Tea tree essential oil is incredibly popular. But what is tea tree oil good for? A lot actually! The oil is well studied and has many proven benefits. See these benefits of tea tree oil for acne, skin, hair and more.
Pros: Tea tree essential oil is anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and insecticidal. That makes it perfect for skin, acne, pimples, hair, lice and more.
Cons: Tea tree oil is toxic if accidentally ingested. And, if you use it on your pets, it can cause depression, weakness and muscle tremors.
Precautions: Always check with your doctor before using tea tree oil especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Tea Tree Oil Properties
Here are a few properties of tea tree essential oil.
Name:The botanical name for tea tree is Melaleuca alternifolia.
It's really important to verify this name before buying tea tree essential oil since you might see Melaleuca oil or tea oil for sale. You should know they are not the same as tea tree.
Melaleuca oil could be from tea tree, cajeput (Melaleuca cajuputi) or niaouli (Melaleuca quinquenervia) or some combination of the three. And tea oil is from the Camellia sinensis or Camellia oleifera plants (which are used for cooking).
That's why it's so important to verify the botanical name of the oil you're buying. You have to make sure you're getting exactly what you want.
Color & Scent:Tea tree oil has a colorless to pale yellow color. And it smells a little like camphor.
Compounds:Over 60 compounds have been identified in tea tree essential oil. They include: terpinen-4-ol (which makes up roughly 40% of the oil, gamma-terpinene (20%), alpha-terpinene (10%), 1,8-cineole, also known as eucalyptol (7%), alpha-terpineol (5%), alpha-pinene (4%), p-Cymene (4%), sabinene (2%), limonene (1%), ledene (or viridoflorene, 1%), aromadendrene (1%), and delta-cadinene (1%).
It is clear tea tree oil is loaded with terpenes and these give the oil some incredible benefits for skin, hair and more.
Tea Tree Oil Benefits
Here are just some of the many benefits of tea tree oil.
1. Tea tree oil may be anti-cancer
Tea tree oil has proven benefits against cancer and tumor cells.
One 2004 study clearly demonstrated these benefits. It tested tea tree oil on human melanoma cells. Now, melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can get very resistant to conventional cancer treatments and drugs. So the study tested both normal and drug resistant melanoma cells.
The results were amazing! They showed that tea tree oil with concentrations as low as 0.02 to 0.03% actually killed the cancer cells. And it was more effective on the drug resistant cells!
But remember this is an in vitro study and not a clinical trial. So while tea tree oil has amazing benefits for cancer cells in the lab, your body may react differently and more clinical work is needed to definitively say tea tree can help fight cancer.
You should note though, the study identified terpinen-4-ol as the main compound responsible for these effects.
2. It is antimicrobial
Tea tree oil exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. That means the oil fights off bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa.
This great article (2006) lists several studies and further evidence proving the oil's antimicrobial nature.
The article showed tea tree oil was bactericidal and bacteriostatic even at very low concentrations. This means you only need a little tea tree to kill bacteria and stop them from multiplying. Even the vapors of the oil are strong enough to inhibit bacteria. It's that powerful!
Tea tree oil also fights yeasts, dermatophytes and other fungi. And it stops them from creating and releasing spores. So it can kill and control any unwanted fungi and mould you have. Oh and the vapors work on them too!
Terpinen-4-ol, alpha-terpineol and 1,8-cineole are the main compounds responsible for the antimicrobial nature of tea tree oil. But there are other compounds like alpha-pinene that contribute too. So the oil has several active ingredients fighting off microbes. This makes it harder for bacteria and viruses to become resistant to tea tree.
These tea tree oil benefits are just awesome!
3. Tea tree oil is great in soap
Since it is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial oil, you can use tea tree oil in soaps and hand washes.
In fact, a 2004 study showed mixtures containing 5% tea tree oil were much better to use than regular soft soap in keeping hands clean and hygienic in a hospital environment.
4. It's anti-inflammatory
There is tremendous research validating these benefits of tea tree oil. And terpinen-4-ol is the main anti-inflammatory compound in the oil.
5. Tea tree oil for acne
Tea tree's antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties help it fight acne.
A 2007 study actually compared a 5% tea tree oil gel to a 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion for treating mild to moderate acne. You probably know benzoyl peroxide is the main active ingredient in most acne products.
The study showed both were great at reducing inflamed acne. But benzoyl peroxide was more effective and left the skin less oily than tea tree oil. It doesn't end there though!
Tea tree was better at preventing scaly skin, itchiness and dryness than benzoyl peroxide. And it also caused far less side effects than the peroxide. So the researchers recommend tea tree oil for acne or rather as a suitable treatment option for mild to moderate acne.
And these are proven benefits of tea tree oil for acne! Not hearsay!
6. Tea tree oil for hair and dandruff too
One of the (many) causes of dandruff is a yeast-like fungus. And given tea tree's broad spectrum antimicrobial properties, it should work to curb dandruff.
A 2002 study investigated this. It asked 126 participants to wash their hair either with a 5% tea tree oil shampoo or a placebo every day for a month.
The group that used the tea tree shampoo saw their dandruff decrease by 41%. Whereas the placebo group saw only an 11% reduction. The tea tree users also experienced less itchiness and greasiness of their hair. The study therefore recommends a tea tree shampoo as an effective means for dealing with dandruff.
7. Tea tree oil kills and repels bugs
I used a home-made tea tree, eucalyptus and citronella oils spray to take out a very large spider once. It was the biggest freakin' spider I ever saw; about the size of my hand (no exaggeration!). From the first spray, it started to cringe and run around. Of course, I screamed like crazy but I had to get it out. After a bit more spray (and a lot of eeks and shudders from me), it curled up and died.
R.I.P. scary spider!
The spray repels bugs too like ants, mosquitoes and more. I spray it on my skin and clothes before going out. It works! And it smells like the oils. It isn't like the commercial bug spray with their terrible smell. And it doesn't have those questionable, endocrine disrupting chemicals.
So why does tea tree oil work so well on bugs? The answer is in the terpenes. Insects and spiders hate the stuff. And you know, tea tree oil is loaded with a lot of terpenes.
8. Tea tree oil for lice
It's not just for the common bugs. Tea tree oil is effective for uncommon critters too. There's a 2012 study in the Parasitology Research (Journal) that proved tea tree oil was very effective against head lice.
At just 1% concentration (1 drop per teaspoon of solution), tea tree caused all the head lice under study to die within 30 minutes. It was also pretty effective against the lice eggs.
So use tea tree oil for lice! It both repels and kills them!
9. And there's more
Because tea tree essential oil is antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory, it can be used to treat many skin and respiratory problems. So you can use tea tree oil for:
- eczema
- skin infections (e.g. herpes)
- rashes
- wounds
- warts
- sores
- blisters
- burns
- nail fungus
- colds
- sore throat
Tea Tree Oil Side Effects and Precautions
You have seen the tea tree oil benefits so you know just how powerful the oil is. You must be careful when using the oil. Here are some of tea tree oil side effects and precautions you should be aware of:
- Don't ingest tea tree essential oil. It is toxic. There are cases where human and animal poisonings have occurred. So don't drink it and don't give it to your pets either.
- Don't put undiluted tea tree oil on your skin. It must be diluted with a carrier oil. An ideal ratio is about 2 to 3 drops of essential oil to 1 teaspoon of carrier oil (2-3%). Or 7 to 8 drops of essential oil to 1 tablespoon of carrier oil. You could consider any of these oils as your carrier.
- Always do a skin patch test if it's the first time you're using the essential oil. A simple dab of tea tree - carrier oil mixture (see point 2 for mix details) behind the ear or on the hand is fine.
Monitor the spot for a few hours before washing it off. If the area is red or irritated, you may be sensitive or allergic to tea tree oil. Don't use it if you are. If the area is normal, then go forth with tea tree oil! (Here's a more detailed how-to guide for doing a patch test). - Decide before giving it to your boys. There’s a study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which suggested one young boy developed breasts as a result of using a gel and shampoo containing tea tree and lavender essential oils. No other study has been done to confirm, verify or invalidate these findings.
In fact, the study was met with several comments from the scientific community questioning its thoroughness and completeness. The comments noted popular ingredients in these types of products and in plastic bottles (e.g. phthalates) are known hormone disruptors and could potentially be the root cause of the breast enlargement.
I'm personally skeptical of the study and agree with the comments. So I suggest you read both the study and the comments (in the links above) before deciding whether or not to give it to your boys. - Don't use it on your pets. Some reports show dogs and cats experience depression, weakness, and muscle tremors after having tea tree oil rubbed on their skin.
- Consult your doctor if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Tea tree essential oil is considered safe to use while pregnant. However, you should still get the all clear from your doctor before using this oil.
What's next?
Return to:- Essential Oils Listing
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