How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Dandruff Treatment

Tea tree oil is a volatile essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant that is known for its antimicrobial and therapeutic properties.

There has been a long history of the traditional use of tea tree oil by Australian aboriginals for healing burns, cuts and other skin infections.

Tea tree oil contains a constituent called terpenoids, which is known to have antiseptic and antifungal activity.

Due to its anti-fungal properties, tea tree oil is used to design products that treat dandruff.

These products can come as anti-dandruff shampoo, scalp protector, leave-in treatment and instant conditioners. Some of the designs can be used independently or as a full medication kit.

In 1998, a single-blind study examined the use of 5% tea tree oil shampoo or placebo in 126 people with mild to moderate dandruff.

After 4 weeks, the tea tree oil shampoo significantly reduced symptoms of dandruff due to its ability to treat Malassezia furfur, which is the fungus that causes dandruff.

Dandruff is a skin condition that affects the scalp and causes flakes of skin to appear. The skin condition can cause an itchy or sore scalp, and in severe cases leads to rashes that can result in slow hair growth.

In treating dandruff with tea tree oil, trichologists advise that for better results, anti-dandruff shampoo should be used daily for 4 weeks.

When the shampoo has been rinsed off, apply dandruff leave-in treatment or scalp protector.

This treatment should be repeated between 1 to 3 times daily.

Anti-dandruff instant conditioner can be used alongside the anti-dandruff shampoo to detangle and make the hair manageable during treatment.