Does anyone use tea tree oil for acne? Please tell me your experience.
Does TTO help with acne marks/scars?

Has anyone used those fade/bleach creams for acne marks/scars?

I was prescribed Benzamycin(?) for my acne, and it did help, but not enough. It's difficult to find something that will help, since my skin is sensitive.

Any input is welcome.
Thanks :D

I use tea tree oil as a sort of preventative...since all it does is really fight the bacteria, it won't make the acne you already have disappear, it will only help heal without infection. I use it in my cleansers and masks. I've used many topical solutions, including Proactiv, with bleaching solutions in them. In my experience, they didn't work noticeably on my skin but they tended to bleach my clothes, towels, pillowcases, etc.!

As for evening out my skin tone, I prefer to use gentle exfoliation or gentle fruit acids (like lemon juice in a mask).

I've lately been using oil (any combination of shea, grapeseed, olive and jojoba) mixed with some essential oils like tea tree and tangerine or orange to wash my face and upper torso, and it works! What works for me (after drinking lots and lots and lots of water and eating well) is daily cleansing with the oils, facial steams three times a week followed by an oatmeal scrub or a clay mask. Did I mention drinking lots and lots and lots of water?

I feel like I've been through it all, and it's frustrating, isn't it? Well, this turned into a longer answer than it should be! :D

Oh, one other thing that has improved my skin is eliminating my use of products with methyl- or propylparaben.

I've never really had much luck with it, but I do use it sometimes.

I use it when I get a pimple to tone it down a bit, if that's even possible :rolleyes: I've tried using it as a preventative, but I started to break out.

I have read that it's just as effective as benzoyl peroxide, but that it takes longer to see results. I'm not willing to gamble with it though. It took 3 months (years ago) to see results from Proactiv, which is what I use now and I'm not willing to try something that may not work.

I only used the tea tree for a short time.

I use Proactiv in conjunction with Retin A and that's what works for me.

I rarely get a pimple, but I do still get them somtimes.

I also HAVE to wash my oily face twice a day or I break out within a matter of days :rolleyes: so morning and night without fail, wash your face, it really makes a big difference.

Something else I do throughout the day is to use a tissue to blot the oily areas of my face, it really helps the shine factor and the less oil on top of your skin, the less your skin will break out.

Good luck with your skin and hugs to you, it's very hard to deal with until you find what works.

I so wished I could use this stuff because I really worry about what's in benzoyl peroxide and what its long term effects are, but I think TTO just aggravates acne in my case. It really works for a lot of people, but it makes my skin very angry. I can't use castor or olive oils to cleanse either and I wish I could. I may not be giving them enough time either, but the first couple of weeks are so awful that it's not worth the wait. BP is the only thing I've found that works for me, and it doesn't work for others.

I hope that doesn't discourage you from trying it though! I know how tough it is, but sometimes it takes a lot of frogs to find that prince. I think you should try it at least. I got a small bottle and it wasn't terribly expensive, something like $7. You never know, it could be the thing that works for you.

I'll add that like any essential oil, it's potent and can irritate some skin if used directly out of the bottle. I used to add a drop or two to my daily moisturizer...

HTH!

I bought tea tree oil in the vitamin section of Target a little less than a year ago(it was so INexpensive!). I used to use Benzoyl Peroxide, but my skin is dry and sensitive. I find that TTO works on blemishes that are irritated or that i accidentally scratched at while i was sleeping. I get blackheads, some whiteheads, and the occasional zit. I use the TTO on whiteheads only. If i get a zit, i put a little dab of Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask on(as a spot treatment) overnight. Also, sometimes during the summer my dry skin will act oily from the heat and sweat and i'll swipe a little across my T-zone(for the wonderful tingly feeling), just be careful not to overdo it. It would probably be best if you added it to an oil free moisturizer or a carrier oil(like jojoba) because when i put it on straight from the bottle it stings a little.

Thanks everyone! :D

I'll buy some TTO to try

I use it as a spot treatment if needed but a great thing that I do sometimes is that I put in a clean bottle some distilled water and add to this 2-3 drops of tea tree oil and shake well . Use this as a toner , great because of the antibacterial effects of thin plant.

Mint Julep mask just rock!! :rockerdude:

Another way to deal with bacteria is Hydrogen Peroxide not as strong as benzoyl peroxide (which gives me eczema) but does the job just as well.

If find that if I spot treat with TTO as soon as the pimple starts (before it fully develops) then it usually clears up overnight. HTH.

I bought the TTO, started using it...how long before I see results?

Thanks in advance :D

i think how long it takes really depends on what you are trying to clear up... whiteheads or inflammed zits? the size would also matter. When i was first using it i swore that it wasn't doing anything and i was going to give it up but i just kept trying it because i figured- what do i have to lose?

Hydrogen Peroxide creates free radical damage . :(

Hydrogen Peroxide creates free radical damage . :(Could you list your source for this claim? I'd like to read up on that - it's the best anti-bacterial I've found for my skin, so I'll be quite pissed off if this claim has good science to back it up. ::pout:: Of course, I only use it about 3x per week, but still.....

What's free radical damage and why is that a problem?

Cheers,
Jonobie

Free radical damage is bad. This is was antioxidants fight. Free radicals may be the cause of many harmful things... the free radical cells freak out and start to break down the other cells around them. I think an example would be how the sun creates free radical damage on the face and people develop skin cancer.
At least i think this is what it is- someone correct me if i'm wrong.

I thought this was a pretty clear explanation:

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/antiox.html

HTH!

Well, this is what it says about it at cosmticscop.com (http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=SKIN&ID=6

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE: Given what is now known about free-radical damage, I no longer recommend hydrogen peroxide as a topical disinfectant for acne. Oxygen is clearly a problem for skin, and hydrogen peroxide is a significant oxidizing agent. The way hydrogen peroxide works is by releasing an unstable oxygen molecule onto the skin, and that generates free-radical damage. The extra oxygen molecule that makes up hydrogen peroxide is extremely unstable. That's why hydrogen peroxide is packaged in a dark brown, airtight container. On exposure to air, hydrogen peroxide's extra oxygen molecule is released and the product becomes plain water. For skin prone to acne this extra oxygen molecule is capable of killing the bacteria that cause blemishes. Acne bacteria are anaerobic, meaning they don't like oxygen. But because of the problems that stem from impacting the skin with a substance that is known to generate free-radical damage, other options need to be sought.

I remember she said more about this, including some citations, in one of the email bulletins, but I unfortunately seem to have deleted it. :(

I'm interested in the suggestion she makes about Milk of Magnesia as a facial mask. Apparently it absorbs oil even better than clay and is soothing, too. I'll have to try it some time.

I'm a little worried about the mint julep stuff because it sounds like it might be irritating... usually when your skin tingles, it's your skin's way of telling you it's unhappy.

[/quote]

I'm interested in the suggestion she makes about Milk of Magnesia as a facial mask. Apparently it absorbs oil even better than clay and is soothing, too. I'll have to try it some time.

The ladies on the boards at makeupalley.com are always talking about how great this is.

I'm a little worried about the mint julep stuff because it sounds like it might be irritating... usually when your skin tingles, it's your skin's way of telling you it's unhappy.

I have sensitive skin and my face doesn't tingle when i used the Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask- i was the one who said it above, but i meant the tea tree oil tingles, not this mask. sorry for the confusion...

Hi Amanda!
I hope the tea tree oil is working for you!

I’ve had wonderful results with a tea tree oil and lavender face wash. My face cleared up and the scars are fading. It took me half a bottle to notice results… I also took a vitamin E. I’m just amazed at the results.

Milk of magnesia as a facial mask? Interesting.

Do you add anything to it, or just put it on straight?

Btw, Heidi, thanks for the link about free radicals.

Cheers,
Jonobie

Milk of magnesia as a facial mask? Interesting.

Do you add anything to it, or just put it on straight?


I haven't tried it (but I've been meaning to). I think you just use it straight (the unflavored variety. :-) )

Hi Amanda!
I hope the tea tree oil is working for you!

I’ve had wonderful results with a tea tree oil and lavender face wash. My face cleared up and the scars are fading. It took me half a bottle to notice results… I also took a vitamin E. I’m just amazed at the results.

Lavender fash wash? :shock: Did you make it yourself or did you buy it from a store? Hmmmm.....now I want some

I think the TTO has helped my forehead, but not so much my chin(where zits are the worst :( ). I've been slathering the TTO on my whole chin 1-2 times a day. I still got a big ugly zit :(
I also get them on my lower back and the back and sides of my neck which gets worse during the warmer months.

My mom hates the smell of the TTO. She doesn't want me "wearing" it anymore :D :D :D
Today she said, "What smells like paint thinner?!" :D :D

Yeah, the smell of TTO is strange but wierdly enough- i kinda like it ;)

What I hate is the taste of TTO. I use it sometimes when I get canker sores, and boy, is that stuff strong!

Bethany said:
What I hate is the taste of TTO.
Ewww! hehe:) I've never tried THAT before!

Hi Amandapanda!
Sorry for the late reply. The tea tree with lavender face is from a store here in Holland It’s one of my favorite stores where I get my teas, shampoos and oils.
I doubt it’s in the states… It’s an inexpensive product that cost me about 5 dollars.
But I’m sure there are more products similar to this one at the health food stores in your area or on the internet.

I just massage a bit on my face for 40 seconds and wash it off. No lingering odors. I’m surprised I didn’t get a bad reaction with this soap since my skin is sensitive.

I buy a antiseptic solution with TTO and lavendar at Whole Foods Market. The brand name is Tea Tree Therapy. It's about the consistency of a toner and it stinks a little less than straight TTO.

I haven't used it real consistently but it does seem to help if I dab it on when I feel a blemish coming on. I'm trying to get a consistent skin care routine going, and plan to use this solution once a day on breakout areas.