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Sunshine, Suntan, and Sun-Sensitizing Oils
by David Stewart, Ph.D., R.A., D.N.M.

It's summer time in the Northern Hemisphere and time for
sunshine and suntans. This is a time also to be aware that certain
essential oils can promote sunburn.

Such oils are said to be phototoxic. If applied directly to the skin
followed by exposure to sunlight or a tanning light, the molecules
of these oils amplify the untraviolet (UV) portion of the spectrum
and can cause long-term, even permanent, skin discoloration as
well as severe sunburn.

It is sometimes said that all citrus oils are phototoxic, but this is
not true. Among the citrus oils that are expressed (cold-pressed)
from the rinds, some are phototoxic and some are not. Among
citrus oils distilled from the rinds, none are phototoxic. However,
distilled citrus oils are rarely used in aromatherapy because they
are less aromatic and do not possess the therapeutic properties
of the expressed oils. Distilled citrus oils are mostly used for
flavorings.

The common essential Oils Considered Phototoxic are as follows:

 Angelica . . . . . . . . . . (Angelica archangelica)
 Bergamot . . . . . . . . . (Citrus bergamia)
 Bitter Orange . . . . . . (Citrus aurantium)
 Grapefruit. . . . . . . . . (Citrus paradisi)
 Lemon. . . . . . . . . . . . (Citrus limon)
 Lime . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Citrus aurantifolia)
 Petitgrain . . . . . . . . . (Citrus aurantium)
 Rue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Ruta graveolens)

Some authorities would also include fennel (Foeniculum vulgare),
anise (Pimpinella anisum), and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) on this
list, while others omit grapefruit oil (Citrus paradisi), which is
considered only mildly phototoxic. Notice that the list does not
include all of the citrus oils, only some of them.

According to Tisserand and Balacs in their book, Essential Oil Safety,
the expressed oils of Mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Sweet Orange
(Citrus sinensis), Tangelo (Citrus x hybrida), and Tangerine (Citrus
nobilis) are not phototoxic. Neither are the distilled oils of lemon,
lime, and grapefruit, even though their expressed oils are. Neroli oil
(Citrus aurantium), extracted from blossums of the bitter orange
tree, is also non-phototoxic while petitgrain distilled from the leaves
of the same species is phototoxic. (Note that petitgrain is listed
above while neroli is not.)

The Chemistry of Photoxicity

The chemical constituents responsible for phototoxicity in oils are
all furanoids. Furanoids are compounds containing a group of four
carbon atoms, four hydrogen atoms, and a one oxygen atom
configured in the shape of a pentagon (five-sided) called the furan
ring. Compounds incorporating a furan ring into its molecular
structure are called furanoids.

Furan rings have the unique property of having dimensions that can
resonate with the frequencies of ultraviolet light, thus amplifying
the rays of sunshine that cause burn, discoloration, and damage to
the skin. Oddly enough, under the right circumstances, furan
compounds can also cancel the UV portion of the spectrum in a way
that absorbs solar energy, steps down the frequency, and dissipates
t harmlessly as heat. In these instances, the furanoids are not
phototoxic but, instead, act as sun screens offering protection
from the destructive rays of the sun.

Whether a specific furanoid compound acts as an amplifyer or a
destroyer of UV energy depends on the structure of the specific
compound as well as the other companion compounds in the oil
that may quench its phototoxic tendencies. Hence, one cannot
just list all of the essential oils containing furanoids and say
whether they are solar-toxic or solar-protective. Some with the
highest concentrations of furanoids are protectors while some
with much smaller amounts are toxic.

The oils with the highest concentrations of furanoids are myrrh
(Commiphora myrrha) containing 23% fruanoids, fleabane (Conyza
canadensis) with 8%, and peppermint (mentha piperita) with 5% -
none of which are phototoxic.

Bitter orange oil (Citrus aurantium) contains 4% furanoids,
lemon (Citrus limon) 2%, and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) also only 2%,
yet all three of these are definitely phototoxic. The most
phototoxic of oils of bergamot (Citrus bergamia) expressed
from the rind and yet it contains only 3% furanoid compounds.

These differences lie in which variety of furanoid is present. The
most hazardous type of furanoid is a class of compounds called
furanocoumarins. Yet, even furanocoumarins can be quenched
with the right companion compounds.

Another factor is the other compounds that comprise the rest
of the oil. Some types of compounds, such as sesquiterpenes,
can make unruly compounds behave. When one compound
mitigates the negative charactics of another compound, this is
called quenching. In some circumstances, quenching compounds
can make phototoxic compounds photosafe.

Because of the complexity of the causes of phototoxicity and
possibilities for quenching, one cannot simply look at a chemical
analysis of an oil and know if an oil is photosafe or not. The best
advice is to go by a list, such as the one given above, that is based
on actual experiences people have had with the oils.

Myrrh: Breaker of all the Rules

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) is a puzzle. It contains at least ten
types of furanoid compounds (20-27%), more than any other oil‹
yet it is not phototoxic. Many ancient Egyptians, who lived under
the intense tropical desert sun, applied myrrh oil on their skin daily
without sunburn reactions. In fact, the cones seen on the heads
of figures in Egyptian heiroglyphics were fat saturated with myrrh
allowed to melt slowly and run down over their bodies as a
protection from the sun and as a repellent to biting insects, as
well.

Queen Esther of the Old Testament (Esther 2:12) was massaged
daily with liquid myrrh for six months prior to her marriage to the
king and apparently suffered no ill skin effects from sunlight. In
fact, myrrh seems to act more like a sunscreen, protecting the
skin from ultraviolet light instead of increasing its sensitivity to
burn. Yet it contains major quantities of furanoids.

Evidently, there are compounds in myrrh (perhaps the sesqui-
terpenes) that mitigate or quench the solar amplifying properties
of the furans. In fact, the quenchers in myrrh cause the furanoids
to resonate in such a way as to dissipate UV energy in harmless
forms (like heat), thus offering sunscreen protection‹the
opposite of phototoxicity.

What if I Put Lemon Oil in my Drinking Water and Sit in the Sun?

Phototoxic oils pose problems only if applied to the skin followed
by exposure to a source of ultraviolet light. Even when the
phototoxic oil is diluted in a neutral carrier oil, it can still cause
photoxic reactions when applied directly to skin exposed to
sunlight. There is no risk of phototoxic reactions unless oils have
been applied directly to the skin.

Using phototoxic oils for flavorings in food and drink poses no
hazard. It is only on the skin that there is a problem. So don¹t
worry if you like a few drops of bergamot or lemon in your drinking
water while you sunbathe. Just keep it off of your exposed skin.

Most authorities recommend waiting twelve hours following an
application of phototoxic oils to the skin before exposure to sunlight
or the UV radiation of a tanning booth. This would be true even if
one tried to wash them off since they almost immediately penetrate
deep into the skin, beyond the touch of soap and water. Applying oils
with furanocoumarins after sundown, before going to bed, poses no
problems then or the next day, provided one is not retiring to a
tanning bed that evening.

One can go out into sunlight after applying phototoxic oils if the
parts of the body receiving the oils are well covered with clothing.
That would be sufficient protection.

People with fair skins are more susceptible to phototoxic reactions
than those of color. In fact, experiments have shown that with a
person of brown or black skin it takes up to seven times more oil
with furanocoumarins to elicit a phototoxic response than with a
Caucasian. A suntan gives a white person some increased
protection.

What About the Potential Phototoxicity of Blends?

The table of essential oils considered phototoxic given above is a
list of single oils. If a phototoxic oil is included in a blend of oils,
the blend will also be phototoxic. Young Living blends containing
phototoxic components (usually citrus) include Gentle Baby®, Joy®,
White Angelica®, Citrus Fresh®, Thieves®, RC®, and several others.
Read the labels.

So enjoy your oils and the summer sun, but don't get burned. A
word to the wise is sufficient.

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NOTE: Information for this article was taken from the book:
The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple (God's Love Manifest
in Molecules) by David Stewart. Copies available from Essential
Science Publishing at 800-336-6308 (www.essentialscience.net)
or from CARE 800-758-8629 (www.RaindropTraining.com), or on
Amazon.com as well as in many bookstores.


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