Beauty Blog — essential oils

Phototoxicity, Photo-Irritation, and Essential Oils

Posted by Claudia Sa on

Phototoxicity, Photo-Irritation, and Essential Oils

Phototoxicity occurs when a drug or substance taken orally or applied to the skin is activated by exposure to UV. Unlike a skin sensitization response, which is an allergic reaction, phototoxic responses are not immune reactions, which is why they are often referred to as photo-irritation. A photo-irritant response is more like an exaggerated sunburn. There are scores of substances known to be photo-irritating, including many antibiotics, antifungals, and antiseptics in medications, soaps, deodorants and other cosmetics. Dyes and coal-tars in cosmetics can also be photo-irritating. In essential oils, furanocoumarins are the naturally occurring plant molecules that may cause photo-irritation....

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