EO Absorption / test subjects

[Guest guest]

Hi Stella,

 

> Has anyone though about where lotion goes when you put it on your skin?

 

I think it might depend on what the lotion base is ... a good bit of it

might just evaporate. Some bases will absorb and others will just clog

the pores.

 

> If skin absorbs lotion, then wouldn't it absorbed eo's too?

 

Here's where the entire discussion of absorption gets confusing because

lots of folks wanna claim that the essential oil absorbs into the skin.

 

That is a mouthful because what we really gotta be looking at is which

of the zillion and one chemical constituents of an EO actually absorb -

how much of it absorbs - what is the rate of absorption vs evaporation,

what conditions (heat, cold, sweating, addition of other chemicals

whatever) may assist or maybe preclude absorption .. and other factors

that are not considered when most folks talk about absorption.

 

The arguements used to support a belief that EOs absorb are all invalid

and are fruits of the poison tree because we are not even concerned with

the EO but the various chemicals in the EO. There are some chemicals

that are known to absorb rapidly .. others are known to not absorb at

all.

 

Now .. if we wanna hang on to this anyway, we're gonna blow hell out of

one of the sacred cows of aromatherapy .. that of the need for unbroken

natural synergies. Keep in mind that the Great Everywhere Spirit made

it possible for some plants and critters to survive and thrive whilst

some others just fell along the wayside .. I forget the figures but it

goes like maybe 80% of the life forms that ever existed no longer

exist. This evolution or survival of the fittest created perfect

organisms that were able to handle the onslaught of enemies and were

able to procreate. Part of the perfection is that natural synergy ..

take away an integral part of a human's blood or the chemical profile of

a plant or whatever, and you have an imperfect organism that is no

longer effective.

 

So .. let's look at the Damask Rose, for example. We have, with the

most modern analysis equipment, been able to identify close to 400

chemical components within that rose .. it is suspected that there are

thousands more trace chemicals not yet identified. Now Old Mastah

didn't allow no chemicals to be in that rose that were without a purpose

... it wasn't a case of .. " Well, I built that rose and only filled up

98% of the storage capacity so I reckon I better through in some filler

chemicals so the other won't be too loose and be bouncing around and

stuff. " ;-p

 

IF .. if all of those chemicals do not absorb (and we KNOW that is a

fact) then only some of them are absorbing - huh? Where is the synergy?

 

Why is there not a lot of research on this? Cause nobody cares. At

least those with the money to conduct expensive research don't care

because they have nothing to gain unless the particular research is

leading up to their marketing of a particular product where they need to

know the absorption rate of the active chemical ingredients ... or maybe

whether it will absorb at all.

 

Also .. keep in mind that we would have to test individual chemicals and

that is a bunch of chemicals .. and they would have to be extracted from

natural products if you wanna get an accurate reading because those that

are man-made are likely to have a slightly different molecular structure

and that will definitely affect the outcome.

 

Finally, and perhaps more difficult though not more costly, is the fact

that you almost gotta have the subject in a total rebreather situation

or have their head in one county and their body in another in order to

ensure that any chemicals detected in the blood stream did not get there

through the most likely avenue .. the olfactory system. This is what

blows most arguements out of the water .. how do you keep that subject

from inhaling some of those millions of volatile molecules floating

through the air? They will head to the bloodstream and get there a

hellva lot faster than will the most rapidly absorbing chemical

components. You don't gotta be able to detect odors for the molecules

to affect you .. many poison gases have no odor and they add bad smells

to them so you can detect them - if your olfactory system is not working

(never heard of this myself) then I think you gotta be dead.

 

That should make some folks think again when they ask if the subject of

a massage is getting relief from the absorption of the EO. In fact, the

massage giver is gonna breath in more molecules faster cause they are

rising .. but the recipient is also gonna breath them in - no way in

hell to prevent that unless you fix it where they can't breath at all.

And also, you can bet your booty that the recipient is gonna get all

kinds of therapeutic value from a massage whether you use any oils at

all - just the manipulation, the touch and the attention is very

therapeutic to the mind, the body and the soul.

 

I don't worry about what folks believe as long as it doesn't negatively

affect the life, liberty or property of other folks .. and that includes

not being unsafe. I see no real harm in belief of all kinds of things

that can't be proven ... but such beliefs can cause us to not progress

much in our learning on a particular subject because we are beginning

with a false .. or at least, an unproven premise and any brillant ideas

we get later might well be clouded by that false premise we began with

... :-(

 

We oughta be glad that the skin, the body's largest organ, does protect

us from total absorption .. if it didn't, we'd likely be spending a lot

of time in the hospital for detox and/or first aid because we come into

contact with some bad stuff on a daily basis. In fact, we could even

drown in the bathtub .. ;-p

 

Y'all keep smiling, Butch http://www.AV-AT.com

 

> --- emryldgea <theimage wrote:

 

> > Our poor guinea pigs, having to suffer through the constant testing

> > of our new recipes, and a nap!

> > My dear husband however often offers a backrub in return, not the

> > same though, what do you think it is like to get a backrub ONLY on

> > your back, don't think I'll ever find out Emryldgea

 

> > > Good for you (recording it all, so do I and it really helps to

> > > have it to look back on...), and I've had the same experience

> > > where Mark couldn't smell what I was massaging on him, but it

> > > worked .... heck, when he smells it, he falls asleep! LOL

> > > Yummy........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........... Hugs, Marilyn