Geranium Essential Oil

Geranium Essential Oil is steam extracted from the leaves and stems of Pelargonium odorantissimum. Its main useful compounds are citronellol, geraniol, menthone, alpha-pinene, geranyl acetate, myrcene, limonene, linalool, and geranyl butyrate.

It has a pleasant aroma with floral tones and a mint-like accent.

Benefits of Geranium Essential Oil recognised in aromatherapy and complimentary therapies include:

• Astringent
  Contraction of the blood vessels has a number of beneficial effects. As a skin tonic, Geranium Essential oil can reduce signs of aging and wrinkles. Used on the gums it may help to prevent the loosening of teeth. Geranium oil can help to tone muscles generally and in the intestines.
• Healing of wounds, surgical incisions and burns
  Gerananium Essential oil is a hemostatic, styptic and cicatrizant, vulnerary agent. All these properties make Geranium Oil very useful in helping the body to heal after an injury, surgery or skin graft.
  It can act as a styptic to stop bleeding, a hemostatic to speed up the clotting of wounds, making infection less likely, then act as a cicatrizant to begin the process of forming a healthy scar that does not leave long term marking of the skin. This can be valuable after surgery as well as accidents.
• Cytophylactic
  Geranium essential oil stimulates the generation of new cells, which will preserve the health of the skin. Once the heat has gone out of the injury this can make geranium a useful oil for treatments of burns.The oil aslo encourages the recycling of old cell material.
  
• Antibacterial and antimicrobial
  Geranium Essential oil’s ability to prevent bacteria and microbe growth increases its value for wound care, but can also help in preparations for acne and other skin problems. The increased blood flow beneath the skin casued by Geranium oil helps scars and other spots on the skin to fade and promotes an even distribution of melanin.
• Diuretic
  Geranium oil increases urination which can help to eliminate toxins from the body.
• Deodorant
  Geranium oil’s pleasant fragrance combined with its anibacterial and antimirobial properties make it a very effective natural deodorant. Because it is a circulatory oil, following aromatherapy sessions geranium ‘s sweet smell may be present in perspiration.
• Vermifuge
  Geranium Oil may help with the elimination of intestinal worms, particularly a problem for school age children and some adults.
• Tonic
  Geranium Essential Oil influences the endocrine glands that regulate the secretion of various hormones, enzymes, acids, and bile. This leads to overall improved heath.
• Stress relief
  With a mentally uplifting effect, Geranium Essential Oil is, at the same time, very calming. It can therefore be valuable in helping to manage anger, help with depression and to reduce anxiety.
• Prevents Neural degeneration
  The anti-inflammatory effects of geranium oil are believed to be effective in fighting the inflammation of neural pathways that can cause neuralgia, pain and mobility problems in the body and contribute to neurodegenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Other aromatherapy health benefits reported for Geranium Essential Oil include its ability to balance hormones and reduce the effects of menopause. It may improve mood. Geranium essential oil is used to reduce inflammation and irritation. It may also reduce blood pressure and improve circulation. It may be of benefit for infections of the nose, throat and and respiratory system as well as tonsillitis. Some users also report improvements in their eczema when using Geranium Essential Oil.

Because Geranium Essential oil has a styptic effect and can contract blood vessels, people with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and at risk of heart attack, and stroke should be cautious about its use and consult with their doctor before using preparations containing it.