Sniffing essential oils during surgery may ease anxiety and mask burnt flesh smell
NCT ID NCT04260867
First seen Jul 01, 2026 · Last updated Jul 01, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether smelling essential oils during skin surgery can reduce the unpleasant smell of burnt flesh from electrocautery and lower patient anxiety. About 111 adults having same-day skin procedures will be randomly assigned to receive either a real essential oil inhaler or an empty one. After surgery, they will fill out questionnaires about their experience and anxiety levels.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
essential oil aromatherapy
What this could lead to
If it works, aromatherapy could become a simple, drug-free way to make skin surgery less stressful and more pleasant.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study, so results may not be definitive. The effect could be due to the placebo effect, and not everyone may find the scents helpful.
Disclaimer
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Northwestern University Department of Dermatology
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States