| Tea Tree Oil |
| Parts Used Volatile oil distilled from the leaves |
|
| Common Uses |
 |
As an antiseptic, antibacterial and
antifungal |
|
Effective against fungal skin
infections including athletes foot. |
|
Effective against vaginal
infections including yeast infections. |
|
Reduces the risk of infections and
aids healing of cuts, abrasions and burns. |
|
Reduces acne with fewer side
effects than benzoyl peroxide. |
|
Soothes insect bites. |
|
Helps reduce dandruff - add a few
drops to shampoo when you wash your hair. |
|
Helps relieve cold sores and
warts. |
|
|
How Tea Tree Oil Works
Tea Tree Oil contains substances called terpenes
which have a powerful antibacterial action. Terpenes are able to kill many bacteria,
including some that are resistant to standard antibiotics, like staphylococcus aureus.
Other bacteria are so weakened that the body is able to destroy them. |
|
Side Effects
In some cases tea tree oil can cause irritation to the skin
and vagina, however it is generally considered safe for external use. |
|
Safety Issues
Do Not Take Internally.
As with many essential oils tea tree
oil is toxic if ingested. |
|
Worth Noting
Be sure that the oil you use is
from Melaleuca alternifolia. Since tea tree oil has become so popular other species are
sometimes used and these can cause skin irritation and be less effective. |
|
| History of Tea Tree The Tea Tree is a small tree native to areas of wet or swampy ground in New
South Wales or southern Queensland in Australia. The oil, which is distilled from the
leaves of the plant, has a pleasant nutmeg odor and is pale yellow in color. |
| Europeans were first made aware of the Tea Tree
by Captain Cook after his expedition to Australia in the 18th century. It is said that his
crew made tea from this aromatic plant - hence it's name. |
| The settlers soon discovered however, as the
native Aborigines had long before, that this plant has many valuable uses. They used it to
treat burns, cuts, insect bites, athletes foot and other skin complaints and soon the Tea
Tree became a valuable part of their medicinal arsenal. |
| During World War ll Tea Tree Oil was added to
machine cutting oil in munitions factories in Australia. This was done to reduce the
number of infections caused by cuts and abrasions to the workers hands. |
| Tea Tree Oil became popular again in the late
1970's and since that time a Tea Tree industry has evolved. You can find Tea Tree in a
wide range of products including skin ointments, shampoos, soaps and toothpastes. |
| It has been widely studied to examine it's effectiveness
against a variety of complaints including acne, athletes foot, corns, skin and vaginal
infections, as well as it's ability to kill antibiotic resistant bacteria like
staphylococcus aureus. These studies have shown very positive results. |
