How Does an Herb Vaporizer Work?

Basic Concept

• Herbs contain essential oils, which have the active ingredients that make them useful for various reasons. For example, one of the ingredients contained in passionflower's essential oils is chrysin, which gives passionflower its antianxiety effect. Herb vaporizers work by heating these essential oils to a certain temperature --- which depends on the herb --- and turning the essential oils into a vapor that is inhaled.

Convection Method

• The convection vaporization method is more advanced and used by more expensive herbal vaporizers. Many models have digital thermostats that allow the user to select the temperature setting. Warm air is then released over the herb and heats it to the selected temperature. Convection vaporizers heat the herb's surface more efficiently and control the vaporization temperature more precisely. The temperature control is ideal when it comes to using a variety of different herbs because each herb has a different ideal vaporizing temperature. Low-temperature herbs such as passionflower and lavender vaporize up to 302 degrees Fahrenheit, medium-temperature herbs such as fennel and hawthorn vaporize at temperatures up to 347 degrees and high-temperature herbs such as ginger and ginseng vaporize up to 392 degrees.

Conduction Method

• The conduction method of vaporizing uses an instrument that is usually made of brass or glass. The instrument has direct contact with a heating source such as a lighter until it is thoroughly heated up. The herb is packed into a bowl such as a pipe, and the heated instrument is held on top of the herb so that it heats the plant material until the essential oils are vaporized. The conduction method isn't the most efficient method of vaporization because the plant material isn't heated evenly along the surface, but it's usually the cheapest, simplest in design and easiest to clean.

Inhalation Technique

• The way a user inhales through the herbal vaporizer is crucial to the vapor density and ultimately enhances the efficiency of the herb's effect. A user who takes long, slow inhalations doesn't need as much warm air because the heat is in contact with the herb for a longer time period, whereas users who take short puffs require more heat because the herb isn't in contact with the heating element as long. To get a stronger dose of the herb's active ingredient, inhale the vapor deep into the lungs and hold it for a few seconds before exhaling.

Tips

• When the body is hydrated, it absorbs the herb's active ingredients better. Drink plenty of water at least one hour before vaporizing for optimal absorption. Additionally, grinding the herbs allows for more of the active ingredients to release. Use a spice grinder to chop the herb into small pieces, but don't grind it so much that it turns into a powder.