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  Benefits of Tea Tree Oil

There are very few people who would prefer to use synthetic products compared with natural products. For this reason, tea tree oil has become extremely popular over recent years as it is a natural antibacterial disinfectant. It is available in supermarkets, health food shops and pharmacies although it is advisable, when comparing products, to make sure that you compare like with like as some of the cheaper products tend to be tea tree oil solutions rather than the pure essential oil.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil, also known as Melaleuca as it is extracted from the steam distillation of the leaves of Melaleuca tree, is a pale yellow oil with a pleasant smell, which some people compare with nutmeg. Historically it was used by the Aborigine people in Australia (where the plant is native) as a method of healing cuts, burn and infections. They crushed the leaves of the tree and then simply applied them to the area that was impacted.
Benefits and Uses of Tea Tree Oil
The properties of tea tree oil are such that it has antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties, a fairly unique trilogy of benefits. For this reason, it is considered as suitable by some health care practitioners as being useful for treating a wide range of conditions (and it is possible that it may even be able to attack diseases that may be resistant to conventional antibiotics). The components that many ascribed the healing benefits of tea tree oil to, are referred to as terpenoids. In particular, terpinene-4-ol is found to be the most prevalent in tea tree oil and it is the main suspect for being responsible for the healing effects of the oil.




There is a whole range of different conditions that tea tree oil is used to treat. These include:

  • Athlete's foot
  • Dandruff
  • Thrush
  • Acne
  • Eczema
  • Psoriasis
  • etc

Research into the Evidence for the Effectiveness of Tea Tree Oil
Direct scientific clinical studies into the properties and effectiveness of tea tree oil have been limited although there have been a few studies that have indicated positive benefits. Some of these have been conducted at the Tea Tree Oil Research Group (as part of the School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, University of Western Australia).

Direct examples of research include a study looking at the use of various tea tree oil solutions on people who were suffering from Athlete's foot. The researchers in this study found that the use of tea tree oil solutions of 50% and 25% were statistically better at treating the condition compared with a placebo group.

Another research group in Australia at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown studied the benefits of a 5% tea tree oil solution and a benzoyl peroxide lotion on the impact on acne of over 100 people who were affected with a mild to moderate amount of acne. Both products produced a positive result with respect to the inflammation and appearance of the acne (although the benzoyl peroxide lotion worked faster). However, the advantage of the essential oil solution was that it had significantly fewer side effects.

Tea Tree Side Effects and Cautions
Tea tree oil should never be consumed internally, either in a pure or diluted form as it may result in some impairment of the immune system, cause diarrhoea or, in most dramatic cases, it may fatally depress the central nervous system. It has been suggested that homemade tea tree oil mouthwash products should not be used.


As some people can have a reaction to tea tree oil, it is advisable to test first on a small area of the body just to ensure that there is no allergic condition that may be an issue. The applied oil should never be undiluted. If an allergic reaction is present, then it will generally manifest itself in the form of a mild dermatitis or a rash. Pregnant or breast feeding women should avoid using tea tree oil products.

If you have any questions or concerns then, as with all natural health products, it is advisable to discuss with your doctor to ensure that you are fully informed about the potential benefits and/or the corresponding side effects.



By Richard Lane


Any information, advice, recommendations, statements or otherwise contained herein, or in any other communication whether oral or in writing, is not intended to replace or to be a substitute for medical advice trained by a trained physician or healthcare practitioner.
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