Tea Tree Oil
Out of all the essential oils in the world, tea tree oil is one of the most versatile and widely studied with a range of benefits often attributed to this oil. However, there are plenty of misconceptions about what essential oils like tea tree oil can do, and what they’re often touted to do.
For example, it’s true that tea tree oil is easily adaptable for a variety of circumstances, but it’s not true that it is easily obtained or easy to come by — one of the main issues is that it only grows in one part of the world.
Here’s what you need to know about tea tree oil before trying it out — what it is, where it comes from, how it grows, how you could possibly benefit from it, most popular uses, and of course, necessary precautions everyone should take when using essential oils.
What is Tea Tree Oil?
Tea tree oil is an harvested from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant, which is native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. This type of oil has been used for centuries, and can still be found and harvested in the same regions.
The Aboriginal people native to Australia were very familiar with tea tree oil, and according to , “they used to keep it in their version of first aid kits. Some of its earliest uses are for reducing mouth infections, which is why we sometimes see it used in mouthwashes, toothpastes and dental floss.”
Dr. Sarah Hung, ND corroborates Aboriginal use of this versatile essential oil: “They would crush tea tree leaves to extract the oil, inhale to treat coughs and colds or apply it directly to the skin for healing.” In fact, it’s still commonly used for medicinal purposes among the Aboriginal people of Australia.
Benefits of Tea Tree Oil
One of the (many) positive aspects of tea tree oil is its natural antibacterial properties. “Tea Tree is a rare oil, in that it has an effect on all 3 types of infection that can be found in the body — bacterial, viral and fungal,” says , an aromatherapist specializing in skincare and self-care. “It is known as an all round first aid oil.”
One of the compounds in tea tree oil is terpinen-4-ol, which has been shown to have antimicrobial properties against bacteria and fungi. Researchers in stated that “Antimicrobial dynamic curves showed that with increasing concentrations of TTO [tea tree oil], the rate of cell killing and the duration of growth lag phase increased correspondingly. These data indicated that TTO produced concentration and time-dependent antimicrobial effects.”
According to the researchers, the way in which tea tree oil reacts to bacteria is by breaking into “the cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane of all the tested bacterial and fungal strains. TTO may also penetrate fungal organelle membrane. These findings indicated that TTO maybe exerts its antimicrobial effects by compromising the cell membrane, resulting in loss of the cytoplasm and organelle damage, which ultimate[ly] leads to cell death.”
Essentially, what they’re saying is that the tea tree oil (or, more accurately, the compounds found within it) have the ability to weaken the cell so that it dies and is therefore rendered ineffective. This is the same method in which many drugs act to destroy bacterial cells — they attack the cell walls.
Tea Tree Oil Uses
Dental Care
As previously mentioned, tea tree oil is popular in dental care products, including mouthwash, toothpaste, and dental floss, because it kills the bacteria responsible for plaque and tooth decay.
Insect Repellent
While tea tree oil is for use in insect repellent, its efficacy has been studied in animals. in cows showed that the livestock treated with tea tree oil had 61% fewer flies than those not treated with tea tree oil.
A used “correlations between parameters of sitting position, flight activity pattern, and flight tone spectrum” to determine how effective multiple essential oils were at repelling mosquitos. Researchers concluded tea tree oil was at least as effective at warding off mosquitos as DEET, which is the most common ingredient in bug repellent, and also the .
There are recipes online for homemade insect repellent formulations you can try at home.and keep in your .
Personal Care Products
Natural deodorant is a common place to see tea tree oil because of the antibacterial properties of terpinen-4-ol. When we sweat, the moisture mixes with the bacteria and oil on our skin, which is what typically causes odor.
Not only will the soft scent of tea tree oil help mask any odor caused by dirt or bacteria, it will help neutralize the bacteria.. Given the push for more in the past few years, tea tree oil is an excellent ingredient to look at when making purchasing decisions, as it may signal a more effective product when compared to one without tea tree oil.
Anti-fungal Topicals
Because of the anti-fungal properties of terpinen-4-ol, tea tree oil is sometimes used as a topical treatment on nails. In fact, found that terpinen-4-ol itself was the most important aspect of the equation, with researching concluding that “terpinen-4-ol was found to be more active than TTO, and strongly enhanced fluconazole activity against fluconazole-resistant C. albicans strains.”
Older studies looked at the efficacy of tea tree oil with more traditional topical antifungal treatments (such as when combined in a cream) and concluded that the two ingredients had a “synergistic effect” to neutralize the fungus.
At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that tea tree oil alone can treat a fungal infection. Instead, studies have merely shown that it can support healing in conjunction with other medication and time. This can be accomplished by adding tea tree oil to a carrier oil, or by purchasing a natural anti-fungal cream that contains tea tree oil.
Hand Sanitizer
Because terpinen-4-ol has been shown to break down bacterial cell walls, it makes sense that people have begun using tea tree oil as an antibacterial and antimicrobial solution. At times, this essential oil is added to hand sanitizer for an additional boost of antibacterial properties, as well as fragrance and texture.
Bhanote has a great homemade hand sanitizer recipe that’s definitely worth a try: “combine one ounce of aloe vera gel, one ounce of rubbing alcohol, 10 drops tea tree oil, and 10 drops lavender.”
While some studies suggest that tea tree oil is effective in killing a variety of bacteria and viruses, it is not advised by the Food and Drug Association (FDA) nor the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to use tea tree oil in place of soap and water or other FDA-approved antiseptic and antibacterial ingredients.
As always, using soap and water to wash your hands for about 20 seconds is the best way to prevent illness and kill germs that are on your skin from contact with other people and surfaces. Furthermore, avoiding touching your face can help stop the spread of bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Household Cleaners
Tea tree oil is sometimes used in all purpose cleaning products, especially those that are homemade. Again, the terpinen-4-ol will help kill germs on hard surfaces without the concern of harsh chemicals or other ingredients that some people prefer to skip in their cleaning solutions — either because of children, pets, or concerns regarding the environment.
There are many recipes and suggestions online. Lisa Murray, a member of the Emerson Ecologics Medical Education team, recommends shaking tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, and water together in a spray bottle to make a great countertop cleaner.
Treating Minor Skin Irritation
Tea tree oil can be helpful in reducing minor skin irritation caused by pimples, cuts or scrapes.scrapes. showed that topical application of tea tree oil in a gel helped reduce mild to moderate blemishes. found that application of tea tree oil helped support a faster healing time for minor skin wounds.
“With two teenage boys in my house, and myself being a beauty and aromatherapist, one of my favorite ways to use tea tree oil is on the skin,” says Angold. “Tea tree oil can be used directly on the skin, in very small amounts, and is very good at applying to spots, pimples, and breakouts, to help heal and reduce the inflammation.”
is also a fan of using tea tree oil on your face: “Fill your spray bottle with water and for every 25ml, add ten drops of tea tree oil and five drops of your other favorite essential oil. Make sure you shake the bottle well before each use and lightly spritz twice a day after washing your face, followed by your favorite moisturizer.”
It’s important to note that tea tree oil is not recommended for use on eczema.
Again, tea tree oil cannot be expected to replace proper cleansing techniques and should not be solely relied upon for the treatment of cuts, scrapes, or skin lesions.
Precautions and Important Notes about Tea Tree Oil
Generally speaking, tea tree oil is safe for adults to use at home. Always remember that all essential oils (regardless of their source or use) should be kept out of reach of children.
Whenever you use a pure essential oil at home, be sure to mix it with water or a carrier oil like almond or avocado oil for the skin. Essential oils are not meant to be applied directly to the skin, as they can cause irritation, rashes, or burning (although in the case of this specific essential oil, some experts claim it can be applied directly to the skin in very small amounts). If you have a bottle of tea tree oil, read the instructions before applying it to your body.
Essential oils are never meant to be ingested, so be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. Additionally, if you experience itching, burning, rashes, irritation, redness, dryness, or any other kind of skin reaction while using tea tree oil, stop using it immediately. People can be allergic to natural substances, and this can include one or several essential oils.
And finally, it’s important to note that the scientific, peer-reviewed studies of the efficacy of tea tree oil are still underway. But each year we learn more about how essential oils affect our everyday lives, and with each study that is released, we understand a bit more.
Are you interested in learning more about using tea tree oil in your home? Check out these articles with additional pro tips.