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From Burn to Healing
20 Days with Essential Oils

Many of you will know Kane as part of our team here at Ahimsa Oils. Last month he had a small kitchen accident where some hot oil spat out of a pan and landed directly on his leg, leaving him with a second degree burn almost the size of a 20 cent coin. Anyone who has experienced this kind of burn knows how intense that first moment can be! The sharp sting as the skin begins to blister.

Like most people would instinctively do, he ran it under cold water and used ice to cool the area before covering it. His first thought afterwards was something many people might relate to: essential oils. But applying essential oils to a fresh burn can sound counterintuitive, especially onto damaged skin.

When he told me about the burn, my response was immediate. “Use lavender oil.” So that’s exactly what he did.

The Routine He Used

For the first stage of healing, he kept things simple. He used a gentle wash that we made, with lavender essential oil mixed with castile soap to clean the area. After drying the skin, he applied a drop of lavender oil to the wound and covered. As it began to form a dry layer of new skin, he began applying a blend of lavender, helichrysum and jojoba oil, morning and night.

Over the next twenty days he documented the healing process with photos. Kane mentioned that he is someone who can take quite a while to heal even minor abrasions. The following images were captured from day 2 until day 20.  We’ll let the photos speak for themselves!

⚠ WARNING: Burn Images

Day 2

Day 4

Day 7

Day 20

Lavender Oil & Burns

Lavender’s association with burns is not new. In fact, one of the most well known stories in aromatherapy history begins with exactly this type of injury. In 1910, French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé suffered a severe burn in his laboratory after an explosion. According to his writings, he immediately immersed his hand in a container of lavender oil and observed rapid relief from pain and very clean healing with minimal scarring. The experience led him to investigate the therapeutic properties of essential oils more deeply and eventually introduce the term “aromatherapy.”

Lavender oil contains constituents such as linalool and linalyl acetate, which have been studied for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and skin supportive properties. Many people also notice that lavender oil can quickly calm the sting of minor burns when applied to the skin.

Helichrysum

Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum) is often referred to in aromatherapy as an oil for skin repair. It contains compounds such as italidiones, which are believed to support tissue regeneration and help reduce the appearance of bruising and trauma.

For burns and damaged skin, helichrysum is frequently included in blends designed to support recovery and minimise visible scarring. It is one of those oils that tends to work quietly in the background, helping the skin move through the repair process more smoothly.

Camellia Oil

While not an essential oil, nor did we use it in this instance, but camellia oil deserves special mention as a carrier oil here. It is naturally rich in oleic acid, which helps support the skin barrier and maintain moisture in damaged or compromised skin. It also contains antioxidants that can assist the skin during the repair process.

What makes camellia particularly useful in blends like this is its texture. It absorbs beautifully into the skin, allowing essential oils to spread evenly while still providing the lipid support that healing tissue needs. For burns, dryness or irritated skin, carrier oils like camellia or jojoba play an important role by protecting the skin barrier while essential oils contribute their more concentrated plant compounds.

A Final Thought

Burns should always be treated with care, and more serious injuries require appropriate medical attention. But experiences like this are a reminder of how effective simple plant based remedies can be when used thoughtfully.

Lavender oil has been associated with burn care for more than a century, and after watching this healing process unfold over the past twenty days, it’s easy to understand why!

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