The multiple benefits of Tea-Tree oil
Growing stress and the multitude of complexities of modern-day life have encouraged common folk to look for both modern as well as ancient methods to promote well-being, calm, and relaxation. The recent interest in essential oils is the outcome of such wants and desires. Known for its wide array of benefits ranging from aromatherapy, pain relief, body massage, skin and hair treatment, the essentials have moved from shelves of fancy spas to household cabinets. Today we introduce you to one such essential oil called the Tea-Tree Oil.
Essential oils have been widely used in perfumes, agriculture, cosmetics, and other household products for a long time. Tea tree oil has great potential for the treatment of dermatological disorders.
In recent times, its popularity has highly increased in many countries owing to its super amazing benefits. It is used for various purposes, including keeping skin, hair, and nails healthy.
In addition to its other benefits, tea tree oil is inexpensive and safe when used with proper information. In this article, we will guide you about everything you need to know about tea tree oil.
Read on to learn about the uses and benefits of this oil.
What is Tea Tree Oil?
Tea tree oil is the essential oil that is obtained by steam distillation of the leaves of an Australian native plant called Melaleuca alternifolia. Do not confuse the tea tree with the unrelated common tea plant that is used to make black and green teas.
Tea tree oil has been used as a traditional medicine for centuries. Along with its other benefits, it helps in treating infections against a wide range of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, including yeasts and dermatophytes.
Tea tree oil contains several compounds. For instance, terpinen-4-ol: which is used to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Another one is Terpinen-4-ol, which tends to increase the activity of your white blood cells, thereby helping in combating and fighting germs and other foreign particles.
These properties make tea tree oil a perfect natural remedy for treating bacterial and fungal skin conditions, preventing infection, and so on.
Benefits of Tea Tree Oil
Antibacterial
The oil has been used for many years as a healing treatment, particularly for skin conditions.
One of the primary benefits of this oil is its antibacterial activity.
Research says that broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity linked with tea tree oil arises from its ability to destroy the cell walls of bacteria.
Wound Healing
Tea tree oil plays an important role in wound healing.
Statistically, it has been proven this oil helps to reduce inflammation and triggers the activity of white blood cells which in turn fight the germs and help in wound healing.
Adding a few drops of tea tree oil to a wound dressing each time a new dressing is applied might be helpful.
Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis (a form of eczema) is caused when you come in proximity with an irritant or allergenic person. Several treatments for contact dermatitis were taken into account, including tea tree oil, zinc oxide, and clobetasone butyrate.
Out of all those, tea tree oil was proven to be the most effective in curing allergic contact dermatitis.
Fighting Acne
Tea tree oil can be used to treat acne. Many pieces of research have shown that it helps to decrease the amount and overall severity of acne.
Tea tree oil-based anti-acne products are available at almost every pharmacy.
An easy DIY home remedy for acne is to combine one part tea tree oil with nine parts water and then apply the mixture to affected areas.
Oral health
A gel containing tea tree oil may be beneficial for those with chronic gingivitis, an inflammatory gum condition.
In one study, participants who used tea tree oil gel experienced a significant reduction in bleeding and inflammation when compared with a placebo or chlorhexidine antiseptic gel.
Side effects
When taken by mouth: Tea tree oil is unsafe when ingested orally. You should never take tea tree oil by mouth. You should never take any undiluted essential oils by mouth because that is harmful. Taking tree tea oil by mouth can cause serious side effects such as confusion, inability to walk, unsteadiness, rash, and even coma in some extreme cases.
When applied to the skin: Tea tree oil is generally safe when put on the skin. However, it may cause skin irritation and swelling, depending upon the skin type. Applying undiluted tea tree oil to people with acne may not be a good idea as this can sometimes cause skin dryness, itching, stinging, burning, and redness.
Conclusion
Tea tree oil can be helpful for many reasons. It's a low-priced natural alternative to treat skin conditions.
Still, tea tree oil is not a magic cure-all. Some people may experience skin irritation or allergic reaction after using it as explained above.
If you're using tea tree oil for the first time, make sure to test it out first to prevent an allergic reaction. Conduct a patch test first and if you don't have redness or a rash the next day, you are good to go.
Overall, tea tree oil serves various purposes and is indeed a good product to have on hand.
To conclude, it is always advisable to consult your dermatologist before using any new product. After all,
"It's a matter of your skin, you can't afford to take any risk".