Dr. Stephanie Rubino, ND, offers helpful tips on how to use tea tree oil for acne.

The uses for tea tree oil are endless! It can aid in treating athlete’s foot, eczema, cuts, burns, lice, dandruff, and many other conditions due to its antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties. A must have first aid home remedy, tea tree oil is an essential oil produced from the leaves of the plant, Melaleuca Alternifolia. 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil by Holista® complies with Australian standards for “Oil of Melaleuca” and is standardized to contain a minimum of 30% Terpinen-4-ol, the key constituent responsible for tea tree oil’s healing and antimicrobial properties.

Tea tree oil can also be used to treat acne as it is thought that tea tree oil can destroy Propionibacterium acnes, the bacteria that is involved in the development of acne. It may also act as a solvent, stopping oily matter from clogging up sebaceous glands and forming pimples.

Research into the use of tea tree oil is limited, however, one randomized double-blind clinical trial performed in 60 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris treated one group with 5% tea tree oil gel, while the other received a placebo. The patients were followed every 15 days for a period of 45 days and there was a significant difference between the tea tree oil gel and placebo in the improvement of the total acne lesions and the acne severity index. The researchers concluded that topical 5% tea tree oil is an effective treatment for mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

Another trial involving 124 patients evaluated the efficacy and skin tolerance of 5% tea-tree oil gel in the treatment of mild to moderate acne when compared with 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion. The results of this study showed that both 5% tea-tree oil and 5% benzoyl peroxide had a significant effect in ameliorating the patients' acne by reducing the number of inflamed and non-inflamed lesions. Although the onset of action of the tea tree oil was slower, it provided fewer side effects.

How to Use:

Using tea tree oil for acne is easy! Simply apply a small amount on blemishes 2-3 times per day to help prevent outbreaks and acne-related infection. If undiluted tea tree oil causes any skin irritation, you can make a diluted solution. For example, a 5 percent tea tree oil solution can be made by mixing 5 mL tea tree oil to 95 mL of water.

Other natural remedies for acne include eating a healthy diet which provides sufficient amounts of vitamins A, C, E and zinc; drinking plenty of water throughout the day; and engaging in regular exercise. Regular exercise may be one of the best remedies for acne.

References:

Bassett IB, Pannowitz DL, Barnetson RS. A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne. Med J Aust. 1990 Oct 15;153(8):455-8.

Enshaieh S, Jooya A, Siadat AH, Iraji F. The efficacy of 5% topical tea tree oil gel in mild to moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2007 Jan-Feb;73(1):22-5

Image sources: http://teatreeoilusage.com/tea-tree-oil-acne.html

Protect yourself and your family from summertime wounds with these natural first aid remedies from Webber Naturals expert, Dr. Joyce Johnson.

Summer is finally here! However, so are insects, cuts, scrapes and sunburns. To help survive the summer months, here are some 'natural' first aid remedies for those outdoor wounds.

Insect Bites and Stings:

To prevent bites, bathe with citronella soap and avoid fragrances from beauty products that attract insects. Use natural insect repellants containing essential oils of citronella, tea tree, lavender, and eucalyptus. If you do get mosquito bites, numb the itch by applying tea tree oil, undiluted, directly onto the skin. If you get a bee sting, reduce pain and swelling by applying lavender or eucalyptus oil, aloe vera gel, or a paste of apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Homeopathic Apis is used for bee stings and homeopathic Ledum is used for bites, stings and wounds - especially mosquito or black fly bites.

Supplements that provide relief include bromelain to reduce inflammation and aid healing, vitamin C and quercitin as natural anti-histamines - to be taken immediately after a sting or bite occurs - and omega-3, an anti-inflammatory which may prevent or lessen an allergic response.

Cuts, Scrapes and Rashes:

Apply Calendula cream or ointment onto wounds, after they have been cleaned up, to promote skin healing, reduce scarring, and speed recovery time. Calendula is a good option as it has antiseptic properties that are useful when dealing with cuts, scrapes and burns. In case of poison ivy exposure, try Homeopathic Rhus Tox and for muscle soreness, pain, swelling, and Homeopathic Arnica for bruising.

Sunburns:

Aloe vera gel is famous for providing relief from burns and can be applied directly from the plant. Hypericum oil, calendula and Lavender essential oil are also very beneficial for treating sunburns.

Be prepared for summer and keep a natural first aid kit on hand!

Image source: http://journals.worldnomads.com/safetyhub/post/22030.aspx

Learn how you can use tea tree oil from top to bottom from Webber Naturals expert, Wendy Tao!

What Is Tea Tree Oil Used For?

Tea tree oil (Melaeuca alternifolia) has strong anti-fungal, antiseptic and antibacterial properties, and is an important addition to every medicine cabinet. Here's why: while there is some controversy over tea tree oil's best usage, there is little doubt about its usefulness. In popular practice, it is used to ease many conditions: acne; fungal infections, such as athletes foot and nail fungus; minor skin abrasions; coughs and colds, where the tea tree oil is used as an inhalant; head lice; and as a topical disinfectant for skin or household surfaces. Because the oil seems to be able to penetrate the outer layer of skin, it can be used to heal or ease the discomfort of everything from insect bites, to cuts, burns, and acne, to scabies, diaper rash, hives, poison ivy, poison oak and sunburns. In addition, soaps and shampoos containing tea tree oil can help maintain healthy, clean skin, hair and scalps.

For thousands of years, the Bundjalung aborigines of Australia have crushed and soaked the leaves of this tree to use as a tea or inhalant to ease coughs and colds. And, scientifically, tea tree oil has been extensively tested and is widely used as a topical treatment for pain, wounds, inflammation, fungal and bacterial infections, and to improve a wide range of skin conditions.

What Is In Tea Tree Oil?

Tea tree oil contains a natural chemical compound known as terpenes. Terpenes are molecules made up of carbon and hydrogen and can also be found in beta-carotene, from carrots, and lycopene, which is found in apples and tomatoes.

 “There are many antiseptics and disinfectants that have greater antimicrobial activity than TTO, however, none of them are natural. Also, it is unlikely that any of them have the same range of properties that TTO has, such as antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory activity and apparent skin penetrating capacity.”
-Dr. Christine Carson, a member of the University of Western Australia’s Tea Tree Oil Research Group.
Dr. Carson has been studying the antimicrobial properties of this herb for more than ten years.

The University of Western Australia has a Tea Tree Oil Research Group dedicated to investigating this oil’s antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity. A promising new possibility for this multi-purpose oil is to counteract methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), also referred to as the hospital super bug. MRSA has become a problem in some hospitals, attacking patients with open wounds, or post-operative infections and compromised immunity. Unfortunately, MRSA does not respond to most antibiotics but, because MRSA is spread by people’s hands, some hospitals and doctors are using tea tree oil soap to protect themselves, their staff and their patients.

According to its users, tea tree oil’s anti-inflammatory properties reduce pain and help speed recovery from sprains and other joint problems. Although the topical use of tea tree oil is generally well tolerated, the essential oil is very potent so commercially available tea tree oil products may vary between lesser percentages of tea tree oil, such as 60% or 20%, up to 100%. Some people mix tea tree oil with almond oil for general use.

Who Can Use Tea Tree Oil?

If you have allergies, place the oil on a small area of your skin before using it more broadly. Tea tree oil is not recommended for people with dermatitis or other chronic skin conditions and is for external use only. Tea tree oil is also not to be used on cats or dogs as it may be toxic for them.

Image source: http://myultimatetips.com/beauty-tips/what-is-tea-tree-oil/