Does Aromatherapy Really Work? What You Should Know

Aromatherapy remains a popular form of complementary care around the world. This article explains what aromatherapy is, how essential oils are made, the claims often tied to it, and what current science says about its benefits and safety.

What is aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a practice that uses essential oils from plants to influence mood and overall wellbeing. People may inhale the scents or apply oils to the skin, and some believe it can help with symptoms or support treatment. However it should not be treated as a replacement for medical care.

It is thought that the oils interact with the smell sensors in the nose, sending signals to brain areas that control emotions. In most cases only essential oils are used, not incense sticks, though some people think scent alone can have an effect.

Common oils include tea tree, eucalyptus, clove, lemon, cedarwood, lavender, lemon balm, rose, ylang ylang, bergamot, rosemary, and peppermint. They may be inhaled, applied in diluted form to the skin, used in baths or massages, and sometimes added to foods. Some practitioners call themselves aromatherapists, but many are not medical professionals.

What are essential oils and how they are produced

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that capture the plant’s aroma. They are not nutrients, and their scents are typically much stronger than the fresh plant. It takes a large amount of plant material to produce oil. For example, producing one kilogram of rose oil may require between 2,500 and 4,000 kilograms of rose petals. To obtain about 15 milliliters of lavender oil, around 1.4 kilograms of fresh lavender may be used.

There are several methods to extract essential oils:

• Steam distillation – plant material is heated with steam to release the oil, which is then separated from water.
• Cold pressing – mainly used for citrus peels, which release oil when pressed.
• Solvent extraction – plant material is treated with solvents to dissolve the oils, then the solvent is removed to leave the oil.

What properties are attributed to aromatherapy

Aromatherapists tailor oils to each client, believing that different scents have specific effects. Common claims include:

• reducing fatigue and stress;
• supporting mood and relaxation;
• anti inflammatory, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties;
• relieving muscle tension and fever;
• promoting skin tone and aging concerns.

Some practitioners also suggest benefits for heart and circulatory issues.

Does aromatherapy really work

Although essential oils have been used for many years, they are not medicines. High quality evidence confirming clear medical benefits remains limited.

A review of depression studies found that inhaling oils or massages with oils could reduce symptoms, but the included studies were generally small and of low quality, making firm conclusions difficult. The methods used to measure outcomes varied across studies.

A separate review looked at anxiety and sleep in intensive care patients and found that the overall quality of evidence was low, so no solid conclusions could be drawn.

There is also no strong evidence that inhaling essential oils reliably helps with insomnia. Some studies suggest that scent can influence mood. In one small study with 56 healthy participants, lavender aroma was tested for calming effects, lemon for energizing effects, and plain water served as a control. After a stress test involving cold water immersion, researchers reported that lemon scent may improve mood, lavender did not outperform the control, and no other major effects were observed.

Is aromatherapy safe

Many essential oils can cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction, and some citrus oils can increase photosensitivity. Peppermint oil may affect people with heart conditions. Ingesting or applying oils directly to mucous membranes can cause burns or poisoning, and some oils safe to ingest can still cause adverse reactions when used in other ways.

Experts recommend avoiding aromatherapy in several situations, including intolerance to essential oil components, asthma or other respiratory conditions, pregnancy or breastfeeding and young children due to lack of safety data, open skin or wound infections, and varicose veins where the oil should not be applied to the affected area.

The main risk of aromatherapy, like other forms of alternative medicine, is using it to treat serious illnesses. If you have health concerns, seek medical advice and use aromatherapy only as a supplement to conventional care.

Expert comment

Dr Alex Martin, a researcher in integrative medicine, notes that scent can influence mood but strong medical claims require high quality evidence. The use of essential oils should be guided by professionals and not replace medical treatment.

Summary

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to influence mood and wellbeing, but solid evidence for medical benefits remains limited. It may support mood and relaxation for some people, yet it should not replace medical care. Safety matters, as some oils can irritate skin or interact with health conditions; use only diluted oils and seek guidance when needed.

Key takeaway Aromatherapy may affect mood through scent, but solid proof as a medical treatment is lacking. Use it as a careful, complementary approach under guidance rather than as a cure.