Tea Tree Oil

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Tea Tree Oil

After James Cook's discovery of tea tree oil in 1770, the benefits of tea tree oil spread by word of mouth and old wives' tales throughout the Western world. Then studies published in the early 20th century, in journals such as the Journal of the National Medical Association and the British Medical Journal, gave credence and international attention to the powerful antiseptic properties of tea tree oil, according to Australian Tea Tree Oil Guide by Cynthia B. Olsen (Kale Press, 1997). The oil's popularity exploded--so much so that in World War II, Australia's tea-tree farmers were exempt from service to ensure that enough of the oil was produced to fill military first-aid kits.

Like many natural medicines, tea tree oil was largely forgotten when the spotlight shifted to synthetic drugs in the 1950s. But with the recent revived interest in natural products, it has once again taken center stage for its healing potential. Today, tea tree oil is the key ingredient in many personal care products including body lotions, acne-treatment lines, toothpastes and dental flosses, and the oil itself is a hot seller in most natural products stores.

So what makes the magic in the oil that comes from the narrow leaves of the tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)? About 100 compounds present in tea tree oil work synergistically to produce its healing and antiseptic actions. The oil is able to deeply penetrate the skin, and, as with hydrogen peroxide, it kills bacteria without killing healthy cells. Two of the oil's compounds--terpinen and cineole--are believed to be particularly effective.

Recent scientific studies testify to tea tree oil's antiseptic qualities. One such study, in the Journal of the America Podiatry Association, found the oil to inhibit the activity of 58 varieties of microorganisms, including candida and staphylococcus. Another study, in the Medica Journal of Australia, found tea tree oil to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne, but with fewer side effects. Tea tree oil has also proven successful in alleviating toenail fungus.

Mandy Grear, directory of education for the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, CO, recommends tea tree oil for many ailments. "It's a good antiseptic, and it's good for burns, fungus on the skin, and poisonous spider bites," she says "You can use it in place of hydrogen peroxide or alcohol."

Green recommends using undiluted tea tree oil for spot treatments such as bee stings, acne or small burns, but recommends diluting it to about 2 percent when using it on large areas of the body. "Add about 10 drops of essential oil to 1 ounce of a carrier oil--almond, apricot or hazelnut oil," Green says. She also says that adding several drops of pure tea tree oil to a humidifier is good for respiratory ailments and kills airborne bacteria on contact.