Tea tree oil for hair

Tea tree oil is a natural hair healer. In the homeland of a plant in Australia, tea essential oil is called "ambulance", and this name is justified. Ether has healing properties and has a beneficial effect on the health and beauty of hair.

Essential oil with healing properties is obtained from the leaves of an evergreen tropical plant. In the world it is known as the tea tree. However, this plant is not related to tea. It belongs to another family - Myrtle, and its botanical name is melaleuka.

Melaleuka leaves contain essential oils and biologically active substances. Indigenous people of Australia use them as a medicine with a pronounced antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and healing effect.

Tea tree oil is used by phytotherapists (in the form of inhalations), cosmetologists and trichologists for the treatment of internal organs, skin and hair. In all three directions, the effect provides a unique composition of the ether.

To obtain healthy oil, the leaves of the plant are subjected to steam distillation. This is an effective, economical and at the same time technological process that helps to extract all the beneficial substances and aroma from plant materials, while keeping the cost of the final product affordable.

During distillation, superheated steam under pressure passes through a sieve with chopped tea tree leaves.He "collects" volatile components from the composition of the raw materials, dragging even hard-to-reach substances. At the same time, the steam temperature does not exceed the norm, after which the useful components begin to break down and lose their properties, as in the case of hydrodistillation and other primitive methods for producing essential oil.

The enriched steam cools, forming a mixture of water and essential oil. They are separated from each other using special equipment, and the healing elixir for hair and scalp is ready. It includes almost 100 useful components that are divided into several groups.

• Monoterpen - hydrocarbons of plant origin. As part of tea oil, they are responsible for the disinfecting, analgesic and warming effect. It is important to use the oil in diluted form and in courses. With regular use, monoterpenes irritate the skin and mucous membranes.
• Terpineols - colorless substances with a delicate aroma of lilac. They give the oil a recognizable woody fleur and are used as foaming agents, so the oil can be added to shampoo. As a cosmetic product, terpenes restore the smoothness of hair by closing their scales, and degrease the scalp. Hair becomes less brittle and stays clean longer.
• Cineol - antiseptic component of ether. It helps to heal wounds with dermatitis, fights fungi and pathogenic bacteria.
• Pinen - a colorless substance with a delicate aroma of needles. The composition of tea tree oil for hair helps to grow long and healthy curls due to the ability to accelerate blood circulation. Nutrients and vitamins are better supplied to the hair follicles, causing hair growth.

The benefits of the essential oil of melaleuka are difficult to overestimate. It is effective in three directions at once: prevention, hair treatment, cosmetic procedures. As a prophylactic, oil is used for the following problems.

• Greasy, oily hair at the roots. The source of this problem is the malfunctioning of the sebaceous glands on the scalp. Terpineols help to solve it.
• Slow hair growth. Pinenes normalize blood circulation, hair receives more vitamins and oxygen.
• Dull, faded curls. Tea tree extract returns moisture to them, closes the flakes, thereby giving them a natural shine.
• Excessive hair loss.

Cosmetic effect:

• hair becomes vibrant and shiny;
• restores natural volume at the roots;
• the number of split ends is reduced;
• the body of each hair becomes dense and smooth, the hair looks more dense;
• curls acquire elasticity;
• oil emphasizes the natural color of the hair, makes it brighter;
• the hair is easier to comb and style, since the opened scales, which previously clung to the teeth on the comb, are “sealed”, and as a result the styling looks neat;
• slows down the aging of the scalp, maintains the tone of the epidermis and a healthy hair structure;
• enhances the effect of vitamins for hair growth.

Medicine:

• Eliminates fungal infections. Oil fights their pathogen. Yeast causes it - they violate the natural microflora of the scalp. An unpleasant itching appears, a desire to scratch the head, and, as a result, wounds and inflammations. Hair grow dull, fall out profusely. In advanced cases, bald patches form. Tea tree ether helps eliminate symptoms (dryness, redness, dandruff, pink plaques, painful hair, dryness, excessive brittleness, loss) and the pathogen.
• Helps get rid of dandruff. This annoying problem is common to both men and women.However, contrary to the commercials, dandruff is not just white flakes of skin on clothes that spoil the image. This is a serious disease, which manifests itself in the intensive exfoliation of horny scales. Normally, the upper layer of the epidermis on the head is completely renewed once a month. The appearance of dandruff during this period is a natural phenomenon. But on a regular basis, it signals serious problems - fungus, psoriasis, seborrhea. It is possible to cure these diseases with tea tree oil. Its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties are not inferior to expensive pharmaceuticals.
• Destroys the cause of head lice - hair lice.
• Relieves itching and irritation.
• Prevents inflammatory processes in dermatitis. Disinfects the skin as an antiseptic that penetrates deep into the epidermis.
• Accelerates the regeneration process.
• Heals from seborrheic dermatitis.

Tea tree ether is a safe cosmetic product, however, even this substance has a number of contraindications.

People who are allergic to the components of the drug and with individual intolerance should refrain from using the oil for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

It is not recommended to use the product during pregnancy and lactation without consulting a doctor. Its aroma is specific and in pregnant women can cause nausea, dizziness, suffocation. Tea oil treatment in the first trimester of pregnancy is especially dangerous.

The oil gives a negative effect on the scalp if it is badly damaged. It is, first of all, a bactericidal agent, and not a regenerative one. Although small wounds heal faster when used, it does not build up new skin. Even in a small concentration (up to 5%), the drug remains potent on wounds and can aggravate the condition of the epidermis.

A contraindication is also a child under 6 years old. After that, you can use the oil in a minimum concentration and on the recommendation of a doctor.

Tea tree hair care should be handled wisely. A positive and long-term effect is only from a quality product and proper use. To achieve the result, it is important to follow simple rules of use.

• Get the highest quality oil.

It is not difficult to distinguish it from a fake.

1. Producing country. The most valuable oil from Australia is from the historical homeland of the plant. It is easy to recognize at a higher price relative to the means of other countries of production.
2. The aroma. The natural product has a characteristic woody smell with spicy notes. It is refreshing and multifaceted. Fakes are recognizable and sharply smell like camphor oil. The aroma is palpable even through the closed bottle cap.
3. Marking. The botanical name of the tea tree in Latin and 100% naturalness of the essential oil should be indicated on the vial and box.
4. Tara. Essential oils, strictly speaking, are not oils. These are volatile components and are very sensitive to light. Natural oil can only be purchased in dark glass containers of small volume. The synthetic analogue will be packed in a transparent or plastic container.
5. Texture. At home, you can check the naturalness of tea tree oil by comparing it with any other vegetable oil. It is light, glides on the skin a little, but does not feel greasy, such as olive.
6. Color. Real tea tree oil is light, yellowish in color.
7. Manufacturer. In search of a clean product, you should take a closer look at suppliers in eco-shops.Counterfeit products are less common among organic products because they go through strict controls.

• Consult a specialist. This does not apply to preventive measures and care procedures for hair and skin in normal condition. Mandatory consultation only before treatment of serious diseases - seborrhea, infections, baldness. They may be the result of another problem in the body, then complex therapy will be required, where oil is only an additional component.
• Check the drug for an allergic reaction. This is done in the usual way - on the bend of the elbow or wrist. It is enough to apply a small drop of tea tree ester diluted up to 5% with base oil and wait several hours. If there is no itching and redness, you can apply it on the hair and head.
• Use only diluted oil. In the store, esters are sold in 100% concentration. They need to be diluted to 5-10% on their own, using base oils suitable for the type of skin and hair. Pure tea tree oil can leave a severe burn.
• Observe proportions. Ether dries the skin. It is important to add it in moderation, according to the selected recipe for your skin type. An increase in the oil fraction in the cosmetic or medicinal composition for hair will not accelerate the result, but it can aggravate the situation.
• Evaluate the result after each use. If after using the oil there is discomfort, the appearance of the hair has worsened, you need to interrupt the course and find an alternative to tea tree. You can’t get used to oil. If it did not come immediately, it would not be better.
• Store the product correctly and regularly check its quality. Air loves cool dark places. If stored improperly, the oil may oxidize or run rancid. Such a product will no longer be useful, and the risk of getting a burn will increase.
• Do not use expired oil.

There are various ways to treat and restore hair with tea tree oil. It is possible to add oil to ready-made cosmetics: shampoo, mask, balm. Regardless of the purpose, the proportions of the substances are the same: 1-2 drops for every 100 grams of the product. The components must be thoroughly mixed and the product used up to 10-15 minutes, so that the oil has time to act. For this method, preparations of natural ingredients are preferred. After several applications, the result is already noticeable: the problem of oily roots and weak hair disappears. The combination of essential oil with chemical components can be unpredictable.

When applying oil wraps, tea tree ether is diluted with base (transport) oil suitable for the type of hair. For oily hair at the roots of the hair, jojoba oil is suitable as a base. For normal and dry curls, as a base, you can choose olive, castor, coconut oil.

It is possible to use oil as the main component of home masks. If the hair is normal and they need to be maintained in this state, masks with olive oil, banana, and yolk are suitable. Mixed hair type (greasy roots and dry tips) look healthier after clay based masks with the addition of moisturizing ingredients (egg, honey). Kefir and vehicle oils are suitable for dry hair. To accelerate hair growth, masks are needed that enhance blood flow to the hair follicles (with mustard, pepper) and the addition of tea tree oil.

Masks are applied no more than once a week for a long time. You can keep them on your hair from 15 minutes to 8 hours. The more aggressive components are used (for example, mustard), the less you need to keep the composition on your hair.With soft ingredients (such as a banana), you can leave the mask overnight. The result is well-groomed, shiny, healthy curls.

Aroma combing - a simple and effective procedure, for which you only need a comb and 3-5 drops of diluted tea tree oil. They need to be applied to the comb teeth and for 5-10 minutes, gently comb the curl behind the curl, massage the scalp in a circular motion. For a visible result, it is enough to carry out aroma combing 2 times a week.

A useful hair tonic consists of ordinary water and two drops of oil per liter of liquid. You can also add it to a herbal decoction of chamomile or nettle. After rinsing with such a composition, the hair becomes obedient and radiant. They are easier to comb and style.

Reviews about the use of tea tree oil for hair are mostly positive, both from the female half of the population and from the male, because everyone has annoying hair problems.

As the most effective, masks with the addition of ether have proven themselves. After them, the hair becomes soft, silky, shiny. They stay fresh and clean longer; volume appears at the roots. Also among the pluses of the product is a bright and fresh aroma that stays on the hair. He is unobtrusive, pleasant and has the ability to remove drowsiness.

It is also a minus for those who do not like the persistent aromas of cosmetics.

About the benefits and uses of tea tree oil for hair, see the video below.