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What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential oils and floral waters, known as hydrosols, distilled from a wide variety of plants. The use of plant aromatics has at least a 5000-year history, and has accompanied civilization wherever it spread. In China, India, Egypt and Persia, aromatic plants were used for cooking, religious ceremonies, individual adornment, and medicinal purposes.
In 1928 René-Maurice Gattefossé, a French chemist, burned his hand while working in his family perfumery. After immersing his hand in lavender essential oil, his wound healed quickly without infection. He went on to research the medicinal uses of essential oils and coined the term Aromatherapy Essential oil research has since demonstrated the effectiveness of certain oils for, among other things, inflammation, pain relief and relaxation.
One current issue in Aromatherapy is the difference between authentic essential oils and artificially manufactured scents used in many modern products. Synthetic fragrances lack the specific and complex constituents that give each pure essential oil many of its therapeutic and esthetic qualities. These invaluable qualities are drawing increasing numbers of massage therapists, estheticians and other practitioners to incorporate Aromatherapy into their practices.
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