Italian Helichrysum essential oil against body bruises?

Bruises, often referred to as "blues", are accumulations of blood in the skin or subcutaneous tissues resulting from a rupture of blood vessels. They typically occur following physical trauma. The colour of "blues" changes over time, shifting from red to purple, then to yellow-green, as the body breaks down and reabsorbs the accumulated blood. Although most bruises are benign and naturally resolve, their presence on the skin can be bothersome, hence some people's desire to make them disappear as quickly as possible.

Sometimes compared to arnica, the essential oil of Italian helichrysum, or immortelle essential oil, is considered a partner in reducing the visibility of bruises and speeding up their healing. However, it is important to know that the scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness in this area remains limited. To date, only one report has highlighted the potential of immortelle essential oil in reducing bruising following plastic surgery. Indeed, this type of surgical procedure often comes with a local inflammatory response, frequently manifesting as swelling or a bruise.

The aforementioned study was conducted in the following manner on 25 volunteers: immediately after the operation, the Italian helichrysum essential oil was taken orally at a rate of two drops twice a day for ten days. Simultaneously, essential oil diluted in rosehip vegetable oil (10% dilution) was applied in a massage once a day. No complications were observed and an overall reduction in local inflammation, bruising and oedema was noted. Furthermore, the social avoidance following the operation, usually extending over twelve days, was only five days in this case. The authors of the study concluded that the everlasting essential oil had contributed to the rapid improvement of bruises.

While these initial studies are promising, it is nevertheless important to remain nuanced. Indeed, at present, the potential ability of the Italian Helichrysum essential oil to alleviate bruises has only been attested in a single study. Moreover, this study was conducted on a limited population and did not involve a control group. Despite the various hypotheses put forward by scientists to explain the anti-bruising properties of the immortelle essential oil, it remains difficult today to assert that this plant extract can truly alleviate bodily bruises.

According to researchers, the potential anti-bruising effects of Italian Helichrysum essential oil can be partly explained by its richness in italidiones, molecules belonging to the betadiones family. These compounds would facilitate the rapid resorption of haematomas through a mechanism of fibrin chelation. This filamentous protein is closely linked to the processes of coagulation and bruise formation. Indeed, when a blood vessel is damaged, fibrin forms a network that traps blood cells, thus helping to contain the escaped blood, which stabilises the haematoma and accelerates the healing process.

The chelating properties of italidiones are linked to the keto-enolic equilibrium existing between their two chemical forms: the dionic form and the enolic form. The enolic form presents a specific active site in which the hydrogen of the hydroxyl is close to the oxygen of the ketone function, thus creating a true electrostatic clamp from which remarkable chelating properties originate. This stabilisation of fibrin allowed by the italidiones of the essential oil of Italian helichrysum could potentially be the source of its ability to alleviate bruises.

Furthermore, the essential oil of immortelle is attributed with draining and circulatory properties, which could be explained by its potential inhibitory action on the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO). As a reminder, nitric oxide is a compound produced under the effect of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which promotes vasodilation. However, this increase in the diameter of blood vessels is accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure and a reduction in blood flow. By stimulating blood circulation, the essential oil of immortelle would improve the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the area of the bruise, thereby promoting the regeneration of damaged tissues and the overall healing process. This action could also facilitate the drainage of cellular debris, which would help to reduce the size and visibility of the bruise more quickly.