A woman was burned by her oil diffuser, and the photos are scary AF
Essential oil diffusers are generally a nice thing to have around the house — they’re a natural and easy way to make a room smell good. But this story about a woman who was burned by her oil diffuser might make you think twice about using one.
Emily Smith, 24, posted her story to Facebook after she received severe chemical burns from diffuser vapors in her home. The Londoner wrote that she walked over to the diffuser and pressed the off button (which is how her particular device worked). In the process, some of the vapors from the diffuser sprayed on her face. “But I didn’t think anything of this” she wrote on Facebook. “[While] I was somewhat aware of the danger of getting essential oils directly on my skin, I was unaware that the vaporized ‘diluted’ oil from my diffuser could also be dangerous,” she wrote.
What happened next is terrifying.
Later that evening, she felt a burning sensation on her face and called the UK’s version of 911. The operator told her to take a painkiller and soak her face in cold water to relieve the burn, and also that medical attention might not be necessary. Emily followed the instructions and went to bed.
Posted by Emily Smith on Wednesday, November 8, 2017
When she woke up in the morning, she wrote, she “didn’t recognize” herself at all.
“My face had swollen, my eyes were blurred and continually watering and my skin looked pus-y,” Smith wrote.
She then went to a hospital to seek medical care. There, she spent 12 hours in the burn department while the nurses peeled her blisters and skin. Emily was apparently very lucky that the oil did not get in her eyes, as it could have affected her sight. She also noted that the majority of the burn could have been prevented if she had known the dangers of diffused oil.
However, as Emily wrote, there’s not a lot of warnings out there for essential oil diffusers.
Posted by Emily Smith on Wednesday, November 8, 2017
“When I followed the instructions given by medical professionals and ran my burns under the tap, I was not removing the oil. Oil does not just ‘wash’ off. When I soaked my face in a bowl of water, I was not really relieving my burn. I was marinating my face in the cause of my troubles.”
🤓
Posted by Emily Smith on Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Emily shared her story in the hopes that other people will now be more aware of the dangers of diffuser and essential oils. Let this be a reminder to always read instructions on a new product, and to never hesitate to seek medical attention when you feel something may be wrong.
