What it is?
Visagenics Tea Tree is one of the world’s best known and beloved essential oils.
Key Benefits
- It is known to have remarkable effects on irritated skin by helping to ease redness and restore smoothness. It helps to combat skin blemishes and support healthy immune system.
- Visagenic Tee Tree Oil has a refreshing green, medicinal, woody aroma that makes it a wonderful addition to natural home-cleaning sprays that eliminate unpleasant odors.
- Fight Acne and Other Skin Conditions: Due to tea tree oil’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it has potential to work as a natural remedy for acne and other inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis. A 2017 pilot study conducted in Australia evaluated the efficacy of tea tree oil gel compared to a face wash without tea tree in the treatment of mild to moderate facial acne. Participants in the tea tree group applied the oil to their faces twice a day for a 12-week period. Those using tea tree experienced significantly fewer facial acne lesions compared to those using the face wash. No serious adverse reactions occurred, but there were some minor side effects like peeling, dryness and scaling, all of which resolved without any intervention.
- Improve Dry Scalp: Research suggests that tea tree oil is able to improve symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis, which is a common skin condition that causes scaly patches on the scalp and dandruff. It’s also reported to help alleviate contact dermatitis symptoms. A 2002 human study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology investigated the efficacy of 5 percent tea tree oil shampoo and placebo in patients with mild to moderate dandruff. After a four-week treatment period, participants in the tea tree group showed a 41 percent improvement in the severity of dandruff, while only 11 percent of those in the placebo group showed improvements. Researchers also indicated an improvement in patient itchiness and greasiness after using tea tree oil shampoo.
- Soothe Skin Irritations: Although the research on this is limited, tea tree oil’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties may make it a useful tool for soothing skin irritations and wounds. There is some evidence from a pilot study that after being treated with tea tree oil, patient wounds had begun to heal and reduced in size. And there have been case studies that show tea tree oil’s ability to treat infected chronic wounds. Tea tree oil may be effective in reducing inflammation, fighting skin or wound infections and reducing wound size. It can be used to soothe sunburns, sores and insect bites, but only when it has been tested on a small patch of skin first to rule out a sensitivity to topical application.
- Fight Bacterial, Fungal and Viral Infections: According to a scientific review on tea tree that’s published in Clinical Microbiology Reviews, data clearly shows the broad-spectrum activity of tea tree oil due to its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. This means, in theory, that tea tree oil can be used to fight a number of infections, from MRSA to athlete’s foot. Researchers are still evaluating these tea tree benefits, but they have been shown in some human studies, lab studies and anecdotal reports. Lab studies have showed that tea tree oil can inhibit the growth of bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae. These bacteria cause serious infections, including pneumonia, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, bloodstream infections, strep throat, sinus infections and impetigo. Because of tea tree oil’s antifungal properties, it may have the ability to fight or prevent fungal infections like candida, jock itch, athlete’s foot and toenail fungus. A randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded study conducted in Australia tested the efficacy of tea tree oil in the treatment of athlete’s foot compared to placebo. Patients in the treatment group received either 25 percent tea tree oil solution, 50 percent tea tree oil solution or placebo. They were instructed to apply the solution twice daily to the affected areas for four weeks. Researchers reported a clinical response in 68 percent of the 50 percent tea tree group, 72 percent of the 25 percent tea tree group, and 39 percent in the placebo group. Of the 158 patients that participated in the study, four experienced moderate to severe skin reactions to the treatment that improved quickly after they stopped using the solution. Lab studies show that tea tree oil has the ability to fight recurrent herpes virus (which causes cold sores) and influenza. The antiviral activity of tea tree oil has been attributed to the presence of terpinen-4-ol, one of the oil’s main active components. And if you’re wondering if tea tree oil can get rid of warts, you’re in luck. A 2008 case study found that when tea tree oil was applied topically once daily to a wart on a pediatric patient’s middle finger, the wart completely disappeared after 12 days of treatment. This is another example of tea tree’s antiviral activity.
- May Help Prevent Antibiotic Resistance: Essential oils like tea tree oil and oregano oil are being used in replacement of or along with conventional medications because they too serve as powerful antibacterial agents, without the adverse side effects. Research published in The Open Microbiology Journal indicates that some essential oils, like tea tree oil, have a positive synergistic effect when combined with conventional antibiotics. Researchers are optimistic that this means essential oils may help prevent antibiotic resistance from developing. This is extremely important in modern medicine because antibiotic resistance may lead to treatment failure, increased healthcare costs and the spread of infection control problems.
- Relieve Congestion and Respiratory Tract Infections: Very early in its history, the leaves of the malaleuca plant were crushed and inhaled to treat coughs and colds. Traditionally, the leaves were also soaked to make an infusion that was used to treat sore throats. Today, studies show that tea tree oil has antimicrobial activity, giving it the ability to fight bacteria that lead to nasty respiratory tract infections, and antiviral activity that’s helpful for fighting or even preventing congestion, coughs and the common cold. This is exactly why tea tree is one of the top essential oils for cough and respiratory issues.
- Help Treat Head Lice: Tea tree oil has insecticidal effects and can be used to get rid of head lice, which are small, parasitic insects that feed on human blood. A lab study conducted in Italy investigated the efficacy of tea tree oil against lice and its eggs. Tea tree was used alone and in combination with nerolidol and tested at different ratios against 69 head lice and 187 eggs over a six-month period. Researchers found that tea tree oil alone was more effective against head lice, with treatment resulting in 100 percent mortality after 30 minutes of exposure. A higher concentration of tea tree oil was able to induce the failure of 50 percent of the eggs to hatch. When tea tree oil was combined with nerolidol at a 1:2 ratio, the two substances caused the death of all head lice within 30 minutes and the abortive effect of lice eggs after 5 days of treatment.
- Help Treat Scabies: A common question is “can tea tree oil get rid of scabies?” The answer, according to lab studies, is yes. A study conducted at Flinders University in Australia found that 5 percent tea tree oil and its active component terpinen-4-ol were highly effective in reducing the survival of scabies mites. Tea tree works as a natural treatment for scabies because it has powerful antimicrobial properties, giving it the ability to heal scabies on top of and beneath the skin.
What else you need to know
Not for Internal Use:
- According to the National Poison Center, tea tree oil is known to be poisonous if swallowed.
- Tea tree oil should not be taken by mouth for any reason.
Precautions and Possible Side Effects:
- Tea Tree Oil is generally considered safe when used aromatically and topically and doesn’t cause side effects in most cases.
- However, if you have sensitive skin, it’s possible that you might experience a reaction. Keep tea tree oil away from your eyes, contact lenses, inner nose and sensitive parts of your skin. This essential oil possesses a sharp camphoraceous odor followed by a menthol-like cooling sensation, which can make your skin feel like it’s slightly burning if you apply too much.
- Remember that tea tree oil should not be consumed and if you are using it for oral health, it needs to be spit out so that none is swallowed.
- When used in topical products at a concentration of 5–10 percent, it normally doesn’t cause allergies or skin rashes, but stronger concentration have been reported to cause dermatitis reactions!
- Not safe for kids! Keep away from reach of children!