Tea tree oil, or melaleuca oil, is an essential oil with a fresh camphoraceous odor and a color that ranges from pale yellow to nearly colorless and clear. It is taken from the leaves of the melaleuca altemifolia, which is native to Southeast Queensland and the Northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Tea tree oil is toxic when taken by mouth, but is widely used in low concentrations in cosmetics and skin washes. Tea tree oil has been claimed to be useful for treating a wide variety of medical conditions. Although it shows some promise as an antimicrobial, there is insufficient evidence of its effectiveness for many of these claimed uses. Its use as a treatment for head lice in children has been recommended against.

The commercial tea tree oil industry originated in the 1920s when Arthur Pinfold, an Australian, investigated the business potential of a number of native extracted oils; he reported that tea tree oil had promise as it exhibited powerful antiseptic properties.

In 2006, the world consumed more than 3.5 billion gallons of oil per day. A lot of that oil has caused environmental damage and conflicts between nations. But there is one type of oil that’s green, sustainable, healthy, and–as far as I know–has never been the rationale behind a major military intervention: tea tree oil.

Tea tree oil is usually clear to very pale golden in color and it exudes a fresh, camphor-like scent.It is a yellowish colored essential oil that is made from the leaves of the plant Melaleuca alternifolia (native to Australia).

This Medical News Today information article begins with a bit of background on tea tree oil and then provides details on its uses in medicine and the risk associated with its use.

Benefit & Uses: Tea tree has so many anti-viral and anti-fungal benefits that the Australian army puts it in soldiers' first aid kits. Now, you can use tea tree oil in a variety of ways, especially to heal your skin.

Tea tree oil can be a godsend. A few drops of the essential oil on a cotton ball swabbed onto the troublesome spot can see results in just a few days. Plus it’s safer on your skin than harsh chemicals and alcohol.

Tea tree oil can also be used to clean your yoga mat. Whip up a quick and simple batch of the best yoga mat cleaner ever – it’s organic, smells amazing, leaves no residue, and won’t hurt your skin or the environment! We have written about how easy it is to create your own natural yoga mat cleaner at home so there’s no reason to use sticky, toxic substances ever again.

Aborigines in Australia would use tea tree leaves to heal cuts, burns and infections. Using a cotton ball or swab, gently apply tea tree to small cuts or light burns to aid in the healing process. As with ingrown hairs, it may be best to dilute the tea tree oil with water.

Tea tree oil has myriad uses around the home as a natural cleaner and can be used for aromatherapy and other healing pursuits.

Fungus infections of the nail, Topical application of 100% tea tree oil solution, twice daily for six months, can cure fungal toenail infection in about 18% of people who try it. It can also improve nail appearance and symptoms in about 56% of patients after three months and 60% of patients after six months of treatment. It seems to be comparable to twice daily application of clotrimazole 1% solution. Lower concentrations of tea tree oil do not seem to be as effective. For example, there is some evidence that a 5% tea tree oil cream applied three times daily for two months has no benefit.

 

Mild to moderate acne, applying a 5% tea tree oil gel appears to be as effective as 5% benzyl peroxide for treating acne. Tea tree oil might work more slowly than benzyl peroxide, but seems to be less irritating to facial skin.