Are the consequences of tea tree oil anti-fungal or merely anti-inflammatory?
Our complete understanding of the reason for dandruff shifted with a landmark article printed in 1984. Instead of counting on secondary sources, critiques, editorials, and opinion items, the creator seemed on the main literature, the unique research. He was “amazed to find out how overwhelming was the evidence of aetiology,” the true reason behind dandruff, “and how it had been ignored because it was so well buried under the mountain of error since Malassez (1874)” put forth a bogus concept. We now know that dandruff is triggered by a fungus that lives and feeds on the human scalp. There are the 2 main implications: First, how “alarming” is it {that a} bogus concept can stay unchallenged within the medical literature for a century regardless of proof on the contrary? Second, if it’s a fungus, what about attempting tea tree oil, which contains elements which have anti-fungal exercise in opposition to a variety of fungi.
As I talk about in my video Does Tea Tree Oil Work for Dandruff and Athlete’s Foot?, the latter was an concept primarily based on research that discovered that tea tree oil in a petri dish can fight off pathogenic pores and skin fungi, as you possibly can see beneath and at 1:07 in my video. You don’t know if it really works for dandruff, although, till you place it to the take a look at.
One hundred twenty-six women and men have been randomized both to every day use of a 5 p.c tea tree oil shampoo or a placebo for a month. As you possibly can see beneath and at 1:22 in my video, the placebo labored just a little bit, reducing dandruff severity by about 10 p.c, however the tea tree oil shampoo labored higher, reducing dandruff severity by about 40 p.c. In the tea tree oil group, “only one patient actually achieved a complete response, as did one patient in the placebo group. Thus, it appears that 5% tea tree shampoo would require ongoing application for control of dandruff.”
Speaking of fungus, what about tea tree oil within the remedy of athlete’s foot? That may very well be our most typical fungal pores and skin an infection, affecting as much as one in ten. About 100 sufferers have been randomized into certainly one of three teams: a ten p.c tea tree oil cream, Tinactin (an antifungal drug), or a placebo cream. After one month, the fungus was worn out in 85 p.c of the drug group, however solely a few quarter of the placebo and tea tree oil teams have been cured, as you possibly can see beneath and at 2:31 in my video. This is considerably shocking, since tea tree oil can kill off the fungus in a petri dish, however apparently, not on toes.
This jogs my memory of a few of the oral well being knowledge on tea tree oil. Studies have proven it might probably wipe out some oral pathogens in a petri dish, however what occurs when you’ve got folks swish a tea tree oil answer round of their mouth, in contrast with placebo and swishing with a medicated chlorhexidine mouthwash? After 4 days with out brushing their tooth, as with the placebo, the tea tree oil had no impact on dental plaque buildup, whereas swishing with the medicated mouthwash stored the plaque at bay a bit, as you possibly can see beneath and at 2:56 in my video.
So, if tea tree oil doesn’t influence the quantity of plaque, it presumably wouldn’t assist with gingivitis, the gum irritation that’s brought on by plaque buildup. But, no, right here’s the twist. True, there isn’t a discount in plaque with a 2.5 p.c tea tree oil gel, but there’s a vital discount in gingivitis scores. “Since decreased gingival [gum] inflammation occurred…without a concomitant decrease in plaque scores, its mechanism of activity could have been anti-inflammatory rather than antibacterial.”
Might the identical factor be taking place in that athlete’s foot examine I discussed earlier? From a mycological treatment standpoint—that’s, a fungal treatment standpoint—tea tree oil didn’t actually do any higher than placebo. And, though the drug remedy worn out the fungus in 85 p.c of instances, a few of these sufferers didn’t truly discover an enchancment in signs and even felt worse after utilizing the drug, “probably a reflection of the minor irritant side effect” of Tinactin. If, as an alternative of mycological treatment, you checked out symptom enchancment, tea tree oil works in addition to the drug, as you possibly can see beneath and at 4:14 in my video. “This may be the basis for the popular use of tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis,” athlete’s foot. People ought to understand, although, that it’s simply symptomatic reduction, and so they’re not essentially eliminating the underlying trigger. Of course, it “is possible that a higher concentration of tea tree oil would have better antifungal properties and even better efficacy in the treatment of tinea pedis.”
And, certainly, as an alternative of utilizing a ten p.c tea tree oil cream, in the event you use one which’s 25 or 50 p.c tea tree oil answer, you possibly can get mycological treatment charges above that of placebo, although nonetheless inferior to the drug. At these excessive concentrations, nonetheless, a few of the sufferers “applying tea tree oil developed moderate to severe dermatitis,” breaking out in a rash. But, when you’ve got a affected person who doesn’t wish to use the medicated lotions, then a 25 p.c tea tree oil utility has a good probability of knocking out their athlete’s foot with out being too dangerous, although the usual over-the-counter antifungal lotions may go even higher.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Tea tree oil comprises elements with anti-fungal exercise in opposition to a variety of various fungi.
- Dandruff is triggered by a fungus dwelling and feeding on the human scalp. Researchers discovered {that a} 5 p.c tea tree oil shampoo labored higher than placebo in reducing dandruff severity, 40 p.c in contrast with 10 p.c, respectively.
- Athlete’s foot could also be our most typical fungal pores and skin an infection, however a ten p.c tea tree oil cream was not as efficient a treatment as Tinactin (an antifungal drug). Tinactin worn out the fungus in 85 p.c of the drug group, however solely a few quarter of the placebo and tea tree oil teams have been cured.
- Swishing a tea tree oil answer within the mouth doesn’t appear to affect dental plaque buildup with out toothbrushing, in contrast to medicated mouthwash, but it surely does seem to end in vital discount in gingivitis, the gum irritation brought on by plaque. Tea tree oil’s mechanism of exercise could also be anti-inflammatory as an alternative of antibacterial.
- In the athlete’s foot examine, the ten p.c tea tree oil cream labored in addition to the drug Tinactin for symptom enchancment. However, utilizing a 25 or 50 p.c tea tree oil answer achieved mycological treatment charges larger than that of placebo (although nonetheless inferior to the drug), however at these larger concentrations, some sufferers broke out in a rash. A 25 p.c tea tree oil utility could possibly treatment athlete’s foot with out being too dangerous, however commonplace antifungal lotions may go higher.
Can’t get sufficient about tea tree oil? Then watch:
For these enthusiastic about Flashback Friday: What’s the Best Mouthwash?, click on the hyperlink to be taught extra.
You can also be enthusiastic about Natural Treatment for Acne and Fungal Infections. I’ve produced movies on one other inflammatory pores and skin situation, eczema (atopic dermatitis), too. See Eczema Treatment with Coconut Oil, Mineral Oil vs. Vaseline and Best Foods to Avoid for Eczema.
In well being,
Michael Greger, M.D.
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