are also beneficial in promoting sleep in cases of insomnia. For more information, please see our insomnia article. It may help to relieve tension headaches when rubbed on the skin and inhaled as a vapour. When vaporized, lavender oil can help treat respiratory infections and soothe a cough.

Topical Use

Lavender oil is frequently added to skin products like balms, salves, perfumes, and cosmetics. It can be used as an antiseptic to clean minor injuries and burns. It is also a pain reliever and can be applied topically to treat insect bites and stings. When added to massage oil, lavender can help to relieve joint and muscle pain. It has also been shown to be helpful in healing episiotomy wounds after childbirth. As with most essential oils, lavender oil should be diluted in a carrier oil to reduce the risk of damage to the skin.

Hormonal Effects

Lavender can have a weak estrogenic effect. This effect becomes particularly prevalent in children whose sex hormone levels are still low. Lavender oil in shampoos and lotions has been implicated to have some hormonal effects in children. There have been suggestions that in a few cases lavender caused abnormal breast development in young boys, and early puberty in young girls. Ongoing use of lavender essential oil in young children is not recommended until further research can clarify this effect. It is unlikely that this effect is strong enough to affect adults with far greater hormone production of their own.

Culinary Use

The floral and slightly sweet flavour of lavender is sometimes added to baking, and paired with sheep’s milk and goat’s milk cheeses to compliment their flavours. A spice blend called herbs de Provence also contains lavender leaves combined with savory, fennel, basil and thyme.

Hair Growth

Scientific research has shown that the application of a mixture of essential oils to alopecia areata can actually cause a return of hair growth by up to 44%. The mixture is 3 drops of lavender oil, 3 drops of rosemary oil, 2 drops of thyme oil, and 2 drops of cedarwood, all mixed into jojoba (carrier) oil and 20ml of grapeseed oil. This mixture is applied to any bald spots and massaged in each night. Effects are seen over a period of a few weeks.

Other Uses

Bunches of lavender can actually be used to repel insects, so it is commonly used in natural repellant sprays. Because of its calming scent, lavender is also often found in potpourri. In fact, pouches of lavender can be stored with clean linens and clothing to maintain a fresh scent and to deter moths. Some initial research has been performed on whether lavender can be used internally to help treat gastrointestinal upset, but further research is required to be sure of any effects.

How can I use lavender?

Lavender can be found as an essential oil that can be diluted in a carrier oil (or in a 1:10 dilution in water) and used topically for relaxation and pain relief, or can be vaporized for aromatherapeutic effect. A few drops of this oil can be added to hot water or a bath to promote relaxation. Flowerheads can be added to a cup of boiling water to make a relaxing tea to promote sleep. Commercially made tea bags are also available. Dried bunches of lavender can be stored with clothing or hung to deter insects. Lavender is commonly found in a variety of cosmetic and moisturizing products, deodorants, and bath salts.

Aromatherapy

How does it work?

There are two proposed mechanisms. The first follows the theory that the aroma of the oils have a direct influence on the brain. Through the olfactory system, our nose, the aromas travel to the limbic system of the brain.

The limbic system is involved in various functions in the body such as emotional responses, memory storage and hormone regulation. It also plays a role in sensory perception and motor function, as well as olfaction, the sense of smell.

Another theory is simply that, just as plants and herbs have medicinal properties, essential oils made from the same plants and herbs have pharmacological effects, as well. This theory relies on the ability of the scented oils to be absorbed through the skin and exert their medicinal effect on deeper bodily processes that way. These two mechanisms support the argument that the oils can be, but do not necessarily have to be applied on the skin to achieve their healing goals.

Aromatherapy offers treatment for a wide range of health concerns. It is commonly used for the treatment of mental emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, irritability, insomnia and lack of concentration. It has been used in the treatment of chronic concerns, such as respiratory conditions, muscle and joint pain, and overall weakened immune system. It is also helpful in the case of acute nausea, exhaustion or headache.

Aromatherapy is a well known treatment for low libido and overall stress reduction. There are sadly few scientific studies to prove the effectiveness of Aromatherapy as medicine, simply because it is a difficult area to study as the treatments are designed for individual use.