Characteristics and features of the use of camphor oil
Camphor is a substance that is obtained from the wood of the Japanese laurel. This plant is native to Japan, South China and Taiwan. Japanese laurel is grown in South America, Europe, Africa and the Black Sea. Being a pharmacy drug, camphor oil has both supporters and opponents of use.
For some people, this substance is a salvation from many ailments, as well as a way to restore beauty and youth. Others consider it dangerous and unacceptable to use. But before you start using camphor oil, you should know for sure if your body is allergic or intolerant to it. White oil is absolutely safe and healthy for humans, but brown oil is used only for industrial purposes.
Origin and manufacturing methods
Camphor oil has gained extraordinary popularity in the medical and cosmetic industries. There are several types of this pharmacy product, only one of which is used for medicinal purposes.
A solution of camphor is made by processing fir or by distilling turpentine. The extraction process of white camphor oil comes from old wild plants. To do this, the tree is cut down, divided into two halves, and ground into powder.The raw material obtained as a result of this work is subjected to distillation by exposing it to high temperature steam.
As a result of numerous studies, it has been proven that no matter how this medical product is produced, be it a natural, synthetic or semi-synthetic product, the resulting substance will have similar beneficial properties.
Composition and main properties
Camphor oil has the appearance of a clear oily liquid, which is characterized by a yellowish tint and the presence of camphor aroma. People used to use the beneficial properties of the drug many centuries ago. A product of natural origin can be found on sale not so often, since the process of its manufacture is very expensive. A frequent and popular pharmacy product is camphor synthetic essential oil. The characteristics of these products are similar, but the difference is that the unnatural substance is forbidden to be taken orally, it is only suitable for external procedures.
The composition of this product includes the following substances:
- camphor;
- cineole;
- limonene;
- safrole;
- camphene;
- pinene.
The most famous properties that a camphor product has:
- nutritious;
- wound healing;
- painkiller;
- cleansing;
- emollient;
- anti-inflammatory;
- rejuvenating;
- therapeutic;
- antiseptic.
This unique product is sometimes used even in cooking. The substance is a good disinfectant for wounds. The presence of a pronounced aroma makes it possible to use the oil as an element of aromatherapy. Thus, you can relieve nervous tension, psychological fatigue and even eliminate depression.Also, this substance strengthens the nervous system and the body's defense reactions.
. Doctors recommend using camphor oil to stimulate heart activity.
Benefit and harm
Camphor oil has found application both in traditional and folk medicine, in the cosmetic field, and also as a repellant, which can repel blood-sucking parasites. Depending on the origin, the drug can be used both internally and externally.
This substance has many properties that have a beneficial effect on the human body. Due to the stimulating effect on the activity of the respiratory and vasomotor centers, camphor oil can improve not only breathing, but also blood circulation, which is why the drug is used during first aid. A beneficial healing effect is the use of a substance for the legs and heels. The main medical indications for the use of camphor oil include the following:
- problems with the respiratory process;
- stagnation of sputum;
- pain in arthritis and rheumatism;
- tissue swelling;
- violation of blood microcirculation;
- burn;
- a bite of an insect.
But this is not a complete list of areas in which this tool can be useful. It treats ear pain, neuralgia, myositis, and is used as a prophylaxis against bedsores. In addition to the mass of useful properties, camphor oil has some contraindications. It should not be used by those people who have intolerance to the components of the drug, since the following allergy manifestations may subsequently occur:
- rash;
- increased heart rate;
- manifestations of seizures;
- headaches and dizziness.
To all of the above, it is worth adding that people suffering from skin diseases in the form of eczema and dermatitis should refuse to purchase this drug. Also, the camphor product is prohibited during epilepsy, it should not be used in relation to children under two years of age. You can not use compresses and rubbing if there is a high body temperature.
Contraindications in the use of camphor oil include pregnancy, as well as breastfeeding. In case of non-compliance with the recommendations, the drug may be harmful. As folk wisdom says, all good things should be in moderation, so do not overdo it in the case of using camphor oil.
Subtleties of use
For some health problems, the use of natural-based pharmaceutical preparations is a good solution. No exception is camphor oil with a wide spectrum of action. This substance is considered one of the most effective in relation to the process of improving blood flow in each individual part of the body. It is able to actively act on the nerve endings that are located on the skin, dilate blood vessels. Thanks to this, blood circulation improves, and the tissues are supplied with more oxygen.
According to the instructions for use, the drug should be used in local treatment. If the joints and muscles hurt, then it should be applied directly to the affected area of the body. After the procedure, there is a decrease in pain and inflammation. It is worth using the drug for diseases of the respiratory system by inhalation, as well as by rubbing. With lactostasis and problems with the tonsils, it is worth applying compresses. Instillation of camphor oil is recommended for inflammatory processes and pain in the ears.For this, two drops in each ear three times a day are enough.
Mosquito bites are lubricated with camphor oil, this procedure noticeably and quickly relieves swelling and itching. Before using any pharmaceutical preparation, and this oil is no exception, you should consult a doctor about doses.
In cosmetology
Camphor oil in cosmetology is rarely used in its pure form, usually other ingredients are added to it, which also have healing properties. The most commonly used recipes in the cosmetic field.
- For eyebrows, eyelashes. In order for eyebrows and eyelashes to grow thick and healthy, it is necessary to prepare a special solution for them. To do this, three to five drops of camphor are added to one tablespoon of castor oil and mixed. For ease of use, it is recommended to pour the solution into an empty carcass container. For thirty days before going to bed, the healing drug should be applied to the eyelashes and eyebrows, while combing them.
To increase the density, it is worth using the mixture daily, and in order to prevent the eyebrows and eyelashes from falling out, the product is used weekly.
- To eliminate wrinkles. The solution is prepared from a tablespoon of milk thistle oil and grape oil, five drops of camphor oil should be added to them. To tighten the skin that is fading, as well as to strengthen it, you will need to apply the mixture on the skin of the face and neck, covering it with a cloth on top. Twenty minutes later, the face must be washed and covered with a moisturizer. To smooth wrinkles near the eyes, it is necessary to prepare an equal proportion of grape, peach, camphor oils and apply every day to the area around the eyes. This mask requires subsequent rinsing.
- From pimples and blackheads. Against inflammatory processes on the skin of the face, as well as to narrow the pores and improve the appearance of the dermis, it is necessary to prepare a mixture of one teaspoon of cumin oil and five drops of camphor oil. The substance must be used as a lotion for wiping problem areas of the skin. Also, this mixture is used as a mask twice a week, which is then washed off with warm water.
- For smoothing colloidal scars. It is necessary to cut off a tissue piece that has the size of a scar. The fabric should be soaked in camphor oil and put on the scar, and polyethylene should be applied on top and secured. At the first application, the application should be kept for an hour, in the absence of allergies, subsequent ones can be increased to two.
- To improve the condition of the hair. Excessively oily or dry hair that breaks and falls out is a fairly common modern problem. Of course, you can buy an expensive drug to improve their condition, but you can use proven and inexpensive camphor oil. The unique properties of the substance reduce the intensity of the functioning of the sebaceous glands, can prevent their dryness, loss, and also cure dandruff and seborrhea. A complex effect on the scalp and hair structure in a short period of time will give a wonderful result.
The use of camphor oil masks will restore shine and softness to curls, increase their growth rate, and relieve dandruff, seborrhea and flaking.
Making masks.
- To eliminate fat. It is necessary to heat two tablespoons of camphor oil with a water bath, adding egg yolk and one and a half tablespoons of lemon juice to them, stirring vigorously.Then apply to the hair and leave for 30 minutes, after which the mask is washed off under water.
- Against dryness. One tablespoon of oil is mixed with egg yolk, the same portion of burdock, almond oil and two drops of tea tree oil. After mixing all the components, the mixture is applied to the hair for 15 minutes. After the procedure, wash off the mask with shampoo.
- From dandruff. To make a mask, you need to mix fresh applesauce, a tablespoon of camphor oil, half a tablespoon of grape seed oil. The mixture is stirred and then rubbed into the hair, after which it is aged for forty minutes.
- Against falling out. To prepare the mask, you need to mix camphor and castor oil in the amount of one tablespoon of each. After the mixture must be combined with a couple of drops of almond extract, as well as crushed rosemary. This mixture should be applied to the hair before going to bed and washed off only in the morning. The use of masks should continue at least ten times within two months.
Before starting any cosmetic procedures using camphor oil, it is worth testing for sensitivity and individual intolerance to the substance. To do this, rub a drop of oil into the skin and wait for the result to appear. The best area to test will be the inside crease of the elbow. If after thirty minutes no allergic reactions appear, then camphor oil can be safely used for cosmetic procedures.
In folk medicine
The use of essential oils in folk medicine is quite popular and this is not surprising, because these substances not only have a beneficial effect on human systems and organs, but also cost less than medicines. It is recommended to use camphor oil in this way.
- When the first signs of pain in the ears appear, it is worth immediately dropping one or two drops of camphor oil into each organ, then covering them with a cotton swab. The procedure needs to be repeated several times a day. Before it is carried out, the drug must be heated in warm water.
- If a person is worried about the pain that was the result of tooth extraction, then a camphor oil compress applied to the cheek can remove pain and swelling.
- With debilitating coughing fits, a few drops of the substance added to warm milk, together with honey, will help to alleviate the condition.
- Camphor oil compresses help with enlarged lymph nodes.
- Massaging the temples with fingers dipped in a healing substance will help get rid of a headache.
- To relieve stress, irritability, you can carry out relaxing aromatherapy using a lamp with the addition of a few drops of amphora oil.
- In order to alleviate the symptoms of the disease and relieve swelling in hemorrhoids, this pharmacy is used. Thanks to camphor oil, the regeneration of the epidermis is stimulated, disinfection and a decrease in the size of external hemorrhoids occur. In addition, the substance in this situation is able to have an analgesic effect.
For kids
The use of camphor oil as a medicine is not recommended for children who have not reached the age of three.But in older children, they can treat many diseases by using it for inhalation, rubbing, by instillation into the ear and as an element of a cream.
The use of camphor oil for children is possible in such cases.
- For pain and inflammation in the ears. It is strictly forbidden to instill in children who have not reached the age of one. For everyone else, the dosage is as follows: three times a day, 2-3 drops in each ear. Burying the remedy in a healthy ear is necessary to prevent the spread of infection. In order to remove congestion from the ears, you can make turundas that are moistened with a pharmaceutical substance. If an insect has got into the child's ear, then the use of a camphor derivative will help save the situation.
It is forbidden to use drops of camphor oil if there is a foreign object in the ear, the child has a thyroid gland pathology, his lymph nodes are enlarged, acute inflammation is observed and the body temperature exceeds 38 degrees.
- To make you feel better and improve your breathing, camphor oil can be instilled as part of a nasal preparation. To prepare it, you will need to carefully mix the tincture of propolis, sunflower and camphor oils in equal amounts. It is necessary to carry out instillation of the nose no more than three times a day in the amount of three drops.
- When coughing. A good alternative to pills, which often have a side effect, is camphor oil. It is used to relieve the symptoms of a cold and save a child from coughing. Thanks to oil compresses, warming occurs, and essential vapors make breathing less difficult. To eliminate a cold cough, inhalations are used with this drug in the amount of 15 drops.
Camphor rubs are a popular treatment for SARS in a child over five years of age. Before starting the procedure, camphor oil should be warmed up with a water bath, then rubbed with it on the chest, back and feet of the patient. Rubbing is best done immediately before a night's rest and in the absence of high body temperature. Since this pharmacy product is highly toxic, it should not be given to children for oral consumption. This may cause poisoning.
Therefore, the storage of medicines, in particular essential oils, should be in a place that is not accessible to children.
For women
Women are recommended to use camphor oil in case of various problems. For example, when lactation stops. With external use of the drug, chest pain is eliminated and the general condition of the body improves. The properties of camphor do not include an effect on the production of secretions, so it will be a good option at the end of the breastfeeding process.
For the breast, this remedy will be a good substitute for drugs that are quite expensive. The effect of using camphor oil:
- warming and pain relief;
- removal of spasms and inflammations;
- elimination of pain effect;
- skin disinfection;
- expansion of arteries, narrowing of veins;
- normalization of blood circulation.
The use of camphor oil during the cessation of lactation is absolutely safe, so doctors often prescribe this particular substance. When mastitis is worth using these recommendations.
- Mix camphor oil and camphor alcohol in equal proportions. Fresh internal fat of a pig is mixed with medical bile. First, the chest is rubbed with the first mixture, then the second.The procedures should be continued until recovery, performing these simple steps at night.
- Melt 100 g of propolis with a water bath, add a tablespoon of camphor oil to it. Cotton cloth must be soaked in the prepared mixture, and then applied to the chest.
- During mastopathy, camphor oil is applied to the chest. After that, the treated part of the body should be covered with cling film and a towel. To withstand the compress is worth at least two hours.
For weight loss
Having a strong warming effect, camphor in the form of an oil is also used for weight loss. For wrapping, it is mixed with sea mud, clay or honey. This mixture must be applied when the skin is warm, while the movements should be massaging. After that, you need to wrap yourself with a film or a warm towel. The duration of the procedure should be about 30 minutes, and the course should last 10 or 12 sessions.
After the wrapping procedure is over, you need to wash off the mixture with warm water and apply a cream with a moisturizing effect. To speed up the metabolic process in the body, you can drink a cup of tea and ensure peace.
Also, camphor oil can rub areas with cellulite. The abdomen, thighs, buttocks deserve special attention, since fat accumulation occurs in these parts due to a small blood supply. Thanks to the oil, the skin is warmed up, the pores are opened and excess fluid is removed in combination with fatty deposits.
Camphor gives a good effect during physical activity, especially if thermal underwear or a belt is used. The benefits of rubbing increase while in the bath, sauna. Hot steam contributes to the rapid absorption of the drug.
As a body scrub, the oil is often used with sea salt, honey, or powdered herbs. The use of such a mixture gives an amazing effect during anti-cellulite massages. Pharmacy essential oil from resin is a good way to get slim.
At home
Camphor oil is an indispensable thing in everyday life. Thanks to the use of this substance, pests can be repelled. In order to forget about their bites in the summer, you must leave the remedy open. If there are animals at home, then camphor oil is indispensable here. In the presence of dislocations, sprains in pets, veterinarians often prescribe the substance as rubbing.
Storage conditions
This pharmacy drug in a pharmacy is obtained without a prescription. But like any other medicine, it requires special storage conditions. Store camphor oil in a place that is protected from light. The substance is suitable for no more than two years, after which the oil is not recommended. The product should be present in every home first aid kit, but it should be placed in a place where it will not be available to children, since, due to its characteristics, it can harm babies with uncontrolled use.
Reviews
Camphor oil is a pharmaceutical product that has been familiar to many of us since childhood. Tracking reviews about this substance, we can conclude that people use this product as often as before, despite the emergence of many new modern medicines.
Users of camphor oil highlight the following benefits:
- affordable cost;
- efficiency;
- high quality;
- the speed of the result.
Reviews speak of a good warming effect of the oil, as well as its healing properties when applying compresses.Of the minuses, users note only an unpleasant smell, but they do not consider this a serious problem. Side effects from use are quite rare.
Also, many note that camphor oil is an excellent remedy for unbearable ear pain. Instillation of this substance quickly relieves inflammation. After such help, for many, the drug appears in the home medicine cabinet. Mothers of young children often treat debilitating coughs with this oil.
Rubbing the child at night and giving him inhalations, you can significantly speed up the healing process.
Camphor oil has practically no contraindications, while it is cheap and has a beneficial effect on the human body. You can use this substance in all the cases listed above. But it is worth remembering that you can achieve the desired effect and at the same time not harm only by carefully studying the instructions and observing all its points. If you consult a doctor before starting to use the oil, you will definitely be sure of the safety of the medicine.
Any treatment, even with the use of drugs of natural origin, must be deliberate and responsible, then it will be possible to exclude any harm from it and adverse reactions.
For information on what camphor oil helps with, see the following video.