Melaleuca oil

Reported Uses

• NOTE: see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table
• acne [Possibly Effective]
• angular cheilitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• bacterial vaginosis [Insufficient Evidence]
• blepharitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• candidiasis, oropharyngeal [Insufficient Evidence]
• candidiasis, vulvovaginal [Insufficient Evidence]
• dandruff [Insufficient Evidence]
• dental plaque [Insufficient Evidence]
• dry eye dz [Insufficient Evidence]
• furuncles [Insufficient Evidence]
• gingivitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• halitosis [Insufficient Evidence]
• hemorrhoids [Insufficient Evidence]
• herpes labialis (cold sores) [Insufficient Evidence]
• hirsutism [Insufficient Evidence]
• insect bite [Insufficient Evidence]
• lice [Insufficient Evidence]
• molluscum contagiosum [Insufficient Evidence]
• MRSA [Insufficient Evidence]
• nickel-induced contact dermatitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• ocular demodicosis [Insufficient Evidence]
• onychomycosis [Possibly Effective]
• otitis externa [Insufficient Evidence]
• otitis media [Insufficient Evidence]
• pharyngitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• rosacea [Insufficient Evidence]
• scabies [Insufficient Evidence]
• seborrheic dermatitis [Insufficient Evidence]
• tines corporis [Insufficient Evidence]
• tinea pedis [Possibly Effective]
• toothache [Insufficient Evidence]
• wound healing [Insufficient Evidence]

Reported Doses

Safety/efficacy may not be established; reported doses may be derived from limited or potentially inadequate studies w/ variable regimens, multi-ingredient products, or where concentration of active ingredients may vary widely

Effectiveness Ratings

[see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table]

acne

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: apply 5% gel topically bid; Info: for pts 15 yo and older

blepharitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply swab topically bid

candidiasis, oropharyngeal

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 15 mL swish/spit qid

dandruff

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply 5% topical shampoo qd; Info: apply, leave several min, rinse; for pts 14 yo and older

dental plaque

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 1.5% mouth rinse topically qd; Alt: 10 mL (0.2-0.3% solution) swish/spit bid; brush w/ 2.5% gel topically bid; 3-4 gtt 100% mouthwash diluted in water swish/spit bid-tid

dry eye dz

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: scrub eyelid w/ tea tree oil shampoo qd; Alt: apply 1% tea tree oil shampoo topically qd

gingivitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 1.5% mouth rinse topically qd; Alt: 10 mL (0.2-0.3% solution) swish/spit bid; 3-4 gtt 100% mouthwash diluted in water swish/spit bid-tid; brush w/ 2.5% gel topically qd

halitosis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mL (100% solution) swish/spit bid; Alt: apply 15 mL (0.125% solution) topically qd; Info: 0.125% solution prepared w/ tea tree oil:peppermint oil:lemon oil (1:2:1 ratio)

hemorrhoids, peds pts

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply gel topically bid-tid

hirsutism

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply spray topically bid; Info: spray provides tea tree oil 2 mcg/cm^2 and lavender oil 48 mcg/cm^2

lice, peds pts

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply 10% lotion topically x1; Info: may repeat q3-4 days x2wk; for pts 4 yo and older

molluscum contagiosum, peds pts

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply 1 gtt topically bid; Info: solution containing 75% tea tree oil

MRSA

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply 10% cream plus 5% body wash topically qd-tid; Alt: apply 4% nasal ointment plus 5% body wash topically qd

nickel-induced contact dermatitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply undiluted or diluted tea tree oil topically qd; Alt: apply 60-120 mcL (20% or 50% solution) topically x1 before exposure

ocular demodicosis, adults

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: scrub eyelid w/ tea tree oil shampoo qd plus scrub eyelid w/ 50% solution qwk; Alt: scrub eyelid w/ 10% solution qd-bid; apply 5-10% ointment topically to eyelid qd

ocular demodicosis, peds pts

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply 5% ointment topically to eyelid qd plus scrub eyelid w/ 50% solution qwk; Info: for pts 2.5 yo and older

onychomycosis

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: apply 100% solution topically bid

rosacea

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply gel topically bid; Info: permethrin gel containing tea tree oil

tinea pedis

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: apply 10% cream topically bid; Alt: apply 25% or 50% solution topically bid