MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL || Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Reviews

MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL

Antioxidant; Fragrance Ingredient; PERFUMING

SCORE

	1	low hazard
	93%	data gap
(why scores have changed)

Also listed as

OILS, TEA TREE; TEA RESINOID; TEA TREE LEAF OIL; TEA TREE OIL; TEA TREE OILS; MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) OIL; OILS, TEATREE; TEA EXTRACT; TEA LEAF, ABSOLUTE; TEA OIL; TEA TREE OIL; MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA LEAF OIL; MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA OIL; T36-C7

Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.

This ingredient:
	Cancer
	Developmental/reproductive toxicity
	Violations, restrictions & warnings
	Allergies/immunotoxicity
	Contamination concerns
	Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Endocrine disruption
	Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Data gaps
	See products containing MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL

About MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL: Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil is the oil distilled from the leaves of the Melaleucaalternifolia. See "Regulatory and Ingredient Use Information," regarding the labeling names for botanicalingredients in Volume 1, Introduction, Pa rt A.

MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL has reported used in the following product types: facial cleanser (57); acne treatment (53); facial moisturizer/treatment (52); anti-itch/rash cream (30); exfoliant/scrub (28); shampoo (28); foot moisturizer (27); moisturizer (26); body wash/cleanser (22); wound treatment (21)

Endocrine disruption

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Limited evidence of disruption		Henley et al 2007

Allergies/immunotoxicity

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Limited evidence of toxicity		Pirker C et al, 2003

Data gaps

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel
204 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results ->		PubMed

Ecotoxicology

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin		Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful		Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List

Multiple, additive exposure sources

type of concern	product conditions	reference
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food		FDA Everything Added to Food

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications

government/industry list/academic study	appears on list as	classification(s)
FDA Everything Added to Food	TEA TREE OIL (MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA)	• Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought.
Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List	OILS, TEA-TREE	•This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for uncertain persistence and uncertain bioaccumulation.
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List	TEA TREE OIL	•The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008.
Henley et al 2007	TEA TREE OIL	in preliminary study, linked to prepubertal breast development in three boys, and to estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity in lab assays
Pirker C et al, 2003	TEA TREE OIL	tea tree oil linked to sensitization (allergic reactions) in a number of case studies
Henley et al 2007	TEA TREE OIL	in preliminary study, linked to prepubertal breast development in three boys, and to estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity in lab assays
Pirker C et al, 2003	TEA TREE OIL	tea tree oil linked to sensitization (allergic reactions) in a number of case studies

references

government/industry list/academic study	reference
FDA Everything Added to Food	FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List	EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List	IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25
Open scientific literature	Henley et al 2007. Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. N Engl J Med. 2007 Feb 1;356(5):479-85.
Open scientific literature	Pirker C et al. 2003. Sensitization to tea tree oil in Germany and Austria. A multicenter study of the German Contact Dermatitis Group. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2003 Aug;1(8):629-34.
Open scientific literature	Henley et al 2007. Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. N Engl J Med. 2007 Feb 1;356(5):479-85.
Open scientific literature	Pirker C et al. 2003. Sensitization to tea tree oil in Germany and Austria. A multicenter study of the German Contact Dermatitis Group. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2003 Aug;1(8):629-34.

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