The healthy effects of essential oils are well known. But only a few know why they are so good for the skin. Here you will find 7 important pieces of information on why this is so.
1. Although you may not think it at first, oils protect the skin from being colonised by disease-causing bacteria. As shown in a study this year, essential oils have been shown to have anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects against staphylococcus, the main bacteria responsible for skin infections (study below).
2. Essential oils stimulate connective tissue cells (fibroblasts) to better regenerate the skin.
3. Oils form a biofilm and thus protect the skin.
4. Essential oils are also used as aromatherapy and are effective against e.g. depression or chronic pain
5. Essential oils calm nerve endings (=anti-nociceptive effect) in the skin and can thus relieve pain in the connective tissue
6. Essential oils can stimulate skin cells to self-renewal.
7. Essential oils contain important vitamins such as vitamins A, E and F as well as omega 6 and 9.
In summary, essential oils have a calming, renewing and protective effect on the skin. But beware: the production of oils is a complex process, depending on the quality of the natural products used.
References:
Diniz RM, Fernandes TGF, Mendonça JSP, Silva LDS, Saminez WFS, de Oliveira PV, Amorim EADF, Figueiredo CSSES, Bezerra Filho CM, Correia MTDS, da Silva MV, de Sá Sousa JC, Zagmignan A, Nascimento da Silva LC. Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects of Eugenia brejoensis essential oil in mice wounds infected by Staphylococcus aureus. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Oct 14;13:999131. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.999131. PMID: 36313341; PMCID: PMC9613942.
C de S Ribeiro B, V de C Faria R, de S Nogueira J, Santos Valença S, Chen L, Romana-Souza B. Olive oil promotes the survival and migration of dermal fibroblasts through Nrf2 pathway activation. Lipids. 2022 Oct 26. doi: 10.1002/lipd.12363. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36289559.
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