Essential Oils for Herpes

Understanding Herpes &
Recomended Essential Oils for Herpes

What is Herpes?

The word "Herpes" means different things to different people. To some, Herpes is the name given to troubling blisters or sores that can periodically appears around the lips. Others mean a feared sexually transmitted disease that can be caught once but which has a painful aftermath that can be re-experience many times. These illness are related because they caused by the same two closely related virus, herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2.

How does the virus works?

• The virus comes in contact with broken skin or the lining of the mouth, vagina, or anus.
• The virus goes to the nuclei of the cells and tries to reproduce itself, or replicate.
• Though the cells are infected, most people do not get symptoms.
• Sometimes the virus's replication process destroys the cells it has invaded causing blisters or ulcers to form on the skin.
• The blisters or ulcers crust over and heal without scarring.
• The virus is transported back through the nerve to important nerve branching points called ganglia deep in the body.
• The virus stays in the ganglia in an inactive, or latent, form. During this time, the virus does not replicate. It stays in this latent form for varying amounts of time.
• Certain triggers may cause the virus to travel back down the nerve to the skin and cause symptoms again. This is known as recurrence.

Find out what causes can stimulate recurrences

Recommended Essential Oils for Herpes

Due their strong antiviral properties many essential oils are highly effective against herpes simplex virus. According to the study of :

• Jean Valnet,M.D, A french physician, recommend a blend of Lemon and Geranium


• Tisserand, suggests Eucalyptus Radiata and Bergamot


• Dr. D. Wabner, suggests single application of true rose oil or melissa oil led to complete remission of herpes simplex lesions

The most effective is to apply essential oils on the first sign of an outbreak. But if you already have lesions appeared, then you can apply the oils on the lesions. The lesions should dry in one or two days and complete remission in three to five days. But if you feel discomfort, you can dilute the essential oils in carrier oils. A 10% dilution would be perfect.

• Dr. Schnaubelt recommends may chang, tea tree, melissa, or a mixture of Geranium, Eucalytus Radiata and Eucalyptus Citrioda. He advised to apply the oils to the affected area undiluted.

Mixing Essential Oils for Herpes

Try to mix :

• 4 drops of Eucalyptus Citrioda
• 4 drops of Niaouli
• 1 drop of Geranium
• 2 drops of Tea Tree
• 2 drops of Bergamot
• 1 ounce calendula infused oil (or any other carrier oils)

Apply to the affected area 2 to 3 times a day.

Recommended Hydrosol for Herpes

According to the Suzanne Catty on her book "Hydrosols", She state that the aldehydes in Melissa essential oils are considered responsible for the pronounced antiviral properties and the hydrosol seems to contain at least same quantity of these components owing to the large amount of oil in solution in uncohobated water.

Apply undiluted topical to the herpes sores six to ten times a day, ideally as soon you feel they will coming on, and take on half tablespoon internally after each application. It works almost as fast as the oil.

Try our organic Lemon Balm Hydrosols

Back to Aromatherapy Treatment

K. Keville, M. Green, Aromatherapy A Complete Guide To The Healing ( The Crossing Press, 2008)

B. Goldberg, L. Trivieri, J. W. Anderson, Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide (2nd Edition) ( Celestial Arts, 2002)

S.Catty, Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy (Inner Traditions / Bear & Company, 2001)