For thousands of years the Aboriginal people of Australia have used the leaves of the teatree (Melaleuca alternifolia) to cure wounds, infections, and a wide range of skin conditions. European settlers learned how to use the leaves from the Aborigines and began extracting the oil, using it to treat cuts, abrasions, burns, insect bites, infections, and similar conditions.

The tea tree is a shrub in the myrtle family, growing to a height of about 20 feet. The medicinally active essential oil produced in its leaves has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties,and can destroy microbes, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. The effect of tea tree oil on microbes is similar to that of chemical disinfectants. It damages the cell membrane and disrupts the proteins within them, rendering them unable to proliferate and cause disease.

Tea tree oil contains over 100 plant chemicals. Terpinen-4-ol has been identified as tea tree oil’s main bactericidal compound. Therefore, tea tree oil with high terpinen-4-ol content is considered superior. Natural Factors Tea Tree Oil has a high terpinen-4-ol content, is 100% pure and is safely and gently obtained through steam distillation.