Tea Tree essential Oil | Top facts about tea tree oil in 2020!

What is this tea tree oil?

Melaleuca Oil/ Tea tree oil is one of the best essential oils in the world. This essential oil is extracted from the tea leaves. The tea tree oil is colored from pale yellow to transparent color. This essential oil has been used since the 1920s  as it has many health benefits. But it should be used cautiously as it can be poisonous if you take it orally. If you keep tea tree oil at home make sure to store them in a safe place from children and elderly.

It’s a good research topic for young researchers as the research based evidence of tea tree oil is less.

Uses of tea tree essential oil

Tea tree essential oil has been used as a herbal medicine for decades. Traditionally nail fungus, acne and athlete’s feet have been treated with tea tree oil for a long time. Even though with the experience, traditional medical practitioners have identified the benefits of this oil, there is no clinical trial based evidence. The European Medicines agency has advised not to use tea tree oil containing products for kids under 12 years as it can be toxic to them.

Before using tea tree essential oil on your kids for head lice always think twice beacause when considering risks vs benefits of using this oil for head lice, the risks outweigh the advantages of this essential oil. It can cause allergic reactions and skin irritation of children easily.

Harmful effects of tea tree essential oil

If you take tea tree oil orally, it can be very poisonous. You may feel hallucinating, confusion, body weakness, comatose state, vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea and severe skin rashes. Therefore do not use this essential oil on your face, specifically around your mouth. Tea tree essential oil is the most common essential oil that gives you allergic reactions out of all the essential oils. When your body parts get exposed to air or light after applying the tea tree oil, it gets oxidised. The oxidised tea tree oil is the most harmful form of this essential oil.

Australia reports the most incidents of tea tree essential oil poisoning in the world.

Tea tree essential oil can cause abnormal breast enlargement of men if it’s not used cautiously.  If you love your pet dogs and cats, do not bring tea tree oil to your home or store them in safe places as it may cause lethal effects in your loved animals. Never apply tea tree oil on your pets.

External application of high doses of tea tree essential oil can be lethal to anyone.

Tea tree essential oil Interactions with other oils

This essential oil is usually combined with other oils and chemicals to treat bacterial and fungal infections. In the present, there is no scientific evidence that proves the interactions with other chemicals. So it is relatively safe to combine with other essential oils.

Tea tree oil containing products

Are you too lazy to read the label of ingredients when you are buying products from supermarkets? But as a medical student my advice to you is to read the contents of your products. Luckily, most of the products have a big label saying that they consist of tea tree oil. Most common products are soaps, shampoos, hair dyes and lotions. When you use these products make sure you don’t get them contacted with your lips, tongue and eyes.

How to apply tea tree essential oil on your skin?

This oil is widely used to treat skin issues as it consists of rapid healing and soothing properties.

Do not apply the oil into your skin directly. You have to use a carrier oil like olive oil, almond oil or coconut essential oil so it gets diluted in the carrier oil you are using. You can combine it to the ratio of 1:12 drops of tea essential tree oil to carrier oil.

Do not apply around the eyes as it can cause irritation and redness around your eyes.  Before applying the combined oil do a patch test behind your ear or forearm to make sure you don’t develop any skin allergies.

Tea tree essential oil is a good for your skin conditions if you use it with proper care! So make the best use of it.