Tea tree oils

Tea tree oils

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.

1. Fights Acne and Other Skin Conditions

Due to tea tree oil’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it has potential to work as a natural remedy for acne and other inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis.

Those using tea tree experienced significantly fewer facial acne lesions compared to those using the face wash. No serious adverse reactions occurred, but there were some minor side effects like peeling, dryness and scaling, all of which resolved without any intervention.

2. 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.

3. Soothes Skin Irritations

Although the research on this is limited, tea tree oil’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties may make it a useful tool for soothing skin irritations and wounds. There is some evidence from a pilot study that after being treated with tea tree oil, patient wounds began to heal and reduced in size.

There have been case studies that show tea tree oil’s ability to treat infected chronic wounds.

Tea tree oil may be effective in reducing inflammation, fighting skin or wound infections, and reducing wound size. It can be used to soothe sunburns, sores and insect bites, but it should be tested on a small patch of skin first to rule out a sensitivity to topical application.

4. 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.

5. May Help Prevent Antibiotic Resistance

Essential oils like tea tree oil and oregano oil are being used in replacement of or along with conventional medications because they serve as powerful antibacterial agents without the adverse side effects.

Research published in the Open Microbiology Journal indicates that some plant oils, like those in tea tree oil, have a positive synergistic effect when combined with conventional antibiotics.

Researchers are optimistic that this means plant oils may help prevent antibiotic resistance from developing. This is extremely important in modern medicine because antibiotic resistance may lead to treatment failure, increased health care costs and the spread of infection control problems.

6. 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 eve