Tea Tree Oil

Editor's Note: Do NOT try these home remedies without consulting a health professional to make sure they are appropriate for you.

Tea tree oil is a staple of alternative medicine, useful for treating such diverse conditions as dandruff, athlete’s foot, and acne. There are many products containing tea tree oil on the market, each advertising a range of benefits. Tea tree oil can also be purchased as a pure essential oil.

The History of Tea Tree Oil
The tea tree is known to the world of science as melaleuca alternifolia, and it grows wild in Australia and some parts of Asia. The leaves of the tea tree were used by the indigenous people of Australia and Asia to make a sort of tea. It is that traditional use that gave "tea tree oil" its common name.

The oil of the tea tree has long been used by indigenous people in the countries where it is grown, and lately modern western culture has begun to take an interest in the many uses of tea tree oil. Where aboriginal peoples would use this tea tree oil to allegedly heal cuts and infections on the skin, today tea tree oil is used in the treatment of acne and other common skin conditions. The reason for this effectiveness is that tea tree oil contains compounds known as terpenoids, which have been proven effective in killing both bacterial and fungal infections.

It is this fungicidal property that makes tea tree oil so effective in treating athlete’s foot. Athlete’s foot is a common fungal condition, and tea tree oil can be very effective at treating athlete’s foot and other similar conditions.

Tea Tree Oil and Claims of Healing
Tea tree oil has also allegedly been effective at treating minor cuts and injuries. Australian aboriginies have long used tea tree oil to treat minor scrapes and injuries, and tea tree oil continues to be used for this purpose today.

Tea tree oil has also shown to be effective as a topical antiseptic.

Tea tree oil is available in a wide variety of preparations, including shampoos, creams, ointments, lotions, and soaps.

While allergies and allergic reactions to tea tree oil are rare, it is important to be on the lookout for symptoms of allergy and sensitivity.