Can Tea Tree Oil Help Manage Rosacea? How To Use It?

Let the potent properties of this oil help you control your flush and its complications.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Vindhya L Veerula, MD, FAAD

Dr. Veerula (Dr. V) is a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons. She is an energetic, proactive, and compassionate medical practitioner with 5 years of experience and a thorough understanding of overall mind-body-spiritual wellness.

Read full bio of Dr. Vindhya L Veerula

Written by Ramona Sinha, MA (English Literature) Experience: 11 years

Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal.

Read full bio of Ramona Sinha

Edited by Anjali Sayee, BTech Experience: 7 years

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy.

Read full bio of Anjali Sayee

Fact-checked by Shiboli Chakraborti, MA (English Literature), Certified Skin Care Coach Experience: 4 years

Shiboli has a master’s degree in English literature from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and is a certified skincare coach with four years of experience. As a commerce editor, she guides her team members on the best practices to create crisp and authentic content.

Read full bio of Shiboli Chakraborti

Last Updated on Nov 19, 2024

✔ Evidence Based

StyleCraze believes in credibility and giving our readers access to authentic and evidence-based content. Our stringent editorial guidelines allow us to only cite from reputed research institutions, academic journals, and medically established studies. If you discover any discrepancy in our content, you may contact us.

Image: Shutterstock

Tea tree oil has several skin benefits. It is a plant-based oil with great medicinal properties. You can use tea tree oil to manage minor skin issues like allergies, cuts, and rashes. However, many prefer using tea tree oil for rosacea, a condition marked by facial redness, flushing, visible blood vessels, and sometimes acne-like bumps. This article discusses how tea tree oil may help manage rosacea and ways to use it. Keep reading.

In This Article

Rosacea: The Condition And Its Symptoms

Image: Shutterstock

Rosacea is a skin condition that is marked by redness on the skin, especially on the face, usually on the nose and cheeks. It can spread to other parts of the face, including the eyelids. The American Academy of Dermatology Association says that those with the tendency to blush easily are vulnerable to this condition (1).

According to a review, it was found that rosacea affects over 16 million patients in the US. It is even more prevalent in populations with Celtic heritage, like Ireland, where it affects up to 18% of the population. Globally, it’s estimated that over 5% of people have rosacea, and both males and females are affected equally.

It is mainly caused and aggravated by factors that increase the flow of blood to your face. For instance, cosmetics, hot drinks, sun exposure, drugs (that dilate your blood vessels), and emotions may cause blushing. Anyone may develop this condition, but certain factors increase vulnerability, such as:

Fair skin
Sun damage
Age (people who are in their 30s are at risk)
Smoking
A family history of rosacea

The symptoms of rosacea include:

This graph from a study published in Dermatology and Therapy shows symptoms of rosacea in 708 eligible respondents who were reported to have had four or more inflamed bumps or pimples. The most common symptoms were flushing (84.0%) and persistent facial erythema in the center of the face (69.1%), while persistent facial redness (69.2%), blushing or flushing (60.9%), and bumps or pimples (53.5%) were found to be the most bothersome.

Rosacea Symptoms

Source: Erythema of Rosacea Affects Health-Related Quality of Life: Results of a Survey Conducted in Collaboration with the National Rosacea Society

Redness around cheeks and nose (a persistent blush)
Extremely sensitive skin that readily reacts to skincare products and sun exposure
Swollen red bumps on the face or pimples
Burning sensation on the face
Rough and dry skin
Enlarged pores
Bulbous nose. This is more common in men than in women. The skin around the nose becomes thick and thus appears bulbous.
Eye issues, such as irritation in the eyes, swollen eyelids (if the condition gets severe, it may spread to the eyelids as well), and dryness in the eyes.

Trivia

An estimated 5.46 % of the population around the globe, aged between 45 to 60 years, is affected by rosacea (15).

This is not a curable condition, but with proper treatment, you can control the flare-ups. Tea tree oil is a natural remedy that can help manage the condition.

Key Takeaways

Rosacea is a skin condition that causes facial redness due to increased blood flow.
Tea tree oil contains terpinen-4-ol that may eliminate and control Demodex mites that may cause rosacea.
Use tea tree oil in combination with coconut oil, lavender oil, olive oil, or honey to manage rosacea.
Mix tea tree oil with a moisturizer to eliminate mites and moisturize the skin.
Tea tree oil is meant for topical application and must always be diluted before using it on the skin.

Is Tea Tree Oil Good For Rosacea?

Image: Shutterstock

Yes, because it helps control and eliminates Demodex mites (2).

Demodex is a genus of mites that live in our skin. There are two species, namely Demodex folliculorum (that lives in hair follicles), and Demodex brevis (that lives in our sebaceous glands). Demodex folliculorum is usually found in large numbers on the skin of people suffering from rosacea.

Another study found that tea tree oil contains terpinen-4-ol, an ingredient that can kill Demodex mites (3).

A study evaluated the efficacy of permethrin 2.5% along with tea tree oil gel on rosacea. The researchers found that the topical gel reduced the number of Demodex mites significantly and inhibited the inflammation caused by rosacea (4).

Dalen, a YouTuber, shares a skin care tip for managing rosacea. The tip involves using a rollerball with a mixture of jojoba oil and tea tree oil to combat skin mites on the face, which are believed to contribute to rosacea symptoms. Of her own experience of the mixture, she states, “I do it twice a day, I do it morning and night. I wear it under my makeup, it’s really made a big difference in my skin (i).”

There hasn’t been much research on the effectiveness of tea tree oil in controlling rosacea (caused by any reason other than excess Demodex activity). Still, it has helped treat similar skin issues.

Quick Tip

Tea tree oil may cause burning, itching, and scaly skin if not diluted properly or used in higher concentrations.

Wondering how you can use tea tree oil for rosacea? Here are some easy recipes that you can try at home. Remember to do a patch test before using tea tree oil to check if you are allergic. Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory condition, so consult a dermatologist before using tea tree oil or any other home remedies for rosacea.

How To Use Tea Tree Oil For Rosacea – 12 Natural Treatments