When any condition affecting your skin is a source of discomfort, you should take swift action. Whenever possible, it’s usually a good idea to reach for a natural remedy before you resort to products containing harsh chemicals. Power chemical agents can exacerbate common irritations by making them redder, drier, and more inflamed. Here are some examples of acute and chronic conditions that tea tree oil may be able to alleviate.
Eyelid Buildup
Treatments containing derivatives of tea tree oil are a highly effective way to address chronic problems with irritations on the eyelid. It is easy for people to mistake irritations localized to their eyelids as an irritation on the surface of the eye. In reality continual burning or stinging may be the product of irritants around your eyelashes.
The main function of eyelashes is to protect your eyes by catching and collecting potential irritants. This means that they’ll also hang onto small bacteria and allergens, so buildup can cause inflammation on your eyelids. Your eyelids are also the natural habitat of organisms that eat up some of the bacteria which could be harmful to your eyes. An excessive volume of these organisms or an overgrowth of microbial-sized mites can lead to visible buildup. When you sweat or your face becomes oily, these mites may react with a frenzy of activity because they don’t like being covered in salty sweat. That activity can make your eyes sting or itch, and merely washing your face won’t necessarily make the problem go away.
4-terpineol eyelid cleansers are an excellent option to treat bacteria around the eye. For cleaning around the eye, an antibacterial element from tea tree oil can be preferable to abrasive chemicals in most antibacterial soaps intended for handwashing. Also, products with terpineol can help to soothe discomfort on contact. Learn more about 4-terpineol products and ask your doctor if they may be a good option to treat a persistent eye irritation.
Blackheads
Tea tree oil is a fantastic natural remedy to reduce the appearance of blackheads. People who haven’t had much success with traditional acne treatments such as benzoyl peroxide might see better results with tea tree oil. It tends to work particularly well for acne sufferers with combination skin.
Tea tree oil has a couple of distinct advantages over some of the most widely used acne-fighting staples. It leaves less chalky residue on your face than products containing peroxides or sulfur. Furthermore, it won’t bleach your sheets or clothing like benzoyl peroxide creams.
Astringents containing tea tree oil often work better than ones containing only alcohol or witch hazel. Also, tea tree oil has become a popular ingredient in blackhead strips that are commonly applied to the nose and forehead. Likewise, masks containing tea tree oil that you leave on your face to dry help to pull oil, bacteria, and dead skin cells out of clogged pores.
Acne Cysts and Nodules
Most topical products can’t really penetrate below the top layer of your skin to improve cystic acne. These types of eruptions aren’t just unsightly. They can also be downright uncomfortable. They might be tender to the touch, hurt like a bruise, or cause itching and general irritation. However, tea tree oil has impressive efficacy as a remedy for subcutaneous acne cysts. It is comparable to retinol in its ability to remove excess oil buildup, which can reduce the size of and discoloration of individual blemishes.
Cystic acne that’s brewing below the surface usually starts to become noticeable as soon as the excessive volume of sebum in a pore creates prime conditions for bacteria to overtake your healthy skin cells. In response, your skin cells can try to eliminate the offending bacterial invader by producing even more sebum. By the time a cystic acne spot makes its way to the surface level of your face, it can reach sizable proportions and take a long time to heal. Tea tree oil mitigates the severity of a cystic acne outbreak by eliminating bacteria and soothing the inflammation that make blemishes red.
Ultimately, tea tree oil works kind of like a natural all-purpose cleaner that you can use to target a variety of problems on your skin. Used correctly, this versatile remedy can improve your skin’s appearance and minimize discomfort.
