Tea tree oil is known for its antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. It is found in numerous skin and hair care products. Read more...
Topics
Photo: Wix
Disclaimer: This page contains an affiliate link to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through this link.
What is tea tree oil and why is it in so many skin and hair care products?
Tea tree oil has become a common ingredient to find in skincare products. It is derived from the plant Melaleuca alternifolia, found in Australia. It is known for its antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. It had demonstrated activity against bacteria, viruses, fungi, mites, etc. It is often found in scalp products such as shampoos and treatments as well as acne remedies. Its focus is to address some of the underlying triggers for scalp inflammation that result in scaling and itching such as yeast and bacteria buildup.
How does tea tree oil help acne?
For acne, in particular, Cutibacterium acnes (Propionibacterium acnes) is the bacteria known to play a role in the pathophysiology of acne. Tea tree oil has been studied for its activity directed against this bacteria in particular and shown to be effective.
Another study demonstrated the effectiveness of tea tree oil for mild to moderate acne over a 1 to 3-month period of time. The challenge is that there are only small limited studies available making it difficult to determine how to apply this information to clinical practice.
Are there any cautions about using tea tree oil for acne?
The main caution in using tea tree oil is that it does have about a 1-2% chance of causing contact dermatitis in those who use it. If using a product that has tea tree oil and your itching and flaking are getting worse, it’s important to take a look at your products and make sure they are not making it worse!
How is it best to use tea tree oil for acne?
Purchasing tea tree oil: Several acne preparations from topicals to toners may contain tea tree oil. If using pure tea tree oil, make sure the product purchased is 100% tea tree oil to avoid irritation from other ingredients.
Given the risk of contact dermatitis, it is important to perform a test patch on the inner arm prior to using it on the face.
There are multiple methods to apply tea tree oil to the skin:
Add a couple of drops of tea tree oil to your moisturizer
Apply tea tree oil to a cotton round and dilute with aloe vera, water, or carrier oil such as coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, etc.
Apply directly to acne spots with a cotton tip
Tea tree oil for acne is generally considered a spot treatment. Apply by blotting directly on inflammatory lesions.
Can tea tree oil be used for hair health?
Tea tree oil in scalp products can have several benefits. In studies evaluating its benefits for dandruff, tea tree oil in a 5% concentration was found to improve itching and oiliness. I have not come across any tea tree oil shampoos that specify the concentration of tea tree oil in the product, however. If you do come across one that does, please send me a message to update this article.
Another benefit that is not often talked about with tea tree oil is that it has ant-androgen properties. In a study evaluating lavender oil and tea tree oil applied to areas of excess hair growth called hirsutism, there was a reduction in hair thickness. Because hair loss in the scalp is linked to excess androgens, there is the potential for the benefit of tea tree oil for reducing the tendency towards hair loss in androgen-dependent areas of the scalp. The only study I came across evaluating tea tree oil for hair growth was with minoxidil versus minoxidil on its own. Interestingly, even though the anti-androgen properties are known with tea tree oil, a study looking at personal care products and their estrogen activity found that tea tree oil hair products studied have anti-estrogen activity.
What does all this mean? There are a lot of tea tree oil products out there for hair and scalp health. There is not a lot of evidence that they lead to hair loss or thinning however they do have proven benefits for dandruff. These appear to be safe and reasonable to use.
Why is tea tree oil found in shampoo?
Tea tree oil has been found to be beneficial in managing dandruff. A study looking at a tea tree oil 5% shampoo was shown to improve oil and itch, in particular, less so flaking after 4 weeks of use.
Can tea tree oil be used to treat lice?
Tea tree oil has been shown to have activity against head lice. Tea tree oil is not considered a first-line treatment for lice and there are numerous other treatment options available. However, using tea tree oil in carrier oil has the potential to treat lice or at least control it. Do not apply tea tree oil directly to your scalp. Tea tree oil in a 1% concentration was shown to have efficacy against head lice after a 30-minute application. To achieve a 1% concentration, take 6 drops of 100% tea tree oil and mix thoroughly with 1 ounce of carrier oil such as coconut oil.
Can tea tree oil be used to treat nail fungus?
Tea tree oil has been shown to be effective against nail fungus. It has activity against Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, amongst the most common causes of nail fungus. There are a few studies evaluating the use of tea tree oil for nail fungus. The first used a 100% tea tree oil concentrate twice daily along with nail debridement at the start of therapy, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months in. The second study combined butenafine 2% cream with 5% tea tree oil in a cream vehicle. This was applied 3 times daily under a plastic occlusive and weekly examined with debridement performed at varying intervals for 16 weeks. Butenafine is only available commercially as a 1% concentration in brands such as Lotrimin.
Can tea tree oil be used to treat ringworm?
There are limited studies evaluating tea tree oil for ringworm, also known as tinea pedis when it affects the feet. There was not much difference noted between tea tree oil and a placebo in a study evaluating it.
Can tea tree oil be used to treat cold sores?
Tea tree oil does have activity against herpes simplex but a study evaluating its benefits for recurrent cold sores did not show much benefit.
Are there any side effects from using tea tree oil?
There are reports of side effects from using tea tree oil. One review showed reports of allergic contact dermatitis, systemic contact dermatitis, linear immunoglobulin A disease, erythema multiforme-like id reactions, and systemic hypersensitivity reactions. There is also a risk of irritant contact dermatitis.
Comments