How Many People are Allergic to Lavender? Is a Lavender Allergy Even Possible?
Inside: In response to a reader’s comment in one of my newsletter notes, I decided to do some research on lavender essential oil and the possibility and probability of a person having an allergic reaction to lavender. Here are some scientific facts from the viewpoint of a trained aromatherapist.
First of all....thank you SO very much to all the many, many people who wrote me back after Sunday's note on lavender. The responses were overwhelmingly grateful to know more about the fear mongering from the PTB you'll find on the internet, which was what that note was alluding to.
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The spirit behind the lavender information I wrote about in the last email was simply to raise awareness of difficulties in finding accurate, fair, realistic, and truthful information on Google these days.
I received an angry note from a lady who has an allergy (diagnosed? I'm not sure) to lavender, and I just want to remind you that I'm CONSTANTLY making the statement that everyone's body reacts differently to different things.
So for this note, I thought I'd revisit the science to provide you more information about allergies and sensitivities.
Although the information below is specific to lavender (except for one article), it can be applied to any essential oil.
Lavender and allergy facts:
1) Allergic reactions to lavender are rare.
According to Healthline, "allergic reactions to lavender are uncommon and don't usually occur during your first exposure. Any allergic reaction to lavender is usually a delayed-type hypersensitivity. This means the reaction is not immediate and can take up to a couple of days to appear....It's more likely to happen after increased use and exposure to the chemical elements of lavender."
Another article from VeryWellHealth backs the rarity of a lavender allergy or reaction up.
"A lavender allergy is rare. Having an allergic reaction to any essential oil is uncommon."
My thoughts: As a trained aromatherapist, I've learned quite a lot about sensitivities. These can come about after prolonged use of neat essential oils or many exposures.
I agree with the science that a lavender allergy is rare...but it is still possible for some people. We need to keep this in mind with any chemical we're using on and in our bodies, the bodies of our children, and our fur-babies.
2) There is a difference between an allergic reaction and an irritant reaction.
"Although the symptoms are the same, irritations tend to last for a few hours, while allergic reactions can last for days or weeks. Allergic reactions can also spread to areas of the body that lavender didn't come into contact with.
If you have an irritation, you can usually use the same oil again with a greater dilution and not have any reaction. This is not the case for an allergic reaction." (Healthline)
My thoughts: It's vital to understand the difference between an allergy and an irritation and know how to work with both. For either reaction, oatmeal compresses and/or oatmeal baths might be very helpful. Here's a recipe for my popular Anti-Itch Balm (Leave out the lavender essential oil, obviously).
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3) Suppression of natural products and ingredients?
An article in the Atlantic about allergens in natural beauty products informs the public: "Chamomile and lavender, common ingredients in cosmetics and many other household items, sometimes cause people to develop allergies after repeated exposure. The EU is considering a warning label for that reason." (Guenard)
My thoughts: I understand the government wanting to put warning labels on natural beauty products if there's really an issue. If the product is made correctly, with proper dilutions, I highly doubt an allergy or irritation might occur since we just learned that most of these issues stem from overuse and neat use. In a moment, I'll talk about the most common sensitivities to lavender and the percentage at which they show up in the human population. AGAIN: Some people react differently to all kinds of things, even foods.
My bottom line: If you're aware in this modern world right now, you've hopefully already noticed that the PTB (powers that be) want to "protect" us from many good and positive things, while exposing us to massive amounts of toxins of all kinds in our environments, processed foods, and commercial products that I believe have far more dangers than a 1% dilution of lavender essential oil in a dab of lotion.
4) Signs of a lavender reaction
According to Healthline (same link as above), here are the signs of a "lavender reaction:"
Itchiness
Redness
Burning Sensation
Small blisters or hives
AND...for inhalation---
Sneezing, itchy, runny or stuffy nose
postnasal drip
coughing
etc.... Typical allergic reactions
My thoughts: These symptoms are allergic reactions for every other essential oil, fragrance, or chemical compound group or blend that an individual might have an allergic response to in their unique body. So, this information goes for just about everything.
5) It’s about the chemistry
It seems that linalyl acetate is the culprit, and is found in high levels in lavender (and many other natural and synthetic products). Healthline goes on to say:
"The easiest way to prevent a future reaction is to not use undiluted lavender oil on your skin." (UM... I say this ALL the time, too....dilute, dilute, dilute)
They also state that you should "keep a list of anything that may have led to a reaction, including products and locations so you can avoid these in future."
Finally, the author points out that "linalyl acetate is a very common chemical used to provide fragrance in scented products. However, it's not often listed on products sold in the European Union (and probably never in United States products, as our laws haven't been updated since the 1930's for cosmetics) because the EU doesn't consider it an allergenic compound.
My thoughts: Based on this document and many others I've read, I think it's pretty unfair to point the finger at lavender alone. In my work with clients, friends, and my own allergic self, I've had far more people have issues with commercial chemical products that contain mysterious "fragrances" or "parfum" or "natural fragrance" because these chemical blends do not need to be shared with the public due to proprietary protection laws.
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6) Roughly 2 to 4% of the human population might have a reaction to lavender
According to an Australian study specifically on lavender that I found on the NIH.gov site, about 2.2% of the people studied and tested had some kind of allergic response or allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). The study didn't note if the patch test was neat or diluted, (but I'm suspecting neat application.)
My thoughts: I looked up a number of other articles and studies, and it seems 2% was the most likely percentage of people having a reaction, although a couple of articles I found were as high as 4%.
The Immune System, Helpful Herbs, and Allergic Reactions:
When we have an allergic response, our immune system basically goes into overdrive, attempting to attack the stimulant. This causes the unpleasant allergic reactions we end up with.
Some categories of herbs you might want to have handy are those that potentially suppress the immune response in most people, help with inflammation and the accompanying inflammatory responses (wheezing, inflamed sinuses, and many others), and those that calm and soothe the specific symptoms.
Here are some of my favorite herbs to support a healthy immune response and calm inflammation caused by irritation or allergies:
1) Turmeric (Curcuma Longa): Turmeric contains a very strong anti-inflammatory agent, curcumin. Curcumin has been shown to be quite active in supporting lymphocytes and also affecting numerous antigen appearance types in the body.
2) Black pepper (Piper Nigra): Black pepper in conjunction with turmeric in my opinion is a must. The curcumin in turmeric is not very bioavailable, you see. But when taken with black pepper, the piperine in the pepper goes to work to help our body absorb more of the curcumin. They're a real power team!
3) Nettle (Urtica dioica): Nettle is becoming more and more well-known to act as a type of antihistamine and helps to modulate the body's immune response. Rather than over reacting to an allergen, the body might be more likely to just ignore them. Nettle may also inhibit congestion, itchiness, and other hayfever symptoms. I personally suggest you start taking your nettle a couple of months before you expect allergies to begin, if using for seasonal allergies. Otherwise...it's just fine to take it every day as a tonic.
4) Mullein (Verbascum thapsis): Mullein also has natural antihistamine abilities as well as being highly supportive of the entire upper and lower respiratory system. Mullein can reduce allergic response severity including sneezing, itching and nasal congestion. I can personally attest to this as can many of my students!
5) Green Tea (Camellia sinensis): Green tea is highly nutritive and also high in anti-oxidants, especially epigallocatechin gallate that just might reduce inflammation caused by allergy symptoms on a cellular level. Just drink your green tea!
6) Any herb high in rosmarinic acid. These include rosemary and most of the mints. This chemical is pretty wonderful for reducing inflammatory allergic reactions like congestion in the sinuses and nostrils and even the eyes. One study showed that rosmarinic acid may also help with allergic skin reactions (itchiness, hives, etc.)
Let's keep our immune system and response strong!
You might enjoy my short course, Your Invisible Army: The Immune System.
Final Thoughts on Sensitivities and Allergic Reactions to Essential Oils (Specifically Lavender)
It is 100% possible to be allergic to any essential oil, even lavender. And your symptoms may be different than someone else's.
Some people might say that you can't be allergic to an essential oil due to a lack of proteins in the volatile oils, however, essential oil molecules may be able to attach to proteins within the body. This combination might be responsible for causing a person's immune system to start an allergic reaction.
So, while rare, allergic reactions or irritations can happen. Be sure to see your medical doctor if you have an allergic reaction, especially one that comes with life threatening symptoms (wheezing, airways closing, etc.).
And, please…use your essential oils correctly! Dilute properly. Don’t overuse them. Be wise.
You may also enjoy these articles and videos:
1) Link to Healing Harvest Homestead
2) Essential Oils for Energy and Mental Clarity
3) Using Essential Oils for Grief and Hard Times
4) How to Get Into a Great Mood FAST + A Road Rage Spray Formula to Make
5) Five Tips: Using Essential Oils with Animals
Hugs, Health, and Self-Reliance,
Heidi