Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca, is well-known for its powerful antiseptic properties and ability to treat wounds, which is why it’s one of the top antibacterial essential oils .
Tea tree is a volatile essential oil derived mainly from the Australian native plant Melaleuca alternifolia . It’s been widely used throughout Australia for at least the past 100 years, and for over seven decades, it’s been documented in numerous medical studies for its ability to kill many strains of bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Tea tree oil uses are numerous — it can be used to make homemade cleaning products, diffused to kill toxic mold that’s growing in your home, and applied topically to heal skin issues and treat skin infections.
Tea tree oil is becoming an increasingly popular active ingredient in a variety of household and cosmetic products, including disinfectant sprays , face washes, shampoos, massage oils, skin and nail creams, and laundry detergents.
Research shows that tea tree’s natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory actions make it one of the most beneficial essential oils that should included as part of your natural medicine cabinet.
What Is Tea Tree Oil?
Tea tree oil is a volatile essential oil derived from the Australian plant Melaleuca alternifolia . The Melaleuca genus belongs to the Myrtaceae family and contains approximately 230 plant species, almost all of which are native to Australia.
Tea tree oil is an ingredient in many topic formulations that are used to treat infections, and it’s marketed as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent in Australia, Europe and North America. You can also find tea tree in a variety of household and cosmetic products, like cleaning products, laundry detergent, shampoos, massage oils, and skin and nail creams.
What is tea tree oil good for? Well, it’s one of the most popular plant oils because it works as a powerful disinfectant and is gentle enough to apply topically in order to fight skin infections and irritations.
Tea tree’s primary active ingredients include terpene hydrocarbons, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. These compounds give tea tree its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity.
There are actually over 100 different chemical components of tea tree oil — terpinen-4-ol and alpha-terpineol are the most active — and various ranges of concentrations.
Studies indicates that the volatile hydrocarbons found in the oil are considered aromatic and capable of traveling through air, pores of the skin and mucus membranes. That’s why tea tree oil is commonly used aromatically and topically to kill germs, fight infections and soothe skin conditions.
10 Benefits of Putting Tea Tree Oil On Your Skin
1. Treating acne
Tea tree oil contains strong antibacterial and antifungal compounds that are known to reduce inflammation that can lead to swelling of the skin. A study conducted by the Department of Dermatology at Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital found that when comparing the effectiveness of tea tree oil to benzoyl peroxide, a common acne medication, that “5% tea-tree oil and 5% benzoyl peroxide had a significant effect in ameliorating the patients’ acne.”
All you need is a tiny amount of this powerful oil to penetrate the skin and unblock sebaceous glands. It will dry out whiteheads, blackheads, pimples and other blemishes, as well as disinfect the pores too.
Keep in mind that using 100% pure tea tree oil (such as this Plant Therapy Tea Tree Oil) is a must. Don’t be fooled into using a product that contains it, as it’s generally a very small amount.
If you have very sensitive skin, adding a teaspoon of olive or coconut oil to tea tree oil is the way to go, due to its high potency. Be careful to not overuse it – while it is more gentle than benzoyl peroxide, it can also dry out the skin which triggers the body to overproduce its own oils and ultimately make things worse.
2. Relieving psoriasis
Psoriasis, which is characterized by red, scaly and sometimes inflamed areas of the skin. It occurs when dead skin cells begin to build up on the surface of the skin, appearing in the form of thick silvery scales or red, dry and itchy patches that can be painful and cause irritation. While it has no cure, the discomfort can be eased by using tea tree oil, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, and it may also help speed healing.
3. Eczema
Eczema can be a very frustrating problem, as a persistent skin condition that can result in a severe rash, dryness, itching and even blistering, as well as the constant urge to scratch – in some cases it’s so bad that it becomes difficult to sleep. Tea tree oil’s antiseptic properties help to soothe the itch and heal the skin while preventing further damage, and its anti-inflammatory properties reduce inflammation too. If an infection develops, the oil’s antibacterial compounds can fight off the infection and prevent spreading.
4. Cuts and infections
If you have a cut or an infection, tea tree oil combined with lavender essential oil makes an ideal homemade ointment. First be sure to clean the cut thoroughly, using water and hydrogen peroxide. Afterward, dilute two drops tea tree and lavender oil in jojoba oil, apply on the area and cover it up with a bandage to prevent infection.
5. Razor burn relief
A razor burn isn’t just unsightly, it can be rather uncomfortable or even painful if you don’t address it. By applying a small amount to the area, it works as a natural astringent similar to witch hazel for alleviating irritation from shaving. After you shave, add several drops of tea tree oil to two teaspoons witch hazel, apply onto a cotton ball and apply to the areas of the skin prone to razor burn, and you’ll enjoy a soothing sensation
6. Get rid of athlete’s foot
You can make your own homemade athlete’s foot powder using tea tree oil, arrowroot powder, and baking soda. Arrowroot powder is derived from the rhizome of a number of tropical plants and helps to battle foot odor while offering a moisture absorbing base for the powder. The moisture absorbing part is crucial, as the fungus that causes this condition thrives in damp, moist places like those sweaty shoes. The baking soda also serves to address the odor, sweating, and soothe any itch that occurs. Of course, tea tree oil is the star in this powerful recipe, with the ability to battle the actual fungus itself, as well as inhibit its ability to replicate.
7. Makeup remover
Tea tree oil is a great ingredient in a natural makeup remover too. Mix a quarter cup of extra-virgin olive oil with 10 drops tea tree oil in a 4-ounce glass jar with a lid. Shake until well blended and then store in a cool, dark place when not in use.
To remove your makeup, saturate a cotton ball with the solution and then just sweep over your face. Rinse with warm water.
8. Boils
Tea tree oil is even effective for fighting a staph infection, including those that are resistant to antibiotics. Just dab some tea tree diluted in almond oil onto a cotton ball and apply to boils several times a day.
9. Warts
Tea tree oil comes to the rescue once again for getting rid of warts as it contains antiviral and antiseptic properties that fight against the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 20 million Americans carry some form of the human papilloma virus (HPV), which may cause them to form on the hands, feet or genitals. Warts aren’t normally painful, but they are unsightly and embarrassing. By applying the oil, it will halt the infection and the development of fungi and bacteria to reduce inflammation, redness, and irritation. As it contains a powerful antimicrobial known as terpinen-4, it actually attacks HPV causing warts. It will stop their growth and dry them out so they’ll naturally fall off.
10. Soothe chicken pox and fade scars
While there are vaccinations for chickenpox these days, it hasn’t gone away completely, and it can be one of the worst illnesses to contract, due to the intense itching it causes. That itching can also lead to the scarring of the skin. To help relieve the itch caused by chickenpox, taking a warm bath with tea tree oil is often recommended.
To use it for this purpose, add 5 drops of tea tree oil diluted in a carrier oil under the running water when filling a bath, and once full, soak for at least 20 minutes.
11. Improves Dry Scalp
Research suggests that tea tree oil is able to improve symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis, which is a common skin condition that causes scaly patches on the scalp and dandruff. It’s also reported to help alleviate contact dermatitis symptoms.
A 2002 human study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology investigated the efficacy of 5 percent tea tree oil shampoo and placebo in patients with mild to moderate dandruff.
After a four-week treatment period, participants in the tea tree group showed a 41 percent improvement in the severity of dandruff, while only 11 percent of those in the placebo group showed improvements. Researchers also indicated an improvement in patient itchiness and greasiness after using tea tree oil shampoo.
12. Fights Bacterial, Fungal and Viral Infections
According to a scientific review on tea tree published in Clinical Microbiology Reviews , data clearly shows the broad-spectrum activity of tea tree oil due to its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.
This means, in theory, that tea tree oil can be used to fight a number of infections, from MRSA to athlete’s foot. Researchers are still evaluating these tea tree benefits, but they have been shown in some human studies, lab studies and anecdotal reports.
Lab studies have showed that tea tree oil can inhibit the growth of bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Escherichia coli , Haemophilus influenzae , Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae . These bacteria cause serious infections, including:
- pneumonia
- urinary tract infections
- respiratory illness
- bloodstream infections
- strep throat
- sinus infections
- impetigo
Because of tea tree oil’s antifungal properties, it may have the ability to fight or prevent fungal infections like candida, jock itch, athlete’s foot and toenail fungus. In fact, one randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study found that participants using tea tree reported a clinical response when using it for athlete’s foot.
Lab studies also show that tea tree oil has the ability to fight recurrent herpes virus (which causes cold sores) and influenza. The antiviral activity displayed in studies has been attributed to the presence of terpinen-4-ol, one of the oil’s main active components.
13. Relieves Congestion and Respiratory Tract Infections
Very early in its history, the leaves of the melaleuca plant were crushed and inhaled to treat coughs and colds. Traditionally, the leaves were also soaked to make an infusion that was used to treat sore throats.
Today, studies show that tea tree oil has antimicrobial activity , giving it the ability to fight bacteria that lead to nasty respiratory tract infections, and antiviral activity that’s helpful for fighting or even preventing congestion, coughs and the common cold. This is exactly why tea tree is one of the top essential oils for cough and respiratory issues.
14. Helps Treat Head Lice
Tea tree oil has insecticidal effects and can be used to get rid of head lice, which are small, parasitic insects that feed on human blood. A lab study conducted in Italy investigated the efficacy of tea tree oil against lice and its eggs.
Tea tree was used alone and in combination with nerolidol and tested at different ratios against 69 head lice and 187 eggs over a six-month period. Researchers found that tea tree oil alone was more effective against head lice, with treatment resulting in 100 percent mortality after 30 minutes of exposure.
A higher concentration of tea tree oil was able to induce the failure of 50 percent of the eggs to hatch. When tea tree oil was combined with nerolidol at a 1:2 ratio, the two substances caused the death of all head lice within 30 minutes and the abortive effect of lice eggs after five days of treatment.
15. Improves Bad Breath
Bad breath comes from bacteria that is found in your mouth, especially the back of your tongue, throat and tonsils. Because tea tree oil has antimicrobial properties that can kill this bacteria, it works as a natural remedy for bad breath .
Keep in mind that tea tree oil should not be used internally, so if you are using it as a mouthwash to kill oral germs, make sure to spit it out afterward and rinse your mouth with water.
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