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Used as traditional medicine by Aboriginal populations, tea tree oil is an essential oil that is obtained by steaming leaves from the Australian tea tree. It is commonly used in soaps, lotions, and lip balms, and its strong antibacterial and antifungal properties have led to its common use to treat everything from athlete’s foot, nail fungus, and insect bites, to getting rid of lice.
Tea tree oil is great for your skin. Firstly, it has antibacterial properties, so it can help treat conditions such as acne and eczema. It also has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Tea tree oil has strong antioxidant properties, making it great for reducing damage from free radicals. It supports skin healing and skin cell turnover, making it a secondary preventative for dark spots and scarring.
While most people can use tea tree oil without problems, in some people it may cause skin irritation, rashes, itching, burning, redness, and dryness. When using it, bear in mind that it is an essential oil, and therefore must be used with a carrier such as a jojoba or almond oil or it can cause irritation to the skin in fully concentrated form.
It is not suitable for delicate or sensitive skin, as it may cause irritation. Our skin quiz will let you know if you need this ingredient, and if it’s the right choice for you.
A scar can form anywhere the skin is broken deeply enough to damage surrounding skin cells. With acne, most superficial blemishes will heal cleanly, leaving no visible evidence of prior breakouts. However, in the case of cystic acne, when a clogged pore leads to infection that travels deep into the dermis, ruptured cysts can break the follicle wall and cause the infection to damage surrounding skin cells. Collagen helps to repair the damage but leaves the skin more firm and tight than the rest of your skin. Some types of acne scarring leave a concave shape, called a pockmark. Contrary to some belief, not all acne scars are caused by picking or popping your blemishes. Some occur even if the acne is allowed to heal without picking.
To prevent sun damage from making acne scars more visible, it’s best to moisturize daily and wear sunscreen. Additionally, antioxidants protect the skin from free radicals that damage cells and speed up aging. Ingredients and nutrients like acai oil, alpha-lipoic acid, green tea extract, retinol/vitamin A, coenzyme Q10, caffeine, alpha-hydroxy acid and salicylic acid are all beneficial for preventing and reducing acne scarring. Jojoba oil is also good for reducing inflammation, fighting bacteria, and keeping in moisture for healthier skin.
Tea tree oil may be effective for acne scars, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
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