Using Tea Tree Oil to Treat Acne

Tea tree oil is a powerful essential oil derived from the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia plant. Many household products contain tea tree oil, such as toothpaste, lotions, shampoos, and so on. Studies have shown that tea tree oil is indeed effective in treating acne naturally.  Tea tree oil contains something called terpinen-4-ol, which is responsible for it's powerful antibacterial properties. Tea tree oil can be used as a toner, added to lotions or cleansers, or used as a spot treatment on it's own.  Many natural acne products that you find in stores will have tea tree oil as a main ingredient.  However, rather than spending money on pricey products, consider investing in a bottle of tea tree oil and creating your own acne treatments.

Tea Tree Oil Toner: To make an all natural tea tree oil toner, just mix about 10 drops of tea tree oil with 1/2 cup of distilled water.  Store the toner in a glass bottle and apply using a cotton round or cotton ball.  If the toner is too strong you can decrease it to 5 drops of tea tree oil per 1/2 cup of water.

Adding tea tree oil to lotions and cleansers: If you have a favorite lotion or cleanser but you're looking for something more effective in treating and preventing acne, simply add a few drops (2-3 should be plenty) to a bottle of your favorite moisturizer or cleanser.  Be sure to avoid the eye area when applying the product as it can irritate eyes.

Tea Tree Oil for Spot Treatment:  Using tea tree oil as a spot treatment can be extremely effective in treating problem areas.  Since tea tree oil is very strong, you are going to want to dilute it with a bit of water.  Mix 1 tablespoon of distilled water with 1-2 drops of tea tree oil and apply it to your pimple using a clean Q-tip.  Leave it on your face overnight and you should see an improvement by the morning.  The pimple may not be completely gone, but you should notice a decrease in size and severity of the pimple.

Always opt for organic tea tree oil whenever possible.  Since tea tree oil is so highly concentrated, a small bottle should last you quite some time.  Typically it comes in a dropper bottle, but you may find it in diluted forms as well.