Uses of Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an essential oil traditionally used to treat wounds, burns, and other skin infections. Today, proponents say the oil may benefit conditions from acne to gingivitis, but the research is limited.

 Tea tree oil is distilled from Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native to Australia.2 Tea tree oil may be applied directly to the skin, but more commonly, it’s diluted with another oil, like almond or olive, before it’s applied.3 Many products like cosmetics and acne treatments include this essential oil in their ingredients. It’s also used in aromatherapy.

Uses of Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil contains active ingredients called terpenoids, which have antibacterial and antifungal effects.7 The compound terpinen-4-ol is the most abundant and is thought to be responsible for most of tea tree oil’s activity.

Fromstein SR, Harthan JS, Patel J, Opitz DL. Demodex blepharitis: clinical perspectives. Clin Optom (Auckl). 

Research on the use of tea tree oil is still limited, and its efficacy is unclear.6 Some evidence suggests that tea tree oil may help conditions like blepharitis, acne, and vaginitis.

Blepharitis

Tea tree oil is a first-line treatment for Demodex blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelids caused by mites.

Tea tree oil shampoo and face wash can be used at home once daily for mild cases.

For more severe infestations, it’s recommended that a 50% concentration of tea tree oil be applied to the eyelids by a healthcare provider at an office visit once a week. This high potency causes the mites to move away from the eyelashes but may cause skin or eye irritation. Lower concentrations, such as a 5% lid scrub, can be applied at home twice daily between appointments to keep the mites from laying eggs.

A systematic review recommended using lower-concentration products to avoid eye irritation. The authors noted no long-term data for tea tree oil for this use, so more clinical trials are needed.

Acne

While tea tree oil is a popular ingredient in over-the-counter acne remedies, there’s only limited evidence that it works.

A review of six studies of tea tree oil used for acne concluded that it decreased the number of lesions in people with mild to moderate acne.2 It was also about as effective as traditional treatments like 5% benzoyl peroxide and 2% erythromycin.

And a small trial of only 18 people, an improvement was noted in people with mild to moderate acne who used tea tree oil gel and face wash on the skin twice a day for 12 weeks.9

More randomized controlled trials are needed to determine tea tree oil’s effect on acne.

Vaginitis

Research suggests that tea tree oil is effective in reducing symptoms of vaginal infections like vaginal discharge, pain, and itching.

In one study involving 210 patients with vaginitis, 200 milligrams (mg) of tea tree oil was given as a vaginal suppository each night at bedtime for five nights. The tea tree oil was more effective in reducing symptoms than other herbal preparations or probiotics.

Some limitations of this study were the short duration of treatment and the exclusion of women who were taking antibiotics or had chronic illnesses. For now, it’s best to stick with traditional treatments like antibiotics or antifungal creams.