Essential oils are lovely when diffused into the air, leaving you with a pleasant scent to breathe in. When combined with your favorite moisturiser, your skin is left silky smooth; but one use you may not have thought of is the use of soothing minor issues—like bruises. Because of their efficacy certain oils offer specific benefits that can help speed up the healing process for bruises. Many also have anti-inflammatory properties and can provide relief from the pain and discomfort often associated with bruises. Bruises can be tender. The next time you bump your shin against the coffee table, try using one of these oils to eliminate the bruise more quickly.
3 Best Essential Oils for healing bruises
Frankincense
Anciently prized and revered, frankincense resin has been used in everything from sacred religious ceremonies to anti-aging formulas. This essential oil is no-less valuable today, and doTERRA Frankincense oils is particularly unique; it combines four species of Boswellia trees that are known for their powerful essential oil—carterri, frereana, sacra, and papyrifera. While Frankincense possesses a myriad of other benefits, it is particularly rejuvenating to your skin. For this reason, it is a helpful oil to use on bruises.
Helichrysum
Helichrysum is renowned for its exceptional skin benefits—which is why you’ll find it in doTERRA Immortelle. When this “everlasting flower” is distilled into an oil form, it has many restorative properties to benefit its users. Native to the Mediterranean, and cultivated in Italy, the Balkans, and France, Helichrysum is often used to reduce the appearance of blemishes and signs of ageing, and may be applied to bruises as well.
Myrrh
The use of Myrrh goes back as far as the Egyptians, where it was used during the mummification and embalming process. Today, it can be found as an ingredient in salves for treating common, minor problems. Because of the components that make up this resin-turned-oil, Myrrh has a warm, earthy scent that blends well with other essential oils such as Frankincense, Lavender, and Peppermint. It is usually applied topically to promote clear, healthy-looking skin, but has also been recommended for bruising.
Natural Ways to Treat Bruising
To help heal a bruise, most doctors recommend the acronym RICE—rest, ice compression, and elevation. Icing can be done right away as it can help reduce the amount of blood that escapes from the vessels, thus minimizing the appearance of bruising. Compression works in the same way, while elevation works to direct blood away from the site of the injury.
There is some debate about these methods, as some researchers believe that compression and elevation inhibit inflammation, which is the body’s way of healing. Many people also advocate the use of essential oil for bruises, to work as an adjunct to these therapies.
How to Soothe Bruises with Essential Oil
When caring for a bruise, you first need to reduce blood flow to the area. Keep that part of the body elevated, wrap ice in a cloth, and apply it to the spot that was hit or bumped. This helps keep blood from pooling in the bruised tissue, and therefore reduces discoloration.
Lightly massaging the area can also keep blood from pooling, minimizing the bruising. Essential oils are a great addition to any massage. In addition to providing a pleasant scent, some are particularly soothing to the skin and provide other helpful benefits.
Once the area has been iced, combine one to two drops of either Helichrysum or Myrrh oil to enough Fractionated Coconut Oil to cover the bruised area. Depending on the severity of the bruise, you may consider applying heat to the area after 24 hours of icing. You can use an electric heating pad, rice bag, or heated water bottle. Apply heat to the area 20 minutes at a time throughout the day until the bruise has healed.
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Other essential oils that are thought to help with bruising are:
- Marjoram
- Geranium
- Cypress
- Lemongrass
- Peppermint
- Lavender
- Tea Tree
In abundance, with hope and blessings
Tracey
XoXo
