“Does Tea Tree Oil Work For Acne Treatment?”
Tea tree oil has proven to
be a very powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. But should you use it for topical acne treatment? Get the answer in this report…
Tea Tree Oil – What it is
Tea tree oil is an oil extracted from the leaves of the Australian Melaleuca Alternafolia tree. It has powerful anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral qualities.
Tea tree oil has been traditionally used for thing such as athletes foot, body odor, bad breath, cold sores, and yes it has been traditionally used topically for acne.
In fact it has been proven effective killing acne bacteria when topically applied. And because of that it is often used as a replacement to benzoyl peroxide in many of the “natural” acne treatments.
Tea tree oil for acne treatment – Does it work?
Well, yes and no…
As an anti-bacterial it can help lesson the symptoms of skin inflamed with acne bacteria. But many of you are going to sensitive to it.
But just like ALL topical acne treatments, it can’t cure acne. The only way to do that is internally. (See The Acne Cure E-Tutorial to discovery how.)
Tea tree oil – The bottom line
Yes, no doubt about it tea tree oil does kill acne bacteria and it will reduce the symptoms of acne. But it won’t cure it.
How to use tea tree oil for topical acne treatment
In my experience many acne sufferer’s skin is very sensitive to tea tree oil. So you need to start out with a very mild dose and experiment with just a small part of your skin.
If your skin is aggravated by it then either opt for a lower dose or opt of another acne treatment all together.
Here is how I recommend you use it…
Get straight tea tree oil and dilute it in pure aloe vera gel. Add only a drop or two to start with per ounce of aloe.
Acne is caused by excess oil on the skin. Why in the world you opt to add extra oil to your skin and aggravate acne further?!
I tried it and know people who try it and it does very little compared to a treatment of benzoyl peroxide like “Solugel” or “Benzac W5″.
I seriously doubt that this works for people more so than soap would and I extensively question the reliability of information such as this being offered to
persons who suffer acne.
It is justifiable to say this in a homeopathic sense of treatment but not in any other case.
Sincerely,
An annoyed acne sufferer.
If you’ve ever worked with tea tree oil you’ll realize it’s not really oily at all. It won’t clog pores. Having said that you might want to give the article a read again. Tea tree oil (or any topical treatment for that matter) is not the cure for acne. Nor is soap, or benzoyl peroxide. The problem that lead to acne are internal problems. Not topical treatment will correct those.
tea tree oil is really strong. i put some in a styrophome bowl and it started eating it up! you should mix it with 90% of water and then dab it on your face with a cotton ball. then leave it on overnight. it actually helps the redness of acne go away. but i only started using it so i don’t know how good it really is. but, so far so good!
and to that first commenter, acne isn’t really caused by oil. it’s caused by the bacteria that lives in or outside of your skin.
i react somewhat severely to benzoyl peroxide. and i’ve learned this through a few unfortunate episodes, one of which cancelled an appointment for my senior pictures.
so maybe tea tree oil would be better for me, or maybe it wouldn’t. i’ll just have to see for myself, like any other person interested in this remedy.
it’s not up to just any old ‘annoyed acne sufferer’ to decide what works and what doesn’t.
acne is not always caused by excess oil, i have very dry skin with cystic acne, milia, and black heads. benzoyl peroxide is bleach and kills skin cells and dries up your skin. I am still recovering from all the benzoyl peroxide treatments that my old dermatologist prescribed to me. travis is obviously uneducated about acne and acne treatments and everybody’s skin reacts in different ways.
The true cause of acne is internal. You might want to see the report on the site called “the true cause of acne”. Internally is the only way it can effectively be addressed.
Personally I had a bad cystic acne breakout over the last 2 monthes after using Acne Free products, Mario badescu and countless others I couldn’t shake it. So I got some zinc 50mg and took it along with vitamin E and my regular multivitamin, AND I bought 100% tea tree oil and applied it directly to the pimples that I had and the area I kept breaking out in. Within 2 days most of them were gone and the redness and soreness are now gone too. I feel SO much better. AND I only used cetaphil to wash it as well. I hope someone else tries this and sees that it works…
I normally get maybe 1-3 whiteheads or blind pimples a week and tea-tree oil seems to completely prevent them. After I wash my face I put on a squirt of moisturizer mixed with a drop of tea tree oil. That way the oil goes on evenly at just the right strength and doesn’t dry my skin out.
If I already have a pimple, the tea tree oil doesn’t get rid of it any faster.
i’m gonna try it!!!!! my derm messed my skin up, they don’t listen. and now i’m going for natural. Thanks!
Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. I usually purchase a tea tree oil stick in the tube (like concealer). At the first sign of a pimple I dab it on and literally it is gone by the next day. It works great for me!!
i agree with oink. the more natural the better. i have suffered from acne for years. i saw countless dermatologists who just prescribed med after med that was too harsh for my skin and quiet honestly made it hurt and the acne worse. i do have friends who have done the proactiv and other brands out there that are similar and do get results, but if you have tried those and have had or are having the same experiences as i then give this a try. truly, less is more! gentile cleanser, oil-free/hydrating moisturizer are key! good luck all.
tea tre oil does not work. I told my doctor i was using it and they first thing he said was throw it out to me. Tea tree didnt do anything to my face.
I don’t know what you guys are talking about. I suffered from horrible acne and tried EVERYTHING. I went to visit my aunt and she said tea tree oil was really helpful. My acne looked dramatically better after one use.
where can we purchase this oil?
You can get tea tree oil from GNC
If your doctor told you to throw the tea tree oil out, it was only because he wanted to sell you on prescription medication. Doctors get kickbacks from the pharmaceutical companies for promoting their products. Tea tree oil works. The best thing I have found to work is the spice Turmeric. Take 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric w/ 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Turmeric is not really very bioavailable unless mixed with black pepper. I mix it in milk and drink it each morning and evening. Turmeric is a known liver detoxifier. I noticed a huge improvement just after a few days.
Try Tea Tree Water toner from Lush. It is amazing. I spray it on and use a cotton pad to wipe off excess to get rid of the excess oil on my skin, or just give myself a spray to refresh my skin during the day. It helps with my acne, freshens my skin, and my skin feels great. It doesn’t dry it out, it gets rid of my breakouts, its awesome stuff.
For the best results try using only tea tree products for example; tea tree oil facial cleanser, tea tree oil toner, pure tea tree oil directly onto spots followed by a tea tree moisturising gel twice a day then a couple of times a week use a tea tree exfoliator. Try this regime twice a day and use a tea tree night cream for reducing scarring every night. I know it sounds a lot but, for anything to work well you have to have a proper facial routine. I get all my stuff from the body shop (uk) they have a huge selection of tea tree products. Make sure u use the moisturiser because without it ur skin will feel quite dry and tight. This facial routine works very well but doesn’t cure it but makes ur skin look so much better.
Nothing has worked better to get and keep my skin clear than adding a bit of tea tree oil to my moisturizer. It feels great, smells good, is inexpensive and is all natural. Give it a try.
I’ve been using a pimple gel, which contains tea tree oil in it, I can honestly say it has been working slightly, my pimples are getting smaller and my face is very smooth.
I suggest people should try it.
I don’t have a bad case of acne, I get little pimples and I’m just self conscious about my face, but it is slowly working
I have had white heads, black heads and cystic acne for most of my life. Luckily as I have gotten older the severity has decrease, but it still persists. I tried using tea tree oil as a part of my acne treatment and it has worked well. I noticed cleaner pores within the first day, and less black heads and white heads within a week. I have had very few of these since I started using the tea tree oil. As to the cystic acne? It does persist but the tea tree oil seems to help lessen the severity of those too. The only negative I have seen in my 6 month use is that it will dry your skin out if used in too concentrated a solution. To counter this I use daily moisterizing cream with spf 20; which also help prevent skin damage from the sun.
I SWEAR by tea tree oil. I don’t have a lot of acne but tend to break out every now and than with a few ‘big’ pimples. Ive applied the oil directly to my acne and within two days have seen them vanish! NO MARKS, NO PICKING, NO REDNESS, NO NOTHING..the bump just disappears.. I recommend everyone who is suffering from any type of acne to try tea tree oil!
I have had acne for most of my adult life and have tried many many products that have all been a failure. I recently made a trip to The Body Shop and purchased the tea tree skin care set and I am already noticing a difference in my skin. It feels so much smoother as well I have not had any new break outs and all the old zits are already disappearing. Also its already formulated for the face so you do not have to worry about diluting the oil.
I started a regimine using tea tree face wash, followed by pure tea tree oil, then a face moisturizer containing tea tree and it has almost completely cleared up my skin in two weeks. I can afford to go to the dermatologist anymore and bezol peroxide only irritated my skin further. I also had a pimple problem near my hair line and my back from allthe residue from my hair conditioner, so I switch to one with tea tree oil as well an haven’t had any problems woluth it. my hair isn’t as soft, it made my scalp really healthy. I spent under $75 for everything from whole foods, and my face and body has cleared up! Best purhases I could have made for myself.
I use tea tree oil for treating small outbreaks of acne, and would recommend it to anyone. I dab it on neat and leave it on overnight, avoiding surrounding skin which can be sensitive. I find the inflammation is dramatically reduced after just a couple of days and only a couple of applications. The acne pus amazingly just dries out and the spot will eventually disappear. Don’t be tempted to pick at it when it’s drying out, or you will get scars.
grrrrr……all i wanna no is if tea tree oil really works in one week for really bad acne,im 12 years old and have been suffering with acne for 8 years!!!!thats mostly my whole life rigt there,so someone,please help me im begging!!!!!im just a little girl trying to get rid of my acne…;(
What should I do when my skin breakouts (whitehead,pimple,zit) from using tea tree oil for the first time? My skin didn’t breakout that much before I use tea tree oil product.
How long should I keep using it? And what should I do with my breakouts,leave it alone or should I do facial treatment?
I have suffered sever acne through out the last 3 years or so. I have tried literally EVERYTHING ( from proacvtiv to duac gel and every type of topical medicne applied to the skin). Finally, after being a fed up, i decided to give into the acutane.It has really worked well for me so far because i have extremely oily skin. My friend told me about the tea tree oil and so I began using it. right away it started fading my pimples and reducing redness. I dab a Q-tip into the oil and apply it on the problem area’s. both the accutane and tea tree oil are great remedies for acne. I would definitely reccomend tea tree oil.
Hi, l was diagnosed 2 days ago with acne on my arms & back, l am confident with that with past experience with tea tree oil that l will see results. lt is nothing short of amazing & l tried the the pure oil on my skin & so far it has kept the itching at bay.l am currently using an amazing range of tea tree products by “thursday plantation” for the skin. These, however will not cure the acne. l do feel that combined with my treatment (cyclimycin) tea tree would hopefully help in getting rid of my acne. l would appreciate if anyone could post any comments on personal use of cyclimycin & l am definitely goin to post my results or lack thereof,( using teatree oil )on this website from now on.
will not diluting the tea tree oil make my acne worse??
I just bought tea tree oil since my friend introduced it to me, and her results are amazing!… but i dont know how to use it. Should i dab it onto my skin with cotton after i cleansed my face? should i add a few drops to the water and wash my face in it, if it is so, what is the amount of water i should use, as well as the drops?… is bio-oil good to use with it? i have the 100% pure tea tree oil, how do i use it?.. i need help a.s.a.p!
i have graves disease and with it many ugly skin rashes and boils….. it just flat works, thats all i care about!
Thus shit defenitley works, try some aloe Vera as well and all your pimples and scars will be gone with 2-4 weeks…. Also try a mask with 4 tbl spoons of honey and 1 tbl spoon of cinnaman and within 2 weeks ur pimples will dissappear forever
I have a really bad reation to benzoyl peroxide and I now use tea trea oil instead. At first I added to muck oil to the water and myskin peeled really bad but know its working really well
It is very important to take care of yourself from the inside-out…eating healthy–fresh fruits and veggies, proteins, calcium, vitamin and mineral supplements, and lots of fluids, especially water. That being said, many of us still need something to take care of the topical issues in regards to our face, hair and body. Tea Tree Essential Oil is a wonderful product that can help with these issues when used correctly. Some of it’s properties include: anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-fungal–this means it can be used in a variety of ways, for a variety of different issues. Some of these uses would include: for treatment of oily, acne-prone skin, for dandruff relief, scalp stimulation and hair growth, for treatment of insect bites and minor cuts and scrapes, for treatment of athletes’ foot and nail fungus, for use in oral health care, for homemade household cleaning and laundry products, for use as an insect repellent…the possibilities are endless! When it comes to using Tea Tree Essential Oil on the skin, it is best to do a skin patch test by dabbing a drop onto a q-tip and rubbing it on a small area of the skin, the wrist or arm area will do, and wait 24 hours to see if you have a reaction–the reason for this is because this oil is very strong and can be sensitizing (cause a sensitive skin reaction to the product) to some people. Although it can be applied neat (putting the oil onto the skin without any dilution, or straight from the bottle), I find that it is best to use when diluted–either add a drop or two onto a moistened cotton pad/ball, add a few drops to a bottle of floral water/witch hazel or by adding a few drops to a carrier oil (an oil normally derived from plants and/or nuts, that is capable of blending with essential oils, thus allowing safe use of essential oils) such as: sweet almond oil or jojoba oil, both of which are great for ALL skin types, thus enhancing the effectiveness of the Tea Tree Essential Oil–do not be afraid to use these oils if you suffer from oily and/or acne-prone skin, like I do–skin will produce extra sebum (oil) if we use products that dry it out, and so it is important to keep skin moisturized–yes, even oily skin, so that sebum production can be kept to a minimum, in order to keep our pores unclogged and clear. Tea Tree Essential Oil, while not being an acne cure-all, can greatly improve one’s skin health and clarity…I highly recommend giving it a try! Another oil that is great for oily, acne-prone, irritated skin is Lavender Essential Oil–it can be blended with Tea Tree Essential Oil for topical treatments. Also, it is important to make sure that you use 100% Pure Essential Oils–many companies claim that their products are 100% pure, when in fact, the products are adulterated (diluted down with other oils, or even diluted with fragrance oils–which can be toxic to our skin, and keep us from getting the full benefits that essential oils can provide)–so beware….research several different companies before you purchase any oil…most of the legitimate companies will offer some extensive information on the oil you are interested in, including: the scientific name, how and where the oil is harvested, the properties of the oil, the uses of the oil, what the oil blends well with, and how to utilize it safely. Some suggestions would be…Florapathics, Ananda Apothecary, Young Living, and Mountain Rose Herbs. Good Luck and God Bless!!!
i purchased spring valley brand tea tree oil (melaleuca alternifolia) 100% pure australian oil pharm grade from walgreens and will never stop using it. its inexpensive and works. the first time i used it i put some on cotton and straight onto face after cleansing, the initial sensation was rather tingling and a little burn but two minunites after was ok. now i mix a few drops into shampoo, face moisturizer, and also shower gel and am having wonderful results.
i have used proactive products and can truly say it made a mess of my face. A friend told me to try tea tree oil products from the Body Shop and within days the damage done by proactive was gone. I will continue to use tea tree oil till the day i die,,,,,,,,,
last night i used tea tree oil in my moisturizer before i went to bed. this morrning when i woke up not only could i see a difference i felt a differnce in my face i didn’t feel all nasty like i always do. and i guess the tea tree oil drying out my skin isn’t all so bad cause my skin is relly oily. i think everybody should try this at least once.
tea tree oil worked for me better than all of the acne medication i bought. it’s cheap and does so many great wonders for your body. when you put it on, you have to let it dry out before you apply anything else to your face. i actually put it directly on my face. my face is sensitive also and i haven’t had any irritation yet. i used the small bottle from Walmart which is like 4 or 5 bucks. and it lasts for a long time. thumbs up to tea tree oil!
I am a 31 year old black female. I have suffered through occasional bouts of acne all my life. It got really bad at about the age of 27. I broke out the worst around my jawline. I have tried proactive and many over the counter products. These products would work only for short periods of time. I have been to see a dermatologist and all he wanted to do was put me on a bunch of costly prescription medications, none of which worked. Aldactone, amoxicillin, doxycycline, ziana, solodyn, epiduo, salicylate products, none of this crap worked. My face is now extremely dry around the forehead area, and oily around my nose, cheeks, and chin. I have really bad scarring and my face is just ugly. It keeps from talking to people or going out. I didn’t know what to try next until I saw this website. I’m going to try the tea tree oil today and see how it works for me. I also have a 10 year old daughter with pimples. Any suggestions?
I am 16 and have moderate to severe acne~ I used tea tree oil one night and my acne was dramatically clearer the next morning. I have been using it for a few months now and it maintains my skin. I highly recomend it
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I am 23 and have been suffering with acne since puberty. I have tried several product the market has to offer, including proactiv, but nothing seem to work for me. And Proactiv, started out okay but cause more breakouts then I started with. Just recently, I decided to go “natural”, meaning eating all natural food and using all natural products in my hair and on my skin. Tea Tree oil has been a great product for my skin so far. My acne is subsiding and my skin is less oily. Yes, it is an oil, but if you do the research you will find that it is a great moisturizer (something our skin needs, regardless of how oily it is…) and do help rid several bacteria and fungi from the skin. I also use it on my scalp, which is often dry and itchy. I has work great for me but keep in mind that what works for some people may not work for all. I hope this helps.
i’ve used tea tree washes on my face and have noticed the amount of acne i have is less than i normally have when washing with just soap. so…i don’t know if it’ll get rid of it but it does help to some degree…but so does a plain yogurt mask…so who knows.
TTO rules
Kills demodex mites that harm your hair and skin
smells kinda nice
moisturizes and stimulates your dermas
TTO rules
Kills demodex mites that harm your hair and skin
smells kinda nice
moisturizes and stimulates your dermas
I have been fighting acne that came back when I started college. I have used and tried many natural remedies, bp, scrubs, etc. Tea tree oil is the best. It cleared up my cystic acne on my jaw that has been persistently breaking out for 2 yrs. It heals bumps fast and i use it 2x a day. I wash with a salycylic neutrogena face wash. Then 2 drops of oil and about 10 drops of water on a cotton ball. It can be drying, so sometimes I use a drop of pure coconut oil to moisturize. hope this helps… and if it doesnt work for you its not the tea tree oil, it may be your regimen…
I have a problem with cystic acne and white heads-I had a glycolic acid peel one time and then started using tea tree oil! I absolutely love it! I dab the tea tree oil onto a cotton ball straight from the bottle and use it in acne prone areas as well as a spot treatment. I do not have sensitive skin-If you do I would definately recommend diluting it with witch hazel or some type of moisturizer that does not contain alcohol!
I had lots of black head on my nose and must say
That tea tree oil has done wonder for it. Little by little the became smaller and also used it for a wart I had on the bottom of my foot and few month of usage it is all goner.
I am trying the Tea Tree oil now. Like most of you I have tried eveything and had no luck. I spent a lot of money and got no relief form those products. So far so good. I feel so that the Tea Tree oil has given me some relief. I have been experimenting with it, putting a few drops in with my face wash and moistirizer. I must agree acne is within, so take care of yourself inside and out. I am also looking into other natural vitimins that will help, especially to reduce the oil production (sebum) in my face. I’ll keep trying to find what works for me.
Travis:
First of all, you shouldn’t be using soap to cleanse your face at all. Soap is very drying, therefore your body wants to compensate for this lack of moisture by adding it’s own and producing more oil on your face. You need to find a cleanser for your skin type, and very importantly a moisturizer so your face stays hydrated. I.e, when it’s hydrated it will not need to produce excess oil. And as admin says, tea tree oil is not going to make your face greasy. Actually, if too strong of a concentration of it is applied it can really dry out the skin. They are also correct in the fact that these products are used to reduce inflammation etc. Don’t pay attention to people that say that acne is not internal and that diet does not effect it. It most definitely does. There was a study compiled to research teens in a separate country (inconvenient I forgot the name, yes) who’s diet consisted of plenty of veggies and was very low in refined sugars. There was not one case of acne in those teens.
There are other clues, such as other ethnic groups that are known to have healthy diets and beautiful skin (example I immediately think of is the Japanese). And, celebrities. With their diet and exercise, it’s much easier for their skin to stay camera pretty, even with the make up they wear. Notice when Brittany Spears stopped working, ate a lot of junk food and got fat, she had more breakouts.