Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil, or Melaleuca oil comes from a plant that is a native of Australia. It is obtained thru steam distillation of the plant's leaves. It got the name "tea tree" since the leaves were previously used as tea. But upon the discovery of its other benefits, it is now heavily used for those other purposes besides for tea.
Tea Tree Oil Mode of Action
The oil has been known to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. As a matter of fact, it has been found out that the oil can fight off the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus as well as the Methicillin Resistant S. aureus. It also has antiseptic properties which allow it to be very good in cleansing wounds.
Its Uses
Tea tree oil is used for a lot of purposes. In alternative medicine, it is used to treat infections such as Athlete's foot, lice infestation, boils, psoriasis, yeast infection, acne and pimples, dandruff, and thrush. Aside from treating infections, it is also used by many as a natural deodorizer. It is also used to repel insects. Also, it is used to disinfect areas.
Its Forms
The oil comes in a variety of forms. The tree oil soap is one that can be used as either body or facial soap or both. With its antibacterial properties, it is able to effectively clean skin off potentially harmful bacteria. Because of this, the soap is commonly suggested for use by those who suffer from skin problems related to bacteria such as acne. By cleansing the skin off the bacteria, the acne will lessen in occurrence and hence, be treated.
The tea tree oil peel is one cosmetic product that can help those who want to rejuvenate their skin. It has two purposes. It encourages skin peeling therefore taking out the dead skin cells and thus allowing the new cells to surface. With the oil's antibacterial property, it is able to prevent harmful bacteria from affecting the new cells. This is very important since the young skin cells are especially vulnerable to infection.
Is It Safe?
Since the oil is all natural, it has been said to be safe to use. The only thing that is worthy to take note of is that it is never used in purely concentrated form. This is because the oil is powerful enough to cause reactions such as skin irritation. To prevent this, tea tree oil comes in diluted form making it safe to use externally.