Helichrysum comes from the Asteraceae plant family and it is indigenous to the Mediterranean region. However, it is now mostly cultivated, harvested and used in Italy, the Balkan region, Spain and France. It is a perennial herb that has golden and yellow blossoms which are shaped as a ball. The name comes from the Greek word “helios” which means the sun and “chrysos” which means gold.

The flower is also referred to as the Everlasting or the Immortal flower, and like the names suggest, helichrysum has wonderful medicinal value and was regarded as sacred, especially during the Greek ancient times. For example, the flowers of the helichrysum herb have been offered to the Greek gods due to its sacred and valuable nature, and it was (and still is) widely used in traditional medicine in the Mediterranean countries. In fact, the popularity of this herb is gaining ground as more people are becoming aware of its immense medicinal value and health benefits.

Helichrysum essential oil, a yellowish to reddish liquid, is extracted from the flowers, through a steam distillation process and it has a very distinct, earthy, sweet and rich fragrance that faintly resembles that of sweet honey. It contains much beneficial properties, ranging from being antibacterial to being anti-inflammatory. It can be used to treat a variety of complaints and it ultimately boosts the health of your body.

As such, even though this oil is quite costly, it is no doubt worth the investment as it has numerous health benefits and useful properties. Not only that, it can be stored for very long periods of time, unlike other essential oils that have a short shelf life! Read on to find out more about its amazing benefits and uses!

Health Benefits of Helichrysum Essential Oil:

1. Heals the Skin

Since it is antibacterial in nature, helichrysum essential oil is perfect for eradicating bacteria and stemming fungus growth on the skin, which could possibly lead to various and further skin irritations such as rashes, infections and even delayed wound healing if left unchecked. A 2001 study published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents found that the compounds in helichrysum led to an inhibitory effect on the S. aureus strains, a type of bacteria that leads to infections, thus serving as a good antimicrobial agent.

It can also be extremely helpful in treating acne naturally, since it has strong antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to soothe inflamed and red skin while killing off bacteria, thus inhibiting the growth and spread of pimples, blackheads and boils all over the skin. Yet, it does not dry up the skin excessively since it contains emollient constituents that helps to retain moisture and keeps your skin soft.

Furthermore, helichrysum is also a good cicatrisant, which means it speedily heals scars, dark marks, stretch marks obtained from acne, wounds or other reasons as it promotes tissue and cell regeneration underneath the skin. Therefore, helichrysum oil can be a useful addition to your skincare products!

How to Use it: Mix helichrysum essential oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or jojoba oil in a 1:1 ratio and put it on a cotton ball. Gently spread it over the affected areas on your skin. If you have a rash or poison ivy, you can further add helichrysum with lavender essential oil to help you soothe your inflamed and itchy skin.

2. Offers Pain Relief

Helichrysum essential oil also provides immense pain relief arising from aching muscles and stiff joints. Its anti-inflammatory property helps to soothe swelling or inflammation as well as promotes the healing of nerves, joints and muscle tissues. This therefore makes the oil an effective all-natural remedy for arthritis, rheumatism and fibromyalgia.

In fact, if you are suffering from sports-related injuries after an intense workout, then you can also apply helichrysum oil to soothe the inflamed muscles and heal the bruised tissues. This hence helps to speedily heal hematoma, which is characterized by a pooling of blood within the soft tissues that can result in a bruise. The oil can also help to reduce the inflammation and swelling of hemorrhoids, providing the much-needed pain relief!

How to Use it: Dilute helichrysum oil with a carrier oil and gently massage it over the affected areas for quick pain relief. You can also add lavender oil into the mix for enhanced results. To relieve pain from hemorrhoids, you can add about 3-4 drops of the oil, in its diluted form, on a cotton ball and apply to the affected area, every few hours as needed. Alternatively, you can also add several drops of the oil into a warm, bathing water to soothe your tense and cramped muscles.

3. Promotes Detoxification

Being a diuretic, helichrysum oil induces the frequency of urination and the quantity of urine produced. Even though going to the toilet every now and then might be discomforting and cumbersome, it is ultimately good for your health because it removes toxic substances from your body, such as urea, uric acid, excess salts, fats and water. Increased urination can also help to lower blood pressure levels.

Because it induces detoxification, the oil helps to purify the liver and the kidneys, thus preventing the formation and risks of kidney stones. Also, helichrysum oil has been commonly employed in folk medicine since many centuries ago to solve various liver-related problems and to rid the body from toxins, bacteria and viruses. Therefore, this helps to boost the overall health of your body!

How to Use it: Dilute helichrysum oil first with a carrier oil in a 1:1 ratio and proceed to gently rub it onto your lower abdominal area twice daily.

4. Offers Respiratory Relief

Helichrysum oil also has expectorant and mucolytic properties, thus it helps to provide relief from a host of respiratory problems such as bronchitis, cough and phlegm. It helps to loosen up and remove excess mucus and phlegm that is lodged in your nasal and respiratory tracts, thus promoting unobstructed and freer airflow. This allows for easier breathing and relief from congestion of the respiratory passageways.

Being an antispasmodic and antitussive, the oil is also very effective in offering comfort and relief from intense, painful coughing spells as it relaxes and soothes muscle spasms, convulsions and contractions.

How to Use it: You can diffuse around 3-4 drops of helichrysum oil around your room using a distiller, vaporizer or diffuser and let the aromatic wafts engulf you. Alternatively, you can directly inhale the bottle or gently massage diluted helichrysum oil onto your chest and upper abdominal area.

5. Promotes Heart Health

Helichrysum essential oil is also a viable and natural agent to boost the health of the heart and prevent the onset of various heart-related diseases. A 2008 study published in the Cardiovascular Journal of Africa illustrates how the helichrysum extract is able to lower inflammation of the blood vessels, thereby increasing the smooth muscle functions and decreasing blood pressure levels.

Therefore, the oil helps to ensure that blood pressure levels are always kept in a healthy range, hence preventing cardiac arrest, hypertension or other cardiovascular diseases.

Additionally, its anticoagulant property helps to liquify the blood in our blood vessels and prevents the formation of blood clots. This thus promotes the unobstructed and free flow of blood in the bloodstreams, which further decreases the possibilities of incurring heart attacks and hemorrhages.

How to Use it: Gently massage diluted helichrysum essential oil onto your chest and heart area.

6. May Have Cancer Prevention Potential

A 2009 research study published in Cytotechnology found that helichrysum has potent antioxidant constituents that can prevent the formation and spread of cancer. These chemical compounds found in the extract helps to prevent radiation-induced DNA damage, cell death and cell mutation, as well as inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors.

Thus, this demonstrates how the essential oil of helichrysum can possibly prevent the onset of cancer. Even though more research needs to be done to ascertain how exactly can the oil be incorporated in cancer prevention treatments, such preliminary results demonstrated in both animals and humans studies are undoubtedly promising!

7. Promotes Healthy Digestion

The essential oil of helichrysum also contains cholagogue properties which means that it facilitates the proper excretion of bile and digestive enzymes in the stomach and intestines, thus helping to neutralize acids and promotes proper digestion of the foods consumed. This hence helps to prevent indigestion and acid reflux.

Not only that, being an antispasmodic, the oil can help to relieve cramps, convulsions and spasms of the stomach muscles and intestinal tracts, thus relieving pain from stomach aches and reducing swelling as well as cramping from within the gut area.

How to Use it: Simply massage helichrysum essential oil that is diluted with a carrier oil in a 1:1 ratio onto your stomach and abdominal area. Alternatively, you can also add several drops of the oil into warm, bathing water to stimulate proper digestion.

Safety Precautions:

Helichrysum essential oil is one of the milder essential oils out there in the market, with few side effects and allergic reactions. However, there are still some safety precautions that you ought to take note of if you want to use the oil:

• Always dilute the oil first before applying it topically onto the skin. Prior to application onto the affected areas, ensure that you perform a skin patch test first on a non-sensitive part of your skin to ascertain for any sensitive or allergic reactions.

• Do not ingest helichrysum essential oil.

• If you are pregnant or nursing, it is best to avoid the oil or consult your doctor first before using it as a form of treatment.

• If you are going for a surgery or have undergone it recently, it is best to avoid helichrysum essential oil due to its anticoagulant properties, which can lead to excessive bleeding and interfere with the post-operation healing of the scar.

References:

Nostro A, et al., “Effects of Helichrysum italicum extract on growth and enzymatic activity of Staphylococcus aureus”, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (2001); 17(6)

Musabayane CT, et al., “Cardiovascular effects of Helichrysum ceres S Moore [Asteraceae] ethanolic leaf extract in some experimental animal paradigms”, Cardiovascular Journal of Africa (2008); 19(5)

Halil Erhan Eroglu, et al., “Cytogenetic effects of nine Helichrysum taxa in human lymphocytes culture”, Cytotechnology (2009); 59(1)