Redness, heat flashes, physical and social discomfort... Rosacea has more than one drawback and can complicate daily life. While dermatological care is necessary, the complementary use of certain natural ingredients can help. Can immortelle essential oil, rich in bioactives, be beneficial in cases of rosacea? More information in this article.
Immortelle Essential Oil for Rosacea?
Published on August 13, 2024, updated on October 4, 2024, by Pauline, Chemical Engineer — 5 min of reading
Themes:
Rosacea: The Efficacy of Immortelle Essential Oil?
Rosacea, in its most common form, is known as couperose . Also referred to as vascular rosacea, it is characterized by diffuse redness, appearing as patches on the face. These patches are often accompanied by hot flashes and significant skin sensitivity. In cases of couperose, there is also a dilation of the small blood vessels present under the skin. These are characteristic of this skin condition and are referred to as telangiectasias. There are numerous causes of couperose: heredity, high temperatures, stress, spicy food... Without appropriate treatment, couperose can worsen and cause pimples or affect the eyes, hence the need to consult a dermatologist at the first signs.
Currently, there is no evidence that immortelle essential oil can act against rosacea.
Obtained through hydrodistillation of the flowering tops of Helichrysum italicum, the essential oil of immortelle, or Italian helichrysum, is among the most appreciated essential oils in cosmetics. However, while it provides numerous benefits to the skin and hair, no study has so far demonstrated that it can help combat rosacea. Nevertheless, it is possible to extrapolate certain virtues of the Italian helichrysum essential oil, potentially relevant in cases of rosacea.
Can Immortelle essential oil help reduce the characteristic vasodilation associated with rosacea?
If the Italian helichrysum essential oil is often cited as a natural solution for rosacea, it's because of its vasoconstrictive properties. Indeed, some studies have shown that this essential oil could inhibit the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), produced under the effect of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Nitric oxide, in turn, reduces systemic vascular resistance and blood pressure, while increasing vascular permeability. These various phenomena cause a dilation of the blood vessels. According to an in vitro study, it appears that the addition of 250 μg/mL of immortelle essential oil significantly reduces the nitric oxide content in BV-2 cells, a cellular model frequently used in biology.
This potential vasoconstrictor effect of the Italian helichrysum essential oil could be interesting in cases of rosacea, a dermatosis characterized by a significant dilation of blood vessels. It would be interesting to see this hypothesis confirmed or refuted in clinical trials involving individuals suffering from rosacea.
Can Italian Helichrysum essential oil reduce inflammation caused by rosacea?
The typical redness of rosacea is not solely due to the significant dilation of the facial blood vessels, but also to skin inflammation, another element against which the essential oil of immortelle could potentially act. Indeed, this oil is rich in italidiones, compounds capable of inhibiting the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX). Now, LOX and COX are at the forefront when an inflammation is declared and participate in the release of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, inflammatory molecules.
It has also been demonstrated that Italian helichrysum essential oil can suppress the activation of the NF-κB factor. The net result is the inhibition of the production of TNF-α and interleukins-1β and 6 (IL-1β and IL-6), pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as inducible inflammatory enzymes like mPG2S. Therefore, it can be cautiously assumed that immortelle essential oil could soothe rosacea-prone skin and possibly reduce the redness characteristic of this condition. However, in the absence of clinical studies on this subject, we cannot make this claim definitively.
If the Italian helichrysum essential oil is generally well tolerated, it is advised not to use it in its pure form, especially on sensitive or rosacea-prone skin.
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Sources
PALMEIRA DE OLIVEIRA R. & al. Helichrysum italicum: From traditional use to scientific data. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2013).
OBERMAYER B. & al. Skin and Vascular Fitness. SOFW Journal - Home and Personal Care Ingredients & Formulations (2023).
KONCIC M. & al. Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin-Based Helichrysum italicum Extracts: Antioxidant and Cosmeceutical Activity and Biocompatibility. Antioxidants (2023).
LOPEZ V. & al. An integrated in vitro approach to the enzymatic and antioxidant mechanisms of four commercially available essential oils (Copaifera officinalis, Gaultheria fragrantissima, Helichrysum italicum, and Syzygium aromaticum) traditionally applied topically for their anti-inflammatory effects. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2024).
