You must be well aware that lavender oil is used to heal wounds or kill bacterial infections. You even would have used the oil for the same. But, did it ever cross your mind that the oil with such miraculous properties also has side effects? Yes, the fact is that lavender oil has side effects as well.
Shocking, isn’t it? Well, any ingredient on this planet, if consumed in excess can have side effects. So what are the side effects of using lavender oil?
You will get to know of all that in this post! But before that, let’s take a quick look at the basic properties of the oil and its several uses.
Lavender oil is the oil extracted from the lavender plant, which is a small shrub. The plant is aromatic in nature. It originates at the Mediterranean region, Russia and some other parts of the world. A lavender plant gives off purple or blue flowers.
While lavender flower is widely used as a perfume, lavender oil is meant to relieve you of pain, fungal infection, indigestion. It is also used as a sedative.
This oil is also used to cure common health issues like acne to the dire ones like migraines. The oil also helps in aiding you to relax. You can use lavender oil to fall asleep as well, if you feel insomniac. That lavender oil is powerful becomes known from the fact that it is used after surgery.
Young boys must be careful while using lavender oil. It may cause breast growth in them. Though it sounds serious, there is one thing that can give some relief. The breast growth stops once the boy discontinues using the oil. The problem resolves by itself.
Few other side effects of lavender oil are that it sometimes irritates the skin or leads to an allergic reaction. While it cures a lot of health ailments, it may cause nausea, headache, and vomiting.
Shocking it may sound, but the fact is lavender oil may be poisonous if consumed. This happens when the oil interacts with other medicines used for the central nervous system, etc. What happens is that when you take lavender oil with these medications, you feel excessively sleepy. The reason for this is that lavender oil causes relaxation. Due to this effect of relaxation, other medications act stronger.
Ensure you don’t consume the oil. If you drink it, lavender oil can prove to be toxic. You know the oil is working against you if you feel abdominal pain, blurred vision or a burning sensation in the throat. You may also develop skin rashes or find it difficult to breathe. If you have to use lavender oil, use it topically. You can also mix the oil with hot water and then inhale it.
If you want to use the oil topically, take base oil and add 1 to 4 drops of lavender oil to it. To inhale, add 1 or 2 drops of lavender oil in a cup of water. The water, of course, has to be boiling for you to be able to inhale the oil.
Though lavender oil is good and has its own set of benefits, it does have certain side effects too; and you have seen what they are.
We hope this post has educated you on lavender oil benefits and side effects and how not to use it in order to prevent its side effects. If you know of any other side effects this oil has, do share with us in the comments section below!