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Can Tea Tree Oil Help Acne?

Hi Ellen,

In recent years, a growing number of people have turned to tea tree oil (also known as melaleuca oil or Ti tree oil) as a natural remedy for a myriad of skin conditions including dandruff, rashes, psoriasis, blisters and acne. The indigenous people of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia traditionally used it by inhaling the oils of crushed tea tree leaves, applying directly to cuts and wounds, or making an infusion of the soaked leaves.

Today, scientific research has shown that tea tree oil has potent antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects. That means it kills or inhibits the growth of microorganism that cause diseases. When applied on acne spots, tea tree oil kills bacteria that infects your pores. Untreated infected pores will lead to breakouts of pus-filled acne on your skin.

How to Safely Use Tea Tree Oil to Heal Acne?

1. As a spot treatment for moderate acne, apply a tiny drop of tea tree essential oil on areas affected by acne before you go to bed.

2. Dilute 5-6 drops of tea tree essential oil with ⅓ ounce carrier oil such as grapeseed essential oil. Using a Q-tip or a cotton ball, apply this mixture to fade old acne scars.

3. If acne is red, mix 2-3 drops of tea tree essential oil with Vitamin E oil. Leave it on overnight, it'll help the redness to go away.

4. If you have bacne (back acne), you can add about 10 drops tea tree essential oil to your bath water. Swish water about to disperse the oil. It acts as a disinfectant to treat back acne and soothe itchy skin.

5. To make a homemade tea tree facial wash, place 3 drops tea tree essential oil, 3 drops petitgrain essential oil and 3 drops lemongrass essential oil in a dark glass bottle. Add 1 drop chamomile essential oil, ½ cup lime hydrosol, 2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin and 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel. Shake well to combine. Let facial wash "sit" for 24 hours before using.

6. You can also make a tea tree oil facial mask using this recipe. Add 1-2 drops tea tree oil to natural green clay powder. Add enough water to make a thick paste, and spread on your face for about 20-30 minutes. Use this homemade face pack 1-2 times a week to draw out impurities and excess sebum.

Tea Tree Oil Safety

Tea tree oil is a strong essential oil so always start with a mild dose on a small area of your skin. If your skin is sensitive and show adverse reactions to tea tree oil, either reduce the amount used, or opt for another natural acne treatment.

It is not recommended to apply 100% pure tea tree oil on your skin. It is usually used in solutions of 5-10%. Undiluted tea tree oil on skin may cause redness, blistering, itching, burning as well as overdrying.

Like all other natural remedies, tea tree oil takes a while to work on acne. Continue using it regularly for a couple of weeks, and you'll notice good results. Your acne problem should improve significantly and disappear completely. You might also want to consider facial products that contain tea tree oil which you can use in combination with pure tea tree oil.

Pure tea tree oil is available online or at most health food stores and pharmacies. However, you need to be very careful with tea tree oil offered at cheap prices. You don't want an inefficient low grade oil that has a nasty smell and labeled as pure tea tree oil. Always get tea tree oil from a reputable source. Try Thursday Plantation tea tree oil.

Also, buy tea tree oil that comes in dark glass bottles (usually indigo blue or amber) if greater in volume than 15ml. Avoid tea tree oil in clear bottles, or in plastic bottles. Clear bottles allow sunlight to penetrate the oil, and degrade it over a period of time.

It's also worth noting that the best tea tree oil comes from Australia, from the Melaleuca Alternifolia species, which is grown and produced under natural environment. Therefore, look for "100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil" on its label.

By Tiffany Moore

I read somewhere that tea tree oil is good for acne and it helps get rid of acne scars. Can tea tree oil make pimples and spots go away naturally? If yes, how do I use tea tree oil for acne? – Ellen, Boston.

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