Have you ever used tea tree oil as a natural remedy?

Question

I'm doing a little research into it and have found some useful information about it. I was wondering if anyone of you have actually used it and, if so, what for and did it work?

Answer 1

It's in the exfoliator I use for my pedicures.  It helps keep my cracked heels in check.

Answer 2

Its great stuff it stinks, but I have used it for fungus infection on my nails I know that sounds gross but you ask . I keep a bottle in cabinet.

Answer 3

I use it on bug bites, wounds(so they won't scar),scratches and I rub it under my nose when it's stuffy.

Works for me.

Answer 4

A friend of mine did and she used it to kill the nits of her daughters head. She had head lice ,from school and she used it for her hair. it worked , but of the smell was bad, it did wash out finally.

Answer 5

Tea tree oil or ti tree oil made from Manuka we make it over here in New Zealand and Australia. i wouldn't be without it in my cupboard and a must if you are travelling where you could get bitten by mosquitos or sand flies. The only one to buy is 100% it must be !00% to be really succesful for those nasty bites. Immediate relief ,no more scratching which can cause infection .So a big thumbs up for me  

Answer 6

I have tried it but had no real results.  Perhaps I didn't use it long enough, but neosporin gave me better results and faster.  I used it for a small ulcer on my ankle.  

Answer 7

Yes I have Gladys and it works wonderfully well, it is a natural anti fungal and antibacterial, I put it in soaps and shampoo, straight on to cuts on cold sores in the mouth really it is a cure all, so go for it ! if you are stuffy, plug up the tub when the shower is running and add a few drops of the oil, to the water while you shower , it clears your head right out!

Answer 8

Yes, for some of the things the others have mentioned.  I also add a few drops in with the laundry soap and water before adding the clothes.  It kills all the bacteria in the clothes.  If you happen to leave something in the washer too long, well, you don't have that musty smell during warm weather.  The clothes remain fresh and ready to dry.

Answer 9

Personally no I haven't but I know for a fact my cousin is using it to treat her acne and in last 3 months she has had some remarkable results.

Answer 10

Yes, I have used it to cure cold sores, cuts & pimples. It has worked wonderfully.

Answer 11

I have a CAUTION for you Gladys. Be VERY careful how you use it as it can be very strong. I had it used only once on me by a lady who waxed my eyebrows, did I suffer!!!!. It brought on an instant MIGRAINE headache and washing it off didn't help.

I was sick for hours with the migraine which was one of those ones that make you vomit. Boy was I sick. I run a mile now if I see tea tree oil. I don't even want the merest whiff of it.

Of course it may not have this effect on most people but I'm just saying you need to be very careful with it until you know what it will do to you.

Answer 12

I used it in a spray bottle to keep mosquitoes away . Sprayed my clothing , it worked  but it also kept my husband away. He wouldn't get near me.

Answer 13

Yes and it works great! It is good for itchy rashes (especially fungal), pimples, dandruff, as an astringent, and you can even use it for cleaning and laundry!

Answer 14

Yep!

It's great for cuts, pimples and blemishes. Just put some on a cotton ball, apply for a few days in a row and acne, begone! I have to be careful though, because if I put it on my face willy nilly, it leaves my skin flaky and dry. So, you have to be careful to use it only where you need it.

Answer 15

I work in a restaurant and my hands are yucky.  I come from home, put peroxide on them and then tea tree oil to keep them from cracking.  Before I found the oil, my hands were almost bleeding from the constant washing.

Answer 16

Yes Gladys!

It works very well for skin rashes and other things.  Good to see you again!

Answer 17

For a calloused crack that keeps coming back on my thumb.

A friend gave me a sample and it worked for me.

DeeJay.

Answer 18

I started using Tea Tree Oil when I lived in Australia.  If memory serves me, that's where it originated.  It's a wonderful antiseptic and I'd often use it on cuts and scrapes and it's good for mosquito and black fly bites to stop the itch.  Tea Tree shampoo gives your head a real good tingle.  The pure Tea Tree Oil is quite expensive.

Answer 19

Our whole family uses it, mainly during the summer months for bug and tick bites. My son has also used it for dandruff.

Those are some of the good things that it does but I recently read a scientific study that stated that it should not be used on young boys since it has something in it that causes their b*****s to enlarge. I can't remember what it was called but the reason that they did the study was that there were many mothers that were bringing their sons to the doctor with this problem. It turns out that the condition was not permanent and as soon as they quit using it the problem just went away.

I know this sounds a little strange but it's the truth, and I'm sure that if you do a web search for Tea Tree Oil and breast enlargement in young boys you will find more information.

Hope this helps.

Here's one of the articles that I have read on the use of Tea Tree Oil. It's from the national institute of environmental health sciences.

Lavender and Tea Tree Oils May Cause Breast Growth in Boys

A study published in this week’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that repeated topical use of products containing lavender oil and/or tea tree oil may cause prepubertal gynecomastia, a rare condition resulting in enlarged breast tissue in boys prior to puberty, and for which a cause is seldom identified.

Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), confirmed in laboratory studies what a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Science Center’s School of Medicine suspected after diagnosing three of his young male patients with prepubertal gynecomastia. The researchers found an association between the use of products containing these oils and the rare disorder, but cautioned more research is needed. At this point, the findings are only applicable to young males with unexplainable enlarged b*****s who are regularly using products containing these essential oils.

"We want to encourage doctors who may be seeing patients with gynecomastia to ask their patients about the products they are using. Patients with prepubertal gynecomastia may want to consider reducing the use of products that contain these oils,” said Ken Korach, Ph.D., chief, Laboratory Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology at NIEHS and author on the study. “Although we found an association between exposure to these essential oils and gynecomastia, further research is needed to determine the prevalence of prepubertal gynecomastia in boys using products containing lavender and tea tree oils. Results of such epidemiological studies are important to tell us how strong the association is between topical application of the oils and prepubertal gynecomastia”

The three otherwise healthy Caucasian boys, ages four, seven and 10 years, had normal hormonal levels when they were diagnosed with gynecomastia by Clifford Bloch, M.D., in Colorado. All had either used lavender-scented soap and skin lotions, or shampoos or styling products that contained tea tree oil and lavender oil as ingredients. In each case, several months after the suspected products were discontinued, the gynecomastia had subsided or resolved.

After Bloch discussed the cases with Korach, the NIEHS researchers conducted experiments using human cells to determine if the oils mimic the effects of estrogen, the female hormone that stimulates breast tissue growth, or inhibited the effects of androgen, the hormone known to control masculine characteristics and inhibit the growth of breast tissue. The researchers tested the ability of the oils to modulate or inhibit gene expression.

“The results of our laboratory studies confirm that pure lavender and tea tree oils can mimic the actions of estrogens and inhibit the effects of androgens,” said Korach. “This combinatorial activity makes them somewhat unique as endocrine disruptors.”

Bloch said the laboratory studies support his hypothesis. “Since there was no identifiable cause for prepubertal gynecomastia in the three patients we reported, we speculated that environmental factors might be contributing to their condition. Together, the case histories and NIEHS in vitro studies provide support for our hypothesis that topical exposure to lavender and tea tree oils likely caused gynecomastia in the three patients.”

The oils did not alter the levels of the usual forms of circulating estrogens and androgens in the boys. “We do not anticipate any long term effects on hormonal levels,” said Derek Henley, Ph.D., the lead NIEHS author on the study. It is unknown whether the oils have similar endocrine disrupting effects in prepubertal girls, adolescents or adults.

“This study clearly demonstrates how clinical observations can be supported by basic science research,” said NIEHS Director David A. Schwartz, M.D.

These essential oils might now be considered endocrine disruptors since they appeared to have caused an imbalance in estrogen and androgen signaling. Endocrine disruptors are naturally occurring compounds or synthetic chemicals that may interfere with the production or activity of hormones of the endocrine system leading to adverse health effects.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a component of the National Institutes of Health, supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health. For more information on environmental health topics, please visit our website at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.



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Reference: Henley D, Lipson N, Korach K, Bloch C. Prepubertal Gynecomastia Linked to Lavender and Tea Tree Oils. New England Journal of Medicine, Feb. 1, 2007.

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Answer 20

We use tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner.  It feels real invigorating.

Answer 21

Yes I use it against the herpes labialis (cold sore) and it is very effective. It has anywere many other virtues.

Sorry for bad english, I'm Italian