Peppermint oil is one of the ancient methods for treating illness for its healing and goodness properties. Peppermint essential oil is a simple three-step procedure of chopping, steaming and filtering mint leaves with any carrier oil. The herbal oil is advantageous in curing simple health problems and also helps beautifying skin. Menthol extracts is a common ingredient in ayurvedic medicines, skin and hair care products and an active ingredient in chest rubs and inhalers. But yes along with benefits anything taken overdose or with some pre-existing health conditions is always harmful. Here is a list of advantages and some disadvantages of peppermint essential oil.
Benefits and Uses of Peppermint Essential Oil
Common Cold:
Add drops of peppermint oil to hot water or a steamer and inhale the vapours. Cover yourself with a cloth so that the vapours do not pass away. Inhaling vapours of peppermint essential oil opens the blocked nose, dry cough and clears throat irritation. Menthol being anti-inflammatory helps in controlling asthma.
Head Ache:
Apply the oil over forehead and centre of your head. This is known to reduce head ache and provide relief from stress and strain. It is also known increase memory power and alertness when applied regularly.
Hair massage:
Peppermint oil hair massage is a shoot out to all hair problems. Any kind of hair and scalp allergies including dandruffs and lice is ruled out with the aromatic flavour of peppermint. Also mint being antiseptic antibacterial reduces hair infections killing lice and odour causing germs. So when the hair problems are solved the result is truly lustrous long hair.
Skin Care:
Peppermint oil massage over body and face before shower is a remedy for flawless perfect skin. It is a solution for any imperfections like pimples over face and back, scars, scaly skin and also bad odour caused by sweat. You can even add peppermint essential oil to the bath water and carry your normal shower. The oil is widely used in spa treatments and can be blended along with face packs to enjoy the benefits.
Peppermint essential oil is also an excellent foot care which is known to treat foot fungus. Massage your feet with mint oil and wear a pair of clean socks overnight to work out foot fungus or you can even soak under hot water with mint oil dissolved in it.
Dental Care:
Adding a drop of oil to toothpaste during brush helps to fight against cavities, toothache, whiten teeth and acts as a mouth freshener. You can even gargle by dissolving peppermint oil in hot water; this is also an excellent mouth freshener killing odour causing germs.
Joint Pains:
Peppermint being an anti-inflammatory helps to reduce joint pains and arthritis. It also relieves cramps and muscle pains.
Side Effects of Peppermint Essential oil
- Peppermint oil causes burning of eye while on contact to eyes.
- For sensitive skin and small children with tender skin strong peppermint oil may cause skin rashes or may worsen the skin conditions. They might even produce ulcers and pop outs for hypersensitive skins.
- This is really rare, but again for very sensitive noses menthol scent might be irritation resulting in the headaches and nausea sensation.
- Excess intake of menthol in any forms may cause heartburns and stomach disturbances.
Looking at the disadvantages the safest way is to consult your physician for your skin and body type and the dosage which can be taken.