Page 20 - ESSENTIAL OIL THERAPY MANUAL

First Aid For Adverse Reactions
ADVERSE SKIN REACTIONS (Tisserand, 2020):
• DO NOT APPLY ESSENTIAL OILS!
• Remove any contaminated clothing.
• Wash the skin gently with (preferably unperfumed) soap and water for at least
10 minutes
• Expose the skin to the air (but not to direct sunlight) to encourage evaporation
of remaining essential oil.
• Application of a simple barrier cream, or a mild corticosteroid cream is the
normal medical approach (although allergic contact dermatitis to topical
corticosteroids is possible).
• Oral antihistamines may help reduce itching
• Seek medical attention if irritation persist
EYE CONTACT (Tisserand, 2020):
• As soon as possible, flush the eye with copious amounts of water for 15-30 minutes. The reason this is better than oil is because you get a much better flushing action from water. It’s not about whether or not essential oils dissolve in water or oil, it’s about washing the oil off as soon as possible.
• Fill a sink or dishpan with water. Put your face in the water, then open and close your eyelids to force water to all parts of your eye. You can also flush your eye gently under a running faucet, kitchen sink sprayer, or shower. You may need to open and close your eyelids with your fingers. Move your eye in all directions during the flushing so that all areas of your eye are rinsed
• If there are contact lenses, remove them after the first 5 minutes, then continue rinsing eye.
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