Tea Tree

What is Tea Tree Oil?

Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil, pale yellow in colour with a fresh camphoraceous smell. It is extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the Lismore region of New South Wales. It grows in a limited area of ​​no less than 50 square kilometers, this is the natural habitat of the tree, the low lying, spongy rainforest area of Australia. There have been numerous attempts at trying to grow Tea Tree in several other places in the world, but the result has been sub-standard with either the oil quality or the trees not maturing.

A brief history...

When Captain Cook visited Australia in the 18th century, he became familiar with the “healing tree”. The leaves form the Melaleuca alternifolia had been falling into the water for over 100 years and this had turned the lakes into antiseptic baths. After allowing his crew to swim in the lake, wounds, cuts, scalds and other skin irritations were healed. The colour of the water reminded Captain Cook of tea hence, according to folklore, the name Tea Tree. The local Aboriginal tribe, Bundjalungy, used Tea Tree to treat many skin problems by adding crushed Tea Tree leaves into hot compresses and poultices.

During the second World War the Australian Army obtained possession of all Tea Tree Oil to treat injured soldiers, and production of oil was considered an essential war time industry. Therefore, leaf-cutters in the plantations were exempt from military service, and, it was added to the first aid kit of nearly every Aussie soldier and sailor assigned to subtropical regions during WWII. The oil was especially important when battling in the jungle where mosquitoes and other blood sucking insects were a hazard. Wounds, cuts and insect bites were treated with oil, the antiseptic properties eased discomfort while healing was enhanced and the risk of infection significantly diminished.

Why Tea Tree Oil?

Experience has shown that an uncontrolled growth of bacteria on the skin can cause many acute or prolonged skin problems. These skin problems can be overcome by using an effective mild antiseptic and antibacterial solution. Many antiseptics, however, create an imbalance in skin flora as they generate the growth of healthy skin tissue but slow down the healing process. As mentioned previously, Tea Tree Oil from Australian Bodycare has the unique feature of helping to restore the skin's normal bacterial flora whilst gently healing.

Tea Tree Oil is a very potent natural antiseptic, and is effective even in very low concentrations, the pure oil should be used cautiously. Even a 1% solution is enough to benefit from the antibacterial properties. Therefore, we suggest that the pure oil be diluted with water or a mild carrier oil (wheat germ/grape seed/olive oil) when treating areas of skin bigger than the back of your hand.