Health Benefits of Tea Tree Oil

There are many health benefits of Tea Tree Essential Oil. Essential Oils are well-received in the market today, and they’re very popular for a reason. First of all, the variety of essential oils that you can find in the market is unbelievable. Second, they’re great for aromatherapy (1), another form of alternative medicine, And, lastly, they’re pleasant and stimulating, especially to our nose as smelling is our most primal sense, even influencing our mood, emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and even memories (2).

There are a number of beneficial essential oils that you can buy to complement your healthy lifestyle. One of the most effective and most-sought after oils is the tea tree oil (3). If you want to buy tea tree oil extract, here’s what you need to know about it:

What is Tea Tree Oil?

Tea tree oil extract is taken from the leaves of the Melaleuca Alternifolia tree (4), a tree that’s related to the myrtle. It was first extracted from Australia and is first known in the western world in 1732. This was when Captain Games Cook (5) arrived in the country and happened to brew the leaves of the said tree, creating a refreshing and spicy concoction.

Tea tree oil has a medium strength herbaceous aroma and is one of the most popular oils for mind, body and home wellness.

Today, tea tree oil is used as a remedy for a lot of skin diseases and is mostly used because of its antiseptic and wound-healing properties (6). In most instances, you apply it topically on the affected part of your body.

Tea Tree Oil Health Benefits

For many decades, Tea Tree Oil has been found to exhibit health benefits. Its popularity and usage in health products has grown over the years. There are many cosmetic, medicinal and household products that use Tea Tree Oil as an ingredient. Some of the main health benefits of Tea Tree Oil include:

• Kills Bacteria, Fungus, and Viruses (Antiseptic Properties)

Tea tree oil has strong antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-viral properties (7). According to an article published in Clinical Microbiology Reviews (11), data clearly indicates the broad spectrum activity of Tea tree oil due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Lab studies have also shown that it can inhibit the growth of bacteria strains such as Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Haemophilus Influenzae, Streptococcus Pyogenes and Streptococcus Pneumoniae. These are the dangerous bacteria responsible for pneumonia, urinary tract infections, strep throat and sinus infections (11).

Due to its antiseptic properties tea tree oil is often used to combat underarm odor, athlete’s foot, nail fungus, dermatitis, dandruff, lice, itching, and even inflammation.

• Fight Foot Odour

In order to deal with bad foot odour or to get rid of the bad smell from the shoes (especially when kids come back from school)

1. Combine 2-3 drops of Tea tree oil with a carrier oil and massage the mixture into the feet
2. To get rid of shoe odour, add 5-10 drops of Tea tree oil to a spray bottle half filled with water and spray inside the shoes and let them dry well. This has worked really well with my kids shoes !

• Skin Care

You may have noticed that there are many skin care products out there that use Tea tree oil as a main ingredient. In fact, there are several studies including this from Sciencedirect (12) that suggests how effective Tea tree oil can be to treat acne due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Cradle cap, damaged or irritated skin hair are some of the other skin conditions that can be treated with Tea tree oil (8). Skincare industry is now a major consumer of health benefits of Tea Tree Oil.

Unlike other blemish treatments such as benzoyl peroxide, Tea tree oil is gentle on the skin which will not leave your skin dry or itchy. However, I always advise that you test it first on a small patch of skin to make sure there is no inflammation.

• Soothing Skin Remedy

If you always end up with scratches or scrapes try this recipe to soothe your skin and help your body with its natural healing process

Ingredients:

• 4 drops of Frankincense Sacred Essential Oil
• 2 drops of Myrrh Essential Oil
• 3 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil
• 1 tbsp Fractionated Coconut Oil

1. Measure the Fractionated Coconut Oil
2. Add the Fractionated Coconut Oil to your empty glass bottle
3. Add the essential oils
4. Drop 2-3 drops of the mixture into your palm & apply to affected areas

• Hair Care

Haircare is one of the main health benefits of Tea Tree oil. For example Dandruff is relatively easily gotten rid by massaging Tea tree oil shampoo into the scalp. It also moisturises the scalp to reduce itching and flaking. Additionally, Tea tree oil is well researched and well understood to help get rid of head lice (13)

Did you know I got rid of my kids lice in a week with this recipe?

• Lice Spray

Ingredients:

• 20 drops Tea tree Essential Oil
• 20 drops Eucalyptus citriodora Essential Oil
• 10 drops Lavender Greece Essential Oil
• 4 oz Water

1. Pour 4 ounces of water into a glass spray bottle
2. Add the above listed essential oils
3. Shake well
4. Spritz hair and scalp daily

• Oral Health

Tea tree oil gels are beneficial for those who have bad oral health, most especially to those who have gingivitis, gum swelling, and bad breath. So, you can use this with your oral health routine.

Common Cold or Cough Remedy

To relieve a cold, cough or even symptoms of a flu you can do the following:

1. Diffuse a few drops of Tea tree oil at home
2. Combine 1-2 drops of Tea tree oil with a carrier oil and apply on bottom of feet or rub it on the chest or back of neck. (For children dilute more with the carrier oil)

How to Use Tea Tree Oil?

Like any other oils, tea tree oil is versatile, and there are numerous ways to use it at home. To maximize your tea tree oil, here’s what you can do:

• Add the oil to a diffuser. This will help purify your home from any virus, bacteria, or fungus lurking in the area.
• Mix the oil on any DIY cleaning concoction that you have. You can add this to your baking soda or vinegar cleaning mix.
• Blend the oil with any chosen carrier oil to combine added benefits.
• Incorporate the oil in your shampoos, conditioners, and skin moisturizes.
• Put a few drops of oil on a cotton ball or directly inhale the aroma from the bottle to relieve sinuses.

Oils that Blend with Tea Tree Oil

As stated above, you can add tea tree oil on any other carrier or chosen essential oils that you like. You can blend the tea tree oil with one, two, or more essential oils of your choice. Here are some great essential oils that blend wonderfully with tea tree oil as suggested from Rocky Mountain Oils, a reputable essential oil provider.

• Myrtle
• Basil
• Lavender
• Black Cumin
• Frankincense
• Cinnamon Bark
• Eucalyptus
• Clove Bud
• Rosemary
• Nutmeg
• Ravintsara

Is this Oil Safe for Kids? Safe Practices When Using It

Tea tree oil is safe for kids and even babies when you add a few drops of it on any unscented oil of your preference. Because it has an antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial component, tea tree oil becomes an effective, mild, and safe disinfectant agent for your kids and babies. Just make sure to add a small dose of it though, especially when your kids or babies are sensitive. Please read my article on how to use essential oils safely on children.

Tea Tree Oil Dilution Process

Essential oils are very potent, so when you buy tea tree oil, you can dilute it by using a carrier oil or cream. For adults, you can go with a ratio of 2.5 to 10% dilution. For kids and babies, .5 to 1% will do (9). Also, after dilution, take a patch test to see if there are negative reactions on the skin. If side effects occur, you can dilute the oil even more or discontinue its use.

Tea Tree Oil Side Effects

These are the most common side effects (10) of tea tree oil:

• Skin allergies
• Skin Irritation
• Dryness
• Itchiness
• Burning
• Stinging
• Scaling
• Redness

These are some facts about tea tree oil. When used responsibly and moderately, you’ll surely have more advantages than disadvantages. However, when you experience a negative reaction, whether it’s minimal or not, stop its use and find a different essential oil that works for you.

Want to try the most natural Tea Tree essential oil from Rocky Mountain Oils? Click here

Sources for this Article Include:

1. Babar Ali, Naser Ali Al-Wabel, Saiba Shams, Aftab Ahamad, Shah Alam Khan, Firoz Anwar, Essential oiuls used in aromatherapy: A systemic review. 2015 Jul. Link here.
2. Dr. Mercola, Essential Oils Support Physical and Emotional Welll-being. 2014 Sept. Link here.
3. C.F. Carson, K.A. Hammer, T.V. Riley, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil: a Review of Antimicrobial and Other Medicinal Properties. 2006 Jan. PMC 1360273.
4. Tea Tree Oil, Wikipedia. Link here.
5. History of Tea Tree Oil in the New World, Defense Soap. Link here.
6. Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS, Top 10 Tea Tree Oil Uses and Benefits. Link here.
7. Jayne Leonard, 11 Benefits of Tea Tree Oil. Link here.
8. Tea Tree Oil, Mayo Clinic. Link here.
9. Emma Harper, Safe Essential Oils for Babies and How to Use Them. Link here.
10. Tea Tree Oil, Remedy and Poison, Poison Control National Capital Poison Center. Link here.
11. Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil: a Review of Antimicrobial and Other Medicinal Properties. Link here.
12. Treatment of acne with tea tree oil (melaleuca) products: A review of efficacy, tolerability and potential modes of action (Link here)
13. Di Campli E1, Di Bartolomeo S, Delli Pizzi P, Di Giulio M, Grande R, Nostro A, Cellini L., Activity of tea tree oil and nerolidol alone or in combination against Pediculus capitis (head lice) and its eggs, NCBI (Link here)