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Fight Infection With Tea Tree Oil
By Jon Herring
While surfing in Central America last year, I got swept onto a reef, cutting my foot and scraping my shin. By that night, the wounds were inflamed and my lower leg was throbbing with pain. A few minor cuts were threatening to end my trip.
But then a couple of Aussies offered me some tea tree oil, promising that it would clear things right up. And that's exactly what happened. After treating the wounds two or three times, the inflammation went away completely, the pain subsided, and my injuries healed rapidly. This was not the first time I had used tea tree oil, but it was the first time I observed such a dramatic and immediate effect.
Australian aborigines have used tea tree oil as an antiseptic for centuries. And it is finally being taken seriously by scientists. In several published studies, tea tree oil has been shown to be a highly effective treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections. In one study from the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy - a trial of treatments for herpes-related cold sores - tea tree oil was just as effective as the leading drug treatment. According to the researchers, "after just 10 minutes exposure to tea tree oil, there were profound changes in bacterial cells leading to their destruction."
Tea tree oil has a broad range of anti-bacterial, antiviral, and fungicidal properties, and unlike many synthetic antiseptics, it does not damage healthy cells. In addition to wounds and cold sores, it can be used to treat acne, athlete's foot, blisters, insect bites, burns, rashes, etc.
Tea tree oil should be a part of any first-aid kit. Desert Essence has a wide range of tea tree products (including an excellent face wash) that you can find at most health food stores.
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