St. John’s Wort Oil: Benefits, Types, Usage Areas

St. John’s wort oil is obtained from the flowers and leaves of the St. John’s wort plant, which belongs to the “hypericaceae” family.

St. John’s wort oil is obtained from the flowers and leaves of the St. John’s wort plant, which belongs to the “hypericaceae” family. St. John’s Wort oil; It is a herbal medicine that has been used in many medical areas such as skin, hair and digestive system since ancient times. Although St. John’s wort oil is mostly used by massaging, it can also be used internally. It can also be used by adding it to creams, ointments, moisturizers and natural remedies to increase their effects. Although St. John’s wort oil has benefits, it also has some harms, so care should be taken when using it. In this article, you can find answers to the questions you are wondering about, such as the benefits, usage, harms of St. John’s wort oil and how it is made.

What is St. John’s Wort Oil?

St. John’s wort oil is obtained from the St. John’s wort flower, whose botanical name is hypericum perforatum, whose use dates back to ancient Greece. St. John’s wort contains many active substances, including hypericin and hyperforin, which are thought to affect mood. There are approximately 40 different types of St. John’s Wort plants, depending on the region where they grow and the difference in size, and it is a small, annual plant. It has traditionally been used to treat certain problems such as wounds, high fever, depression and bloating in the stomach. There are two types of St. John’s wort oil: yellow and red. Both varieties are made from the same plant; However, St. John’s wort oil is made from dried St. John’s wort oil, and red St. John’s wort oil is made from freshly picked St. John’s wort. St. John’s wort oil can provide many benefits if used in the right dosage.

What are the Benefits of St. John’s Wort Oil?

St. John’s wort oil, which has been used as a medicinal drug for many years, has various benefits seen through research and experiments. Some known benefits of St. John’s wort oil are:

• Depression, defined as a constant state of sadness and loss of interest, is a common condition among today’s psychological disorders. According to some studies, St. John’s wort oil is thought to be an effective and safe natural treatment for mild to moderate depression.

• As a result of some studies, it is thought that St. John’s Wort oil is good for anxiety disorders, which manifest themselves with physical symptoms such as pain, weakness or shortness of breath.

• Another area where St. John’s wort oil is beneficial is menopause. It is thought that St. John’s Wort oil can reduce menopausal symptoms, which can include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbance, anxiety and depression, during this period when estrogen production decreases, which can be a difficult time for women.

• It can be used to heal skin wounds in some skin diseases and to relieve symptoms of skin conditions such as skin irritation and itching.

• It is also thought to benefit hair health.

It also has beneficial effects in the following situations:

• Obsessive compulsive disorder

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

• Hepatitis C

• irritable bowel syndrome

• diabetic nerve pain

• burning mouth

• Premenstrual syndrome

• seasonal affective disorder

• Genital herpes or cold sores

• sciatica pain

• chronic fatigue syndrome

• Fibromyalgia (soft tissue rheumatism)

• anxiety disorder

• migraine headaches

• stomach ulcers

• Lose weight and quit smoking

What are its benefits to the skin?

St. John’s wort oil also has benefits for the skin. St. John’s wort oil has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. When applied to the skin surface, it can destroy pathogenic bacteria on the skin. It helps treat skin problems such as hemorrhoids, skin irritations caused by psoriasis, wounds, acne spots, minor burns, black spots and bruises.

What are its benefits for hair?

St. John’s wort oil is a natural oil used in hair care and has benefits for hair health. Its benefits for hair can be listed as follows:

• It prevents hair from dandruff.

• It is effective in slowing down and stopping hair loss.

• It removes dryness and moisturizes the hair.

• It may be useful in eliminating eczema in the hair.

• It helps prevent hair breakage by nourishing the hair follicles.

• It can be effective in relieving itching on the scalp.

• It helps you have thick and healthy hair by nourishing your hair.

How to Use St. John’s Wort Oil?

If you want to use St. John’s wort oil internally, first use it in the dosage recommended by your physician. Do not use St. John’s wort internally with other forms of St. John’s wort to avoid the risk of overdose. Oil; You can pour it on burns, abrasions and wounds on the skin and apply it by massaging. You can also apply it to your hair by massaging it in the same way. After applying to the hair, the hair should be rinsed. Side effects may occur with excessive intake.

What Should Those Using St. John’s Wort Oil Pay Attention to?

It is important to consult a doctor before using St. John’s wort oil regarding possible risks. The use of St. John’s wort oil may be risky for some people. People who should not use it are:

• Pregnant women: Using St. John’s wort oil by pregnant people can increase the muscle tone of the uterus. This may increase the risk of miscarriage. For this reason, it is not recommended for pregnant women to use St. John’s wort oil.

• Breastfeeding mothers: Use of this oil by breastfeeding mothers may cause fussiness and drowsiness in babies.

• Drug users: It may be dangerous to use St. John’s wort oil with psychiatric drugs such as antidepressants, heart medications and drugs that affect serotonin levels. St. John’s wort oil used with serotonin medication may cause undesirable effects such as rapid pulse, high blood pressure, increased body temperature and hallucinations.

• People who will undergo surgery: This oil should not be used in the first five days after a planned surgery as there may be drug interactions.

What are the Harms of St. John’s Wort Oil?

Although St. John’s wort oil has health benefits, it may also have some harmful effects. If St. John’s wort oil is used in excessive doses, sensitivity to sunlight may occur. The risk of sensitivity is especially higher in people with fair skin. That’s why using sunscreen is important. Other harmful effects of St. John’s wort oil include:

• stomach disorders

• dizziness

• confusion

• dry mouth

• frequent urination

• Swelling in the body

• sexual dysfunction

• increased blood pressure

• rapid pulse

• Diarrhea

How to Make St. John’s Wort Oil?

St. John’s wort oil can be made in two ways, using the dried or fresh form of the St. John’s wort. St. John’s wort oil is made from the fresh form of the St. John’s wort plant. The preparation of St. John’s wort oil is as follows:

• To make St. John’s wort oil, you must first dry the St. John’s wort for at least a day.

• After the leaves wilt, transfer them to a clean and large enough jar.

• You can add olive oil if desired. After adding the oil, you can crush or chop the flowers so that the flower parts come into good contact with the oil.

• It would be useful to cover the jar with cheesecloth to ensure that excess moisture evaporates. Let the mixture you prepared steep for about two weeks. As the flowers infuse, the color of the oil will turn red.

• While some herbalists recommend brewing in sunlight, some herbalists recommend brewing in the dark. Both methods work for making oil.

• After infusing the oil, strain it and let it sit for another day or two. There will likely be a layer of residue at the bottom of the jar.

• Carefully pour the oil into a clean jar, but your oil will have a longer shelf life if you do not add the residue from the bottom of the jar where the oil was infused.

• It is important to keep the oil you have prepared in a cool place away from light to prevent the oil from spoiling. If your oil shows signs of mold, spoilage or bad odor, do not use it.

• You can also use the oil you have prepared to make ointments and creams.

St. John’s wort oil, as stated in the article, has been used from past to present as a herbal and natural medicine with many benefits. What differentiates medicine from poison is always the dose. Therefore, it is very important for your health that you be careful to use St. John’s wort oil in its proper dosage and that you go to a health institution when serious side effects occur.