Essential oils for the treatment of skin anomalies: Scope and potential

ABSTRACT

Skin diseases contribute significantly to worldwide morbidity and mortality. It is the most common of all human diseases which can affect people of any age group. Most importantly, it is seen that the COVID-19 pandemic have further detrimentally contributed to dermatological manifestations. Due to the enormous socioeconomic burden created by skin disorders, the dermatological treatments have been added in the WHO List of Essential Medicines. Some of the major predominant diseases are acne, psoriasis, eczema, fungal infections and skin carcinoma. As a matter of fact, focus on treatment of skin diseases should be arguably considered as a matter of global urgency. Although treatments are available, they face numerous challenges which limit patient acceptability. Essential oils have a long history of pharmacological use;however their role in the treatment of dermatological disorders is vague. Therefore, in this review, the potential and mechanism of different essential oils obtained from various sources in the treatment of major dermal disorders has been summarized. This will help the formulation scientists and the clinicians to develop suitable formulation strategies for the prevention and cure of skin diseases. © 2021 SAAB