Treatment of acne with tea tree oil (melaleuca) products: a review of efficacy, tolerability and potential modes of action

K A Hammer

doi:10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2014.10.011

Treatment of acne with tea tree oil (melaleuca) products: a review of efficacy, tolerability and potential modes of action

Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2015 Feb;45(2):106-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2014.10.011. Epub 2014 Nov 13.

Author

K A Hammer¹

Affiliation

¹ School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (M504), Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Perth 6009, WA, Australia. Electronic address: katherine.hammer@uwa.edu.au.

PMID: 25465857
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2014.10.011

Abstract

Over-the-counter acne treatments containing tea tree oil from the plant Melaleuca alternifolia are widely available, and evidence indicates that they are a common choice amongst those self-treating their acne. The aims of this review were to collate and evaluate the clinical evidence on the use of tea tree oil products for treating acne, to review safety and tolerability and to discuss the underlying modes of therapeutic action.

Keywords: Antibacterial; Biofilm; Essential oil; Propionibacterium acnes; Terpenes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Acne Vulgaris / drug therapy*
Humans
Tea Tree Oil / adverse effects
Tea Tree Oil / pharmacology
Tea Tree Oil / therapeutic use*

Substances

Tea Tree Oil