Menu
MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL
Score:
Data: Limited
- Other Concerns
- Functions
- About the Chemical
- Synonyms
-
Endocrine disruption (low)
Cancer 
Cancer: Ingredients linked to cancer in government, industry or academic studies or assessments.
Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
Developmental and reproductive toxicity: Ingredients linked to developmental and reproductive toxicity, a broad class of health effects that range from infertility and reproductive organ cancers to birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Allergies & Immunotoxicity
Allergies and immunotoxicity: Ingredients linked to harm to the immune system, a class of health problems that manifest as allergic reactions or an impaired capacity to fight disease and repair damaged tissue in the body.
Products with this Ingredient
| moisturizer | 45 products |
| toothpaste | 41 products |
| shampoo | 40 products |
| facial cleanser | 40 products |
| conditioner | 38 products |
| facial moisturizer/treatment | 32 products |
| antiperspirant/deodorant | 29 products |
| beach & sport sunscreen | 23 products |
| mask | 21 products |
| mouthwash | 16 products |
| body wash/cleanser | 16 products |
| toners/astringents | 14 products |
| serums & essences | 14 products |
| exfoliant/scrub | 13 products |
| foot moisturizer | 13 products |
| bar soap | 11 products |
| hair treatment/serum | 8 products |
| diaper cream | 6 products |
| after shave | 6 products |
| liquid hand soap | 6 products |
| body oil | 5 products |
| hand sanitizer | 5 products |
| foot cleansing | 4 products |
| lip balm | 4 products |
| moisturizer with SPF | 4 products |
| lip gloss | 4 products |
| makeup primer | 4 products |
| beard oil | 3 products |
| bath oil/salts/soak | 3 products |
| beard care | 3 products |
| sunless tanning | 2 products |
| makeup remover | 2 products |
| after sun product | 2 products |
| pore strips | 2 products |
| hair styling aide | 2 products |
| baby soap | 2 products |
| shaving cream | 2 products |
| baby lotion | 2 products |
| hand cream | 2 products |
| muscle/joint soreness | 2 products |
| body spray | 2 products |
| baby sunscreen | 2 products |
| around-eye cream | 2 products |
| detangler | 2 products |
| shaving cream (men's) | 1 products |
| lip balm with SPF | 1 products |
| nail treatment | 1 products |
| hair spray | 1 products |
| vapor rubs | 1 products |
| baby bubble bath | 1 products |
| facial powder | 1 products |
| damaged skin treatment | 1 products |
| tooth whitening | 1 products |
| styling gel/lotion | 1 products |
| antiperspirant/deodorant (men's) | 1 products |
| foundation | 1 products |
| hair relaxer | 1 products |
| fragrance for men | 1 products |
| eye shadow | 1 products |
Endocrine disruption
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| in preliminary study, linked to prepubertal breast development in three boys, and to estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity in lab assays | Henley et al 2007 Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. N Engl J Med. 2007 Feb 1;356(5):479-85. |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| tea tree oil linked to sensitization (allergic reactions) in a number of case studies | 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. |
Data gaps
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| 570 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern | Reference |
|---|---|
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
- Henley et al 2007 Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils. N Engl J Med. 2007 Feb 1;356(5):479-85.
- 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.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- 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.
ABOUT THE SKIN DEEP® RATINGS
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
ABOUT EWG VERIFIED™
Beyond providing Skin Deep® as an educational tool for consumers, EWG offers its EWG VERIFIED™ mark as a quick and easily identifiable way of conveying personal care products that meet EWG's strict health criteria. Before a company can use EWG VERIFIED™ on such products, the company must show that it fully discloses the products' ingredients on their labels or packaging, they do not contain EWG ingredients of concern, and are made with good manufacturing practices, among other criteria. Note that EWG receives licensing fees from all EWG VERIFIED™ member companies that help to support the important work we do. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer
