It’s happened to almost everyone: tomorrow is picture day or a job interview and suddenly you notice a red spot that is growing into the inevitable pimple. Although we do not know for sure if stress alone causes pimples, we do know that people get pimples during stressful times. Perhaps people sweat more when they’re stressed or eat differently. Whatever the reason we need to find a way to dissolve the problem before it grows.
As the cause of pimples is bacteria and oil trapped in the skin and tea tree oil kills bacteria you can dab a bit of tea tree oil on the infected area. It is a good idea to wash the skin first to remove any oils and dirt that might be blocking the way. Studies in Australia have proven that tea tree oil kills bacteria including Propionibacterium which is the main cause of acne.
If you have an acne problem, search out products which contain tea tree oil for a safe solution. Although it is used as a topical solution for different types of cleaning and infections, it might be a good idea to find a tested product that will benefit your skin in other ways as well. It is a topical solution and swallowing it will not help your skin. In fact, swallowing any amount of tea tree oil could possibly be fatal.
Posted in: Bacteria, Blemishes, Pimples.
It amazes me how many bathrooms I’ve seen in this area have a lack of ventilation in the winter time. One home I lived in didn’t even have a bathroom window, but they had a vented fan that didn’t seem to work very well. The other bathroom we had in a different home didn’t have a fan at all but did have a window. Now, opening that window in the winter can be an insane idea because for two months out of the year it is below freezing.
One member of my family enjoys taking really hot showers. While this might be comforting to him, it leads to a big moisture problem in the bathroom. He would never wipe down the surfaces either. In the summer it’s not a big deal, you just open the window and it dries out really quickly. In the winter, however, we started to notice the mold appearing everywhere.
During my search for a mold product there are a few things that I learned and some of these are very common misconceptions.
Bleach doesn’t kill the mold. Bleach will clean the mold and take the color out of it, but it doesn’t kill it so any mold cleaned with bleach will come back and possibly multiplied because something cleaned with bleach probably doesn’t get to the root of the problem if it has gone into the woodwork.
Charcoal coals will soak up moisture in the air which is perfect for those bathrooms without windows or poor ventilation systems. Get a nice vase that matches the color of your bathroom and put some charcoal in it. Maybe a few of the if it is a big problem. Some people recommend to just leave pieces in the bathroom but I assume this can get quite messy and is unsightly.
Vinegar, which is very inexpensive, can kill mold. Straight vinegar can be used. Another product that works but is a bit more expensive than vinegar is tea tree oil. You’ll want to mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil with two cups of water to kill the mold. Spray either of these on the mold and let it sit then wash it away. If it is black mold or you’re not sure what kind of mold it is then wear a breathing mask as you do not want to get any kind of mold in your lungs. Believe it or not, your lungs are the perfect breeding place for a toxic mold. Always wear disposable gloves when dealing with mold and toss them in a plastic bag when done.
Don’t forget to wash your shower curtains too. People don’t realize that shower curtains, especially cloth ones, can grow mold just as effectively as a damp wall.
Posted in: Mold.
Have you ever had one of those annoying little bumps on your skin that turn out to be warts? They make you want to hide away your hands or feet and sometimes they never seem to go away as they grow and multiply. They also seem very difficult to get rid of although there are various method that help remove the wart which includes freezing and medication.
One method people have tried is by using tea tree oil. Although it might take a longer time to remove the wart with tea tree oil it might leave less of a scar than faster methods. By applying tea tree oil 2 to 3 times per day you can watch the wart slowly dissolve into nothing. The best way is to dilute a 50/50 solution of water and tea tree oil. Some people use other products instead of water such as olive oil or aloe vera, but to keep the area disinfected I recommend to dilute it with water. I also recommend testing the solution on an inconspicuous area of your skin before using as some people might have a reaction. If you do have a reaction from sensitive skin then put more water than tea tree oil in the mixture. If there is more tea tree oil in the mixture then the wart should go away faster.
Wash the infected area first. While it dries, saturate a cotton swab in the mixture and massage it into the wart with the swab. Soak the foam or cotton part of the adhesive bandage in the oil without getting the sticky part wet then put over the wart. Be sure to let your foot breathe when the bandage is off. Eventually the wart will fall off so watch out for it. Discard it appropriately and use lotion to the area to heal any scarring.
Remember, warts are contagious so make sure they’re covered when dealing with other people. Try not to touch the wart with other parts of your body for it might spread. Do not share clothes and make sure they’re always clean especially socks and gloves as warts are more common on the feet and hands.
Posted in: Viruses.
Although I would never recommend taking tea tree oil internally, I can tell you there are products that have been tested to work as oral care that contain tea tree oil. These products were meant to be used as a topical solution inside your mouth as you spit it out instead of swallowing it. Even though I could make my own mixture of tea tree oil, water, and other products as a toothpaste and mouthwash, I prefer to use products that I can purchase over the counter because these have already been measured for safety.
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Posted in: Uncategorized.
Take a good look at your feet and focus on your toenails. If your toenails are well formed, a nice white color, and not thick and brittle then you probably have nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if your toenails are thick and brittle or misshapen and they might even have a yellowish or grayish tinge of color to them then you most likely you have a fungal toenail infection.
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Posted in: Fungal Infections.
Skin mites are terribly difficult to get rid of because they bore down into your skin and are resistant to many of the common topical pesticides. It wasn’t until recently when people realized that the essential oils from tea tree oil might just kill off mites. Continue reading →
Posted in: External Parasites.
It has happened to many of us: The school calls and tells you to pick up the children because of a case of head lice. You bring your child home and try the different over-the-counter products only to find the critters are immune to the poisons that are now in your child’s hair and smothered over her skin.
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Posted in: Medical Uses.
Tagged: Medicinal
