People of all ages deal with acne, it isn’t only a struggle of the young. Regardless of your age if your acne isn’t budging, your acne isn’t budging.
With so many skincare products that claim to get rid of your acne finding a product that actually does get rid of your acne can be somewhat of a mission.
This article looks at one of them, tea tree oil. And how to use tea tree oil as an acne spot treatment.
Tea tree oil has been available and has been used by humans for centuries. It has been used not only for skincare but for an array of other human needs.
If you want a natural way to spot treat your acne then this is one of the ways to go. This powerhouse can compete with the new formals and advanced ingredients that treat acne.
Read on to find out what tea tree oil is, how it works on acne and how to use it as a spot treatment.
How to use tea tree oil as an acne spot treatment
Table of Contents
What is tea tree oil?
Tea tree oil is the oil derived from the leaves of the tea tree. Another name for this oil is melaleuca and has been used by humans for centuries.
It’s a strong antifungal oil that can be used for a variety of skin and health-related issues.
It can be used as an oil and can be incorporated in lotions, soaps, face washes, body washes and any other haircare or skincare products. This tea tree oil is well-loved and widely used.
What is acne?
Acne is the condition where the pores in your skin become clogged.
You develop clogs in the pores of your skin when dead skin cells and excess sebum on your skin mix and clog the pore.
If this clog looks like a small white bump it is called a whitehead. If the clog gets exposed to air and becomes black it is called a blackhead.
The clog can get infected with bacteria, if this happens then you will form a pimple.
How does tea tree oil work for acne?
The oil is both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, this enables it to heal your acne.
Tea tree oil will help to reduce the redness and swelling on your acne helping it heal better.
Its antimicrobial properties will help to kill off the bacteria that is trapped in your pore.
Tea tree is helpful in treating not only pimples but it can also treat non-inflammatory acne as well.
The tea tree oil triggers your white blood cells to become more active and this is also helpful in healing your acne and fighting off an infection.
How to use tea tree oil as an acne sport treatment
- Mix in your carrier oil with your tea tree oil. I explain how to do this later
- Wash you hands. This will protect your skin from any germs that may be on your skin from the day
- Wash your face. You need a clean base for the oil to be able to penetrate you skin and do its work
- Apply the oil by dabbing it on your spots with a Q tip, cotton round or cotton pad if your blemish is large.
- Let the oil absorb into your skin an dry.
- Use a moisturiser of your choice
Tip: You can do this morning and night to give you the best results over time.
If you don’t want to use the oil as a treatment in itself you can use tea tree soap (like this one) or face washes made for pimples. You can also use moisturisers that contain tea tree oil (like this one) as an active ingredient and that treat pimples.
These products will give you the results you want including improving your acne and pimples over time.
Tip: Before using any oils or products on your face you should do a patch test to see how your skin will take to the oil. This will enable you to test if you are allergic to the oil.
To do this apply the oil on your skin and let it absorb.
If after 24 hours there is no negative reaction on your skin such as redness, itching, burning or swelling then you can use it on bigger areas.
Safety when using tea tree oil
Before you apply your tea tree oil or any other essential oil onto your skin you need to dilute it with a carrier oil.
The oil is safe to use on your skin but you need to be very careful when using this oil round the delicate eye area. The eyes can react badly to many ingredients in skincare products and result in redness and irritation.
Tea tree oil is safe to use on many skin types but not all.
If your skin types is sensitive or you have eczema then tea tree oil is not for you. It may cause irritation on the skin or an allergic reaction on your skin.
If you have sensitive skin or eczema then you should rather use ingredients such as salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide as these can get rid of your acne without irritating your skin.
How do you dilute tea tree oil for acne?
No essential oil should be applied directly on your skin, tea tree oil is an essential oil. You should always use a carrier oil or some other product when diluting your essential oils.
Carrier oils include almond oil, olive oil and coconut oil to name a few. When mixing your oils you will need to use 1-2 drops of essential oil to 12 drops of carrier oil.
Alternatively, you can add the tea tree oil to your moisturisers. Using a moisturiser over an oil will prevent your skin from developing more acne if your skin does not agree with almond, coconut or olive oil.
If you want to create your own tea tree oil toner you can add 3 drops of tea tree oil to 2 ounces of which hazel.
If you’re using this oil in a bentonite clay mask you can add two drops of the oil to your bentonite clay mixture before you apply to mask to your face. This bentonite clay mask is well-loved and widely used.
How often should you use tea tree oil?
You should use the oil every day. You can even use it twice a day. This will give you the best results over time.
Just like any other skincare product it will take a while to work. Tea tree oil takes around 12 weeks to work and for you to see real results.
Your skin will need to get used to the new ingredient before you can see the benefits of this oil.
Can I leave tea tree oil on my face overnight?
Yes, you can leave tea tree oil on your face overnight. If you don’t want to use it as a spot treatment during the day you can leave it on overnight.
You can apply your mix of tea tree oil and carrier oil at night and leave it on your face till the next day. In the morning simply rinse your face off with some warm water and carry on with your regular morning skincare routine.
This will do just as well at reducing the acne on your skin.
Can tea tree oil make acne worse?
Any oil can be comedogenic to your skin and can make acne worse.
Comedogenic means that the oil has a high chance of clogging your pores and making your acne worse. The chances of tea tree oil clogging your pores are slim but it’s still possible.
If you dilute the tea tree oil with a carrier oil that is comedogenic (like coconut oil) and your skin is prone to breakouts then your acne will get worse.
Tea tree oil is one of the acne-fighting ingredients that can cause irritation and allergies on your skin.
This can give you itchiness or can cause your skin to become red and swollen which can irritate your acne and prevent it from healing as quickly it would have.
What gets rid of pimples overnight?
If you don’t want to use tea tree oil to get rid of your pimples or you want something that can get rid of your acne faster then you can try an acne spot treatment like the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.
This a well known and widely loved spot treatment that may have been popularised by celebs but is actually effective none the less.
This award-winning drying lotion is formulated with salicylic acid, sulphur and calamine.
The salicylic acid is a well-loved and widely used ingredient in skincare that helps to unclog your pimples and blemishes.
It is a beta hydroxy acid that dislodges your dead skin cells from your pores.
Sulphur absorbs excess oil on your skin which cause breakouts. Calamine dries the pimples. This combination helps to dramatically improve the appearance of acne overnight.
Is coconut oil or tea tree oil better for acne?
The answer to the question “Is coconut oil or tea tree oil better for acne?” is complicated.
Some people swear up and down about the acne-fighting effects of coconut oil but this oil can make others develop acne.
Some people swear about the acne properties of tea tree oil but this oil is not for everyone.
Coconut oil contains lauric acid, this acid is helpful in killing acne causing bacteria on the skin. That being said, coconut oil is comoedgeinic.
If you apply it on your face (especially if you have acne-prone skin) this will spell disaster. Tea tree oil can be used on acne because of its ability to kill off acne-causing bacteria, but it can irritate the skin and be comedogenic to some people
The only way to know if coconut oil or tea tree is better is to try it on a small patch of skin and see how your skin and acne react.
What may work on one person may not work on another.
When should I use tea tree oil for acne?
You can use tea tree oil for acne twice a day if your skin can handle it. This will give you the best results over time.
You should start off by using it three times a week to allow your skin to become used to it. When your skin gets used to it you’ll be able to use it more frequently.
Make sure you use it after you wash your face so the product has access to your skin without the gunk from the day or sebum build-up from the day.
What essential oil gets rid of pimples?
Oregano oil: This is a lesser-known oil but it does a great job at reducing the severity of your acne. This oil is antibacterial so it will kill off the bacteria in your pimple.
Rosemary oil: The pimples on your skin emerge as a result of excess sebum produced. This oil helps to manage sebum levels on the skin and this helps to reduce the formation of acne. This rosemary oil is well-loved
Eucalyptus oil: Popping pimples yourself is not safe or sanitary. This oil will help the pimple pop on its own, this prevents the occurrence of further infections and spreading of bacteria. This eucalyptus oil is well-loved
Peppermint oil: This natural oil not only gives products that minty smell and gives your skin that tingling feeling but its great for acne as well. It is antibacterial and antiinflammatory and this will help calm your acne. This peppermint oil is well-loved
How do you fade acne scars?
If you’ve popped your pimples and need to fade your acne scars there are a few things you can try which will help get you even skin back:
Vitamin C: Vitamin C has a laundry list of positive skincare benefits and fading acne scars is one of them. This ingredient revitalises your skin to give you brighter more even skin.
Exfoliation: Over time your skin sheds it’s dead skin cells to bring up new fresh undamaged skin cells to the surface.
You can use a chemical exfoliator like an AHAs to exfoliate your skin in a gentle way to help reduce scarring and give you even skin sooner. This exfoliator is well-loved and widely used.
Retinol: Retinol benefits your skin in a number of ways and helping to fade acne scars is one of them. It encourages a faster cell turnover rate which brings the new fresh skin cells up to the surface faster. This retinol is well-loved and widely used.
Led light therapy: These days you can get at-home LED face masks that treat a number of skin concerns. They are accessible products and are a great at-home treatment. This led face mask is well-loved and widely used.
That’s it on this article looking at how to use tea tree oil for an acne spot treatment. If you enjoyed the article please share it.
