For the Love of Lavender Essential Oil

It seems this week there have been so many people saying that they had burned themselves. My first reaction when I hear that is “ouch” – damn, burns hurt. And, the next thing out of my mouth or onto my keyboard, is Lavender Essential Oil. Yes, lavender! Since I have tweeted that bit of advice several times over the past year or more, I thought it was time to share my experience with you. In doing so, it’ll all make sense…at least that is my hope.

Me - a few days post-burn.

It all started pretty innocently. One lovely summer evening while still living at the beach in SoCal, I was at a friend’s house enjoying dinner. Living at the beach, it’s a common thing to eat outdoors; and that is what we were doing. Larry had recently completed a remarkable renovation on his early 1910 home – renovation might not be the right word, considering the original structure was in such a sad state of disrepair, he had to completely demolish it. Long story, short…the patio was still under construction and the pavers were down but not permanently. So, when you walked across the patio, you had to watch your step so as not to trip on the forms. Get where I am going with this?

Mid-dinner, we needed more of something on the table, so he went back into the kitchen to cook up a bit more. I followed with a few empty dishes and when the new goodies where ready I carried the hot skillet back outside to fill up the one dish I forgot to take into the kitchen. Having accomplished that simple task, I picked up his empty wine glass (let the record show, I was not drinking!) in one hand and still had the hot pan in the other. Clumsy me, when the spatula in the hot pan started teetering, I totally spaced about the concrete forms, tripped and landed half in and out of the house – yes, falling face first into the hot pan. Larry just saw me disappear behind the island in the big open kitchen and then heard smashing glass. When he ran around the island, all he saw was me with a very bloody hand sitting in a bunch of broken glass. Fast forward…hand doctored, cut not quite as bad as it looked – I mentioned my face. His reaction said it all – where my face had connected with the rim of the pan, I had a white burn from forehead to chin. Ouch -- it was really starting to hurt as only burns can do.

Me goofing at a photo session in NYC.
After all it was for Crest!

I stayed a bit longer putting cool compresses on the burn and then headed for home. I just wanted to look in my own mirror and be in my own bed. The following day I called a doctor friend of mine, relayed the scenario and went to see him in his office. The diagnosis wasn't good – knowing my history of scarring, he told me I would have a nasty scar and that after it healed, cosmetic surgery would most likely help with the overall appearance but not get rid of it completely. I cried all the way home – yes, it was only a damn scar, I would live, but it was upsetting just the same. Sitting at a stop light, Lavender Oil popped into my head – yes, weird I know. But over the years I had learned that lavender oil helps promote cell regeneration and healing. So, as soon as I got home, using a Q-tip, I dabbed the oil on the burn. 

YIKES! My actual verbiage was much different than that, but since this is a G-rated blog, we’ll go with YIKES! It burned like hell! (So much for the G-rating.) I applied the oil several times throughout the next few days. Watching as the burn darkened over the next few days. Cripes, was I doing the right thing? The first pix was taken a few days post-accident. Slowly, it started to heal and within a few weeks it seemed to be disappearing. I kept applying the oil until my face had returned to normal. I can’t remember how long it took, but it was several weeks. I eventually went back to see my doc friend and he was amazed – especially when I told him about the Lavender Oil. He always thought I was a bit kooky with all my voodoo-type medical remedies. But, for what it is worth, he did take note of what I did and has since recommended it to patients.

All these years later – no scar, no sign of a burn and no cosmetic/plastic surgery. My current photos on my site and blog don’t lie. So, all of that being said; now you understand why I am compelled to tell anyone who mentions a burn or a cut to me about Lavender Essential Oil. For some silly reason, I didn't think to put it on the cut on my hand and to this day I have a significant scar that serves as a reminder of that night dining under the stars.