What’s the deal with essential oils? if they are so essential , how come I’m just hearing about it?

http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/default.asp

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“An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aromatic compounds extracted from plants. It may be produced by distillation, expression, or solvent extraction. Essential oils are used in perfumery, aromatherapy, cosmetics, incense, for flavoring food and drink, and to a lesser extent, in medicine and household cleaning products. They are valuable commodities to the fragrance and flavorant industries.Essential oil is also known as volatile oil and ethereal oil. It may also be referred to as “oil of” the raw plant material from which it was extracted, such as oil of clove. The term essential is intended to indicate that the oil is the fragrant essence of the plant from which it is extracted and not in the more common sense of being indispensable. It is not to be confused with essential fatty acids.Medical use of vegetable oils has a long and distinguished history. Many oils that are use medicinally are essential oils, which are distilled rather than pressed or otherwise extracted. Medical properties claimed by those who sell medicinal oils vary from skin treatments to remedies for cancer, and are often based on historical use of these oils for these purposes. Such claims are now subject to regulation in most countries, and have grown correspondingly more vague, to stay within these regulations.Interest in such uses of essential oils has enjoyed a revival in recent decades, with the popularity of aromatherapy, in which oils are heated and volatilized.Contents””DangersThe smoke from burning essential oils may contain potential carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Essential oils are naturally high in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The internal use of essential oils should be fully avoided during pregnancy without consulting with a licensed professional, as some can be abortifacients in dose 0.5–10 ml.Toxical data: LD50 of most EO or their main components are 0.5-10 g/kg (orally or skin test).Because of their concentrated nature, EO’s generally should not be applied directly to the skin in their undiluted or “neat” form. Some can cause severe irritation or provoke an allergic reaction. Instead, essential oil should be applied with a plants oils or other fats (carrier oil), such as olive, hazelnut, or any other “soft” oil. Common ratio of essential oil disbursed in a carrier oil is 0.5–3% (most less than 10%) and depends on its purpose. Some EO’s including many of the citrus peel oils, are photosensitizers, increasing the skin’s reaction to sunlight and making it more likely to burn.Industrial users of essential oils should consult the material safety data sheets (MSDS) to determine the hazards and handling requirements of particular oils.There is some concern about pesticide residues in EO’s, particularly those used therapeutically. For this reason, many practitioners of aromatherapy choose to buy organically produced oils.While some advocate the ingestion of essential oils for therapeutic purposes, this should never be done except under the supervision of a professional who is licensed to prescribe such treatment. Some very common EO’s such as Eucalyptus are extremely toxic internally. Pharmacopoeia standards for medicinal oils should be heeded. EO’s should always be kept out of the reach of children. Some oils can be toxic to some domestic animals, cats in particular. Owners must ensure that their pets do not come into contact with potentially harmful essential oils. [1]”