If you have ever been plagued by eczema, and have had a hard time finding a great shampoo for eczema, you know that shampoos which contain harsh chemicals may do more harm than good. If you are more on the chemical conscious side, and want an alternative to place on your scalp, tea tree oil can be an effective remedy for scalp and eczema shampoo.

Tea tree oil has been used for hundreds of years as an antiseptic, antibiotic, insect repellant and antifungal treatment. In the 1930’s, it was widely acclaimed as a near perfect antiseptic, so much so that World War II Australian soldiers used tea tree oil in their first aid kits. Fortunately, it also speeds up wound healing, and is a natural alternative if you are looking for a shampoo to cure your eczema naturally.

Pure Tea Tree Oil for Eczema

Pure tea tree oil is effective and a few drops can go along way as a “shampoo” for eczema! Just make sure to dilute it so that your hair won’t smell too bad or irritate your skin. 🙂 There are a few ways you can do this on your scalp:

1) Mix one part of pure oil and mix it with ten parts of another oil, such as almond oil, avocado oil, or jojoba oil (the latter is the priciest out of them all). Then gently massage the oil into the scalp and leave it on for a few minutes. If you want it to be even more effective, follow it up with a tea tree shampoo (this is also suitable for baby’s because it’s all natural). I heard of a story where this was used on a baby, and in a few days, the cradle cap was gone!

2) Infuse bath water with tea tree oil. Add one to two tablespoons of tea tree oil to warm bath water and soak for several minutes. This is also very helpful if your body has eczema. You can follow up with a tea tree oil shampoo for maximum penetration. Be sure to moisturize liberally afterwards to seal in the soothing properties of the tea tree oil bath.

If you have eczema on your body, you can also  add a few drops of pure tea tree oil to a cotton ball and dab directly onto the eczema rash. Be sure to also dilute it with several drops to a carrier oil or a creamy hypoallergenic moisturizer and then apply it onto your skin.

Tea Tree Oil Shampoo for Eczema

I often get asked to find an effective shampoo and eczema product. Tea tree oil, in fact, comes from the leaves of the Australian tea tree, the Melaleuca alternifolia. It is sometimes called melaleuca oil, and comes in a variety of forms, including gels, creams, ointments, shampoos for eczema, conditioners, toothpastes and mouthwashes. Tea tree oil can easily be found in natural food stores and some pharmacies.

In shampoo form, tea tree oil may be effective in reducing dandruff, unclogging hair follicles and clearing up bacterial and fungal infections. At the health food store I used to work at, the Natures Gate – Calming Tea Tree Shampoo (18 oz) is a popular choice. It has 4.5 out of 5 stars (out of 47 reviews on Amazon!). Some of the reviews are great (keep in mind that everyone reacts differently to different products).

The shampoo contains no parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, and is phthlate free. For a healthy clean shampoo, the price is also cheaper than most that you find in health food stores (depending on where you’re located) :). They range from $5.39 to $8.13 on Amazon, depending on which supplier you buy it from.

Scroll to the very bottom if you’d like to read a review for this product. You can also try the Nature’s Gate – Tea Tree Calming Conditioner for Irritated, Flaky Scalp (18 Ounces), or you can read the reviews found here for their 3 pack conditioner, if you’d like.

 

Other choices

If you’re looking for other choices, Tea Tree Scalp Care Shampoo by Thursday Plantation (8.45 oz Liquid) is also another product that used to be sold at the health food store I worked at. It is good because it only contains a few ingredients (the less the better), but the downside is that it also contains fragrance, which is not always a good choice for some eczema sufferers.

 

Keep in mind that tea tree oil should only be used topically — it’s not meant to be swallowed and may be toxic if ingested.

If you have eczema near or under your nails, you may also try Tea Tree Solution For Nails. You can use it the same way as the other products by diluting it with cream or a carrier oil.

Other products with tea tree oil are the Tea Tree Foot Powder which also works as an antiseptic and helps reduce foot odour (it’s more effective as in reducing foot odour though).

If you’re curious, below is also a review from the Natures Gate – Calming Tea Tree Shampoo:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Works! October 10, 2012

I am here to provide you with information to help you make the best choices 🙂 If you have more questions, feel free to contact me.
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P.S. Check out my resource page for a full list of Products I Love!

Biography

Abby is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who helps clients achieve optimal health. She is passionate about seeing people use health and nutrition to transform lives. She hopes that her experiences and knowledge can help educate others on natural remedies that will help eczema. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube for more updates!