Tea tree oil is an essential oil that has been used for thousands of years but has gained increasing popularity only in recent years. Tea tree oil for hair is known to offer antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory benefits, helping with conditions like acne, athlete's foot, contact dermatitis, cradle cap, and more. The oil is also known for treating head lice and dandruff.
Lately, everybody has been talking about tea tree oil for hair care and we have the Australian aborigines–the ones who introduced the oil to the world–to thank for it. Tea tree oil has been the key ingredient in many beauty and hair products for centuries but it is only now that it has become the talk of the town.
While historically it has been used to heal cuts and burns due to its antiseptic contents, it is also known to treat acne and seborrheic psoriasis. It also rehydrates and nourishes your scalp and promises to solve your dandruff issues. Intrigued yet? Well let’s look at all the wonderful benefits tea tree has to offer our scalp and hair:
1. Effective dandruff control
Ailments like seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff are one of the most common causes of a dry and flaky scalp. It often leads to rashes, redness, greasy patches, and inflammation and needs your immediate attention.
Tea tree oil is an amazing way to treat your scalp. It has antiseptic and antibiotic properties that can fight the dandruff-causing fungus. Its moisturizing content gives the hair a healthy texture. Moreover, you can apply it directly to your scalp, forgoing the length of your hair which makes it just the perfect solution.
2. Provides treatment for an itchy scalp
Dandruff is not the only reason why your scalp gets itchy. Skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis and even allergies can cause itchy skin conditions. These lead to rashes, hives, or inflammation.
Tea tree oil might just be able to help you with this due to its anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties. It hydrates and replenishes the skin surface and clears the clogged pores on the scalp. And once these pores are cleared, the scalp can easily soak up nutrients.
3. No more head lice
Tea tree oil contains terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineole, both of which are known to possess insecticidal properties. They have the ability to kill lice in the nymph and adult life stage. They can also prevent lice eggs from hatching. The two components dissolve the gummy texture and loosen up the existing eggs from your hair shaft. Once loosened up, you can comb the lice out of your hair.
4. Invigorating cleansing of your scalp and hair
Our hair is exposed to a lot of chemicals thanks to our regular use of shampoo, conditioners, and other hair styling products. They build up in your hair and on your scalp and are hard to wash out of the hair with regular shampoo. So, instead, they start accumulating. However, using tea tree shampoo with its cleansing power will give you shinier and healthier hair.
5. It encourages hair growth
Tea tree oil heals damaged or clogged hair follicles and encourages lusher hair growth. Dandruff can also play a factor in clogged hair follicles. And tea tree oil already takes care of itchy scalp and dandruff with its antiseptic and moisturizing contents. The compounds in the oil restore hair follicles to a healthy state, and naturally encourage hair to grow in longer and fuller.
Tea tree oil shampoo can work magic on your hair and scalp.