How to dilute tea tree oil to reduce skin irritation or reactions

Never use this oil full strength in the mouth (as a mouth rinse) or in the vagina. It will cause significant discomfort and pain and can cause serious toxicity.

Tea tree oil can be dilute with distilled or filtered water or with oil or aloe vera gel. (Practically, you can dilute it with most creams or gels.)

Always test the mixture on a small area of the skin first to check for any possible skin reactions.

Tea Tree Oil Dilution Ratios

Do not use this oil full strength on the face as the skin is thin and very sensitive. Dilute it to 5 to 15% before using. Higher concentrations may be used but be on the lookout for side effects.

See Tea Tree Oil for Zits for complete details.

 

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Tea Tree Oil for Warts

Apply the oil full strength on the warts three or four times a day. If this concentration causes a reaction or is uncomfortable, use a 75% strength solution instead.

Cover the wart with a bandage if necessary to avoid accidentally touching it. This is an optional step.

See the article on Natural Remedies for Warts for additional herbs that you can use.

 

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Tea Tree Oil for Thrush (yeast infection in the mouth)

Dilute the oil to 5% or less and use as a mouth rinse four times daily. The tea tree oil may be diluted with regular mouthwash or with water. Do not swallow the solution.

 

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Tea Tree Oil Dosage for Athlete's Foot

Use a 50% strength of tea tree oil and apply the liquid to the infected areas with a cotton-tip or cotton ball. Do this twice daily for maximum results. You can expect a cure in 4 weeks in 64% of the people.

Applying tea tree oil to severe athlete's foot fungus may cause pain and discomfort due to the cracks in the skin. To avoid the discomfort, you may have to dilute the tea tree oil down further. This may reduce the effectiveness. This would mean that treatment with tea tree oil will need to be longer to ensure a complete cure.

See Tea Tree Oil for Foot Fungus to get the complete details.

 

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Tea Tree Oil for Yeast Infection (Vaginal Douche Formula)

Studies show that this essential oil can kill off candida albicans which is responsible for vaginal yeast infections. Use a dilute solution of about 0.4% first and adjust upwards.

Mix 0.4 mL of concentrated tea tree oil with 100 mL of either water or a prepared douche solution. Concentration as high as 40% may be used but only under medical supervision. (Side effects such as discomfort and irritation can be expected at this high concentration.)

For those individuals who rather use drops instead of the more accurate measurement units of milliliters (mL), see the article Converting Drops to mL.

See the article on Natural Remedies for Yeast Infections for additional herbs that you can use.

 

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Toenail Fungus Infection

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Tea Tree Oil Dosage for Cold Sores (Herpes labialis)

Use a 6% tea tree oil gel applied to the cold sores as soon as they appear to speed the healing process. You can make this gel by mixing 1 mL of tea tree oil with about 16 grams of a lip balm gel.

See Tea Tree Oil for Herpes for complete details.

 

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Scabies Treatment

Apply a 5% solution to the skin and leave on for 3 hours.

 

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Tea Tree Oil for BV (Bacterial Vaginosis)

Use a 200 mg tea tree oil vaginal suppository daily for 5 days.

 

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Does Tea Tree Oil Kill Bed Bugs?

Concentrated tea tree oil is shown to kill bed bugs. However, diluting it may make it less effective. Spraying concentrated tea tree oil to bed sheets and then sleeping on top of it can be irritating to the skin.

Anecdotal reports suggest making a 5% to 20% tea tree oil in water solution, spraying it on the bed sheets and using a hair dryer to blow dry the sheets.

 

References for Tea Tree Oil Dosage
Revised: May 4, 2011