Can essential oils cause skin rash? This article is an attempt to help you figure out why you may have a skin eruption after using essential oils. Sometimes you may have a rash and you’re not sure if it’s caused by essential oils or something else.

Skin eruptions are different than eczema or other rashes, like a histamine or Candida rash. Skin eruptions are some sort of rash or redness that develops immediately after or within a few days after applying an essential oil.

So, are skin eruptions that occur as a result of essential oil use due to detox reactions caused by the oil – or are they due to an allergic reaction to the oil?

You Decide. It could be either.

What could cause a skin reaction?

• Sensitive skin
• A high inflammation diet (such as junk food)
• Improper elimination (if you’re not eliminating properly, your body won’t be able to detox out normal elimination channels so it will detox out the skin)
• Caffeine usage (a biggie and generally causes the strongest reaction)
• Medication usage
• Concentration used
• Skin integrity – diseased skin has a lower threshold
• Allergic contact dermatitis
• Heavy metal toxicity (a silent problem that many people don’t realize they have but it is a definite risk factor)
• Dental issues
• Parasites and candida
• Liver or kidney issues
• GI tract issues
• Radiation (i.e. Seattle and San Francisco)

Essential oils most known to cause a problem

(usually diluted for topical use)

• Bergamot
• Cassia
• Cinnamon Bark *
• Clove
• Lemongrass
• Oregano
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Wintergreen
• Ylang Ylang

Common Sense Solutions and Preventions

• If you’re having this kind of issues then you could detox your body first with a simple, gentle cleanser like grapefruit essential oil before covering your body in oils.
• If you have sensitive skin, try diluting the essential oil with a carrier oil. Reports are that this does not lessen the effectiveness of the essential oils.
• If you have an immediate reaction, try putting sour cream on it and it will pull the essential oils right out of your skin. If it’s an area that sour cream won’t work, like your eyes, then coconut oil * works nicely to dilute it and make the reaction much less severe.
• Un-diluted lavender essential oil can also soothe and calm the skin and possibly stop the reaction.
• Consider necessary dietary changes.
• Support for proper elimination.
• Avoid caffeine.
• Consider effects of medications.
• Don’t leave essential oils in the heat for a long time or they could get oxidized and become a skin irritant.