Massage oil
Massage oil is used as a lubricant during massage . The gliding function is particularly necessary on hairy, dry or moist skin areas after a bath.
Base oil
Massage oils can be based on either mineral oils such as paraffins or fatty oils obtained from various plants . Both bases work well as lubricants. Paraffins remain on the skin (occlusion) and, since they practically do not oxidize, can be kept indefinitely.
Vegetable oils are triglycerides and, depending on their fatty acid composition, can penetrate and care for the skin, but they are sensitive to oxidation. The more unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. oleic acid) an oil contains, the more likely it is to react with oxygen , i. H. go rancid. Since light promotes this process, massage oils based on vegetable oil are stored in light-tight bottles.
Frequently used vegetable oils are for example soybean oil , almond oil (considered sensitive), sunflower oil (cheap), sesame oil (use: Ayurveda), grape seed oil , coconut oil (solid oil), jojoba oil (chemically a wax) and apricot kernel oil . In general, all vegetable oils can be used in both refined and cold-pressed quality.
The base oils can be used directly or as oil mixtures. In addition, other additives can be added to them such as perfume, essential oils , extracts and other oil-soluble care substances.
Aromatic massage oil
For aroma massages, perfumes , essential oils or extracts are added to the base oil . As a rule, a concentration of 1–3% for the additive is chosen, depending on skin tolerance, the concentration can also be higher.
In addition to being used for massages, where the only thing that matters is the fragrance , aroma massage oils can also be designed for aromatherapy. The effect of many essential oils is often not scientifically proven and is based on experience and traditional, ancient healing methods. For some representatives, however, the effect has been proven; they are also monographed in the pharmacopoeia .
| oil | Said effect in popular belief |
|---|---|
| Jasmine oil | Scent |
| Lavender oil | fragrant, sleep-promoting, anti-inflammatory |
| Mandarin oil | muscle relaxing |
| Melissa oil | calming, refreshing |
| Rose oil | fragrant, against acute and chronic bronchitis, caring for the skin |
Special massage oils
St. John's wort oil (red oil) is a macerate , the production of which is listed in the 6th supplementary book of DAB 6. The base oil, olive oil, serves as the menstruum, with which the St. John's wort flowers are macerated. This massage oil is traditionally used in the Breuss massage .
Special areas of application
There are studies with sunflower oil as a massage oil that show that massage can help premature babies gain weight.
Massage oils are also used to prevent the formation of stretch marks, although the positive effect has not yet been proven.
Precautions
Massage oils must not be used together with latex condoms , as the oil will crack them and lose their protective effect. Only water-soluble or silicone lubricants may be used with latex condoms . Only polyisoprene or polyurethane condoms may be used with massage oil .
Some aromatic oils irritate the mucous membranes and cause an unpleasant burning sensation on the genitals (for example orange oil ).
See also
literature
- Bettina Malle, Helge Schmickl: Make your own essential oils. 2005, ISBN 3-89533-482-0 .
- Ruth von Braunschweig: vegetable oils, quality, application and effect. 2007, ISBN 978-3-9803760-8-2 .
- Markus Schirner: Aroma oils: Description and use of over 200 essential oils and base oils. 2011, ISBN 978-3-8434-4496-5 .
- Scott Cunningham: The Great Book of Frankincense, Aromatic Oils and Magical Recipes. 2001, ISBN 3-442-14217-2 .
- Josef Kowarschik: Physical therapy. Springer Verlag, Vienna 1957.
- Eliane Zimmermann: Aromatherapy for care and health professions. 2004, ISBN 3-87758-239-7 .
- Heike Käser: Natural cosmetic raw materials. Effect, processing, cosmetic use. 2012, ISBN 978-3-99025-012-9 .
Individual evidence
- ^ R. Fallah, S. Akhavan Karbasi, M. Golestan, M. Fromandi: Sunflower oil versus no oil moderate pressure massage leads to greater increases in weight in preterm neonates who are low birth weight. In: Early Hum Dev. 89 (9), 2013 Sep, pp. 769-772.
- ↑ K. Korgavkar, F. Wang: Stretch marks during pregnancy: a review of topical prevention. In: Br J Dermatol. 2014 Sep 25.
- ↑ ProFamilia