Possible role of frankincense in the treatment of benign essential blepharospasm

PURPOSE: To report two cases of benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) symptom relief in the setting of regular topical frankincense usage. OBSERVATIONS: The primary outcome measures for this report are (1) frequency of botulinum toxin (BT) injection appointments before and after the onset of regular frankincense usage and (2) patient report of symptoms. After starting frankincense, patient 1 decreased the frequency of her BT injection appointments from 5 to 8 months to 11+ months, eventually stopping BT injections altogether. Patient 2 decreased her BT appointments from every 3–4 months to approximately every 8 months after starting frankincense. Both patients had previously tried multiple additional treatments for their BEB symptoms which did not yield improvement; both patients reported significant improvement in their symptoms secondary to topical frankincense oil. CONCLUSION AND IMPORTANCE: Frankincense is a natural product of Boswellia trees. It has been used primarily for its anti-inflammatory properties for many years in multiple countries. We report two cases of individuals with long-standing, debilitating benign essential blepharospasm achieving significant symptom relief after beginning regular usage of topical frankincense essential oil. This natural oil offers an organic and effective treatment option for this chronic, progressive condition.