In this article:
Does tea tree help with blemishes?
Tea tree oil risks
Is tea tree oil better than benzoyl peroxide?
Does tea tree oil help with post-blemish marks?
How much tea tree oil do you need to visibly improve blemishes?
How to use tea tree oil for blemishes
Numerous natural remedies pop up when you search for breakout solutions. By far one of the most popular is tea tree oil, also known as Melaleuca alternifolia oil (named for the Australia shrub from which it’s derived). Videos and articles alike speak to this essential oil as a breakout cure, but the truth around its benefits for skin isn’t so black-and-white.
Here, we break down how tea tree oil fights blemishes, the best way to use it and the potential skin risks involved.
Does tea tree help with blemishes?
Yes, tea tree oil can help with blemishes due to its rich compound profile. Pure tea tree oil, extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant, contains more than 100 bioactive compounds. Among these many compounds are ones that exert antioxidant properties– meaning they help prevent free radical damage. In addition, there are compounds that have anti-inflammatory benefits, meaning tea tree oil has potential skin-calming abilities (1).
How does tea tree oil help with blemishes, though? Tea tree oil acts as an antimicrobial agent. Research finds it can positively influence a variety of different microbes, including Cutibacterium acnes – the primary bacterial culprit behind breakouts (2). Studies show that application of a 5% concentration of tea tree oil can reduce the number of papules and pustules—both types of pimples that people with breakouts usually experience (3). In addition, those anti-inflammatory properties we mentioned earlier can help tackle blemish-related redness.
Tea tree oil risks
Unfortunately, using tea tree oil isn’t without risks. Tea tree oil is an essential oil, so it has the potential to irritate skin, particularly sensitive skin (1). This aromatic oil contains volatile compounds including limonene, linalool and eucalyptol, all of which can irritate skin especially when they oxidise (undergoes a chemical transformation when in contact with oxygen). Since blemishes are the result of an inflammatory condition, additional irritation could worsen breakouts.
For this reason, it’s crucial that any tea tree oil product you use comes in packaging that promotes stability; protecting it from air exposure. Still, we need to point out that merely applying tea tree oil to your skin exposes it to oxygen, so the risk of irritation is never zero.
On top of this, tea tree oil is also not U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved over-the-counter treatment for blemishes, unlike gold standard blemish-fighters salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. This means that there are no set standards of concentration or quality when it comes to purchasing tea tree oil for blemishes.
Is tea tree oil better than benzoyl peroxide?
Simply put, based on current research, tea tree oil is not considered better than benzoyl peroxide when it comes to fighting blemishes.
In fact, a frequently-cited study did a head-to-head comparison between two groups of people with blemishes – one used a 5% concentration of benzoyl peroxide lotion, and one used a 5% concentration of tea tree oil gel. Researchers found that while both treatments reduced blemish lesions, the improvement in the group that used benzoyl peroxide was significantly greater than the group that used tea tree oil (4).
Does tea tree oil help with post-blemish marks?
Tea tree oil has also been touted as a solution for both post-blemish marks (dark spots and discolourations) and blemish scars (raised or indented marks).
While tea tree oil’s proposed anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce the likelihood of dark spots from blemishes, it’s important to remember that using it is a double-edged sword. Its volatile components and potential to cause contact allergies means that for some, tea tree oil can actually increase the risk of developing post-blemish marks and scars (5). This is especially true when using pure tea tree oil that has oxidised.
We'd caution against using tea tree oil for blemish scars. If you have blemish scars, in-office procedures, like microneedling, can help improve their appearance. If discolourations are your issue, seek out brightening and anti-dark spot skin care ingredients like azelaic acid, niacinamide and vitamin C.
How much tea tree oil do you need to visibly improve blemishes?
The concentration of how much tea tree oil you need to see an improvement in blemishes is the sticking point. The highest concentration of tea tree oil we’ve seen in a cosmetic product is less than 0.5%, far below what research has shown is needed for skin to benefit (the most definitive study on tea tree oil’s effectiveness against blemishes used a 5% concentration) (6).
Lower amounts, those between 0.25%–1.25%, have in vitro (petri dish) research showing inhibition of blemish-causing bacteria, but this simply doesn’t correlate to how it works when applied directly to skin.
What about “pure” tea tree oil you’re able to find in certain brick-and-mortar stores and online? These are usually diluted in carrier oils with a concentration of about 3%, still far below what’s clinically been proven to be effective for blemish-prone skin.
On the other hand, if you can find a high concentration of pure tea tree oil, it’ll likely be too strong, which can trigger a sensitised reaction if you don’t dilute it before applying to skin. In fact, amounts of 25% or greater have caused burns and severe contact dermatitis when applied directly to skin (7).
How to use tea tree oil for blemishes
We understand the pull if you still want to give tea tree oil a try, especially if blemish skin care products haven’t worked the way you hoped.
While it is not recommended to apply undiluted tea tree oil directly onto your face, if you’re going to use diluted forms found in skin care products, we’ve outlined tips on how to use tea tree oil below. However, we advise that you proceed with caution and immediately stop using it if you see signs of irritation.
Here’s our advice on the best way to safely use tea tree oil:
- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser for breakout-prone skin.
- Apply a leave-on exfoliant for breakout-prone skin.
- Dispense a few drops of diluted tea tree oil onto a damp cotton swab and dot it directly on blemishes. Alternatively, you can mix 5–6 drops of tea tree oil into a lightweight facial moisturiser and apply it to your entire face, avoiding the eye area and lips.
- Skip strong treatments (benzoyl peroxide or retinoid-based) until you observe how your skin reacts to tea tree oil.
- Protect your skin every morning with a broad-spectrum sunscreen for blemish-prone skin.
- At night, apply a lightweight moisturiser.
Ultimately, our advice is to simply avoid the risk of irritation and the guessing game of dilution when there are other proven over-the-counter and prescription blemish products that can work with greater certainty and less risk.
Don’t just take our word for it. Board-certified dermatologist Corey L. Hartman states, “With so many great active ingredients to treat blemishes on the market today and new compounds being introduced every day, why take a chance on an ingredient that is only as good as certain therapies, but carries a risk of being ineffective or overly irritating? It's not worth it.”
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References for this information:
- Nutrients, March 2023, pages 1-21
- Letters in Drug Design & Discovery, December 2024, pages 3,694-3,705
- Biomedica, December 2020, pages 693-701
- Antioxidants, June 2023, pages 1-47
- Contact Dermatitis, September 2016, pages 129-143
- Clinical Microbiology Reviews, January 2006, pages 50-62
- Frontiers in Pharmacology, March 2023, pages 1-37