(Ciele) Four Recommended Tea Tree Oil Dilution Methods to Treat Stubborn Nail Fungus or Onychomycosis

Posted byOileafPosted inAromatherapy

Recently, someone very close to me has a nail fungus or onychomycosis. It has been her problem for a few years now. I have always been interested in natural ways of healing but because I like Aromatherapy my first solution was to find an essential oil that could effectively treat her nails. Onychomycosis makes your nail look embossed because the space between the nail and the skin seemed to be filled with a solid substance. Others say that your nails become thicker and their color becomes a bit different or somewhat yellowish or paler.

Since Tea tree oil ( Ti-tree oil or Melaleuca Alternifolia oil) has been my go-to trusted essential oil, I’ve chosen it to help her treat her condition. In the book Aromatherapy an A-Z, Patricia Davis mentioned that there are only a few anti-fungal essential oils and one of them is Tea tree oil.

Tea tree oil has different anti-fungal properties. This includes alpha-Terpinene, terpinolene, alpha-terpineol, and Terpinene 4-of which is its most active anti-fungal ingredient.

I always make sure that I dilute my essential oils before I use them. Below are the different ways I dilute tea tree oil.

1. Tea tree oil with water

The first time I used Tea tree oil on her nails was several months or a year ago. I made a spray that we can mist on her nails. It’s composed of tea tree oil and water. However, we were not able to do it regularly hence we weren’t able to see if it is effective. For the few times that we’ve applied it to her nails, I have not seen any improvement, so I decided to try the next method for diluting it.

2. Tea tree oil with a carrier oil

I began to dilute tea tree oil with carrier oil when I had feet rashes. Because I’ve been using it and have noticed it’s effective for me, I thought I’d share it with her. In this dilution method, I followed the usual recommendation which is 1-2 drops of essential oil for every 12 drops of carrier oil.

When we have all consumed all the essential oil with this dilution method, I searched for different guides for diluting tea tree oil. I wanted to find the one that could best treat her nail fungus.

Different Recipe Recommendations

1. Equal amount of tea tree oil and carrier oil (1:1)

This is suited for those who wanted to use tea tree oil with higher concentration. Some believed that the stronger the concentration is, the more effective it is. Some recommend that if you are going to use tea tree oil for your nail fungus, it is good to dilute it with a carrier oil with a measurement ratio of 1:1 (i.e. your tea tree oil has an equal amount with your carrier oil. Two of the websites I’ve seen recommend that you dilute it with organic coconut oil, while others recommend jojoba or almond oil.

Moreover, they suggest that when applying it on the affected area or the nail with fungus, use cotton buds and apply it twice or thrice a day daily.

2. 2:8 (2 drops of EO to 8 drops of carrier oil)

If you are into Ayurvedic medicine, maybe you would opt for this method when diluting tea tree oil. I found this recommendation from Ayurvedic Oils. What I like about this recommendation is that you start treating your nail fungus by cleaning your foot (obliviously this applies if your fungus problem is in the nails on your feet). On their website the instruction stated was to have “2 drops of tea tree oil in a warm bath.” After making sure it is already clean you’ll then drop some diluted tea tree oil on the affected area. To do this, you have to dilute 2 drops of tree oil with 8 drops of carrier oil. The suggested carrier oil for this is olive oil.

3. 2-3 drops EO to 15-20 drops of EO

Among the tea tree oil diluting methods I found online, this one has the least drops of essential oil. I think this is good for those who have sensitive skin, especially for those who easily itch, or have some rashes when using tea tree oil or other essential oils.

In this recipe, the writer advised that if you are using 15-20 drops of carrier oil then you can add 2 to 3 drops of ti-tree oil. The writer also mentioned that for your carrier oil, coconut oil is one of the options you can have.

4. Undiluted (100% oil solution)

Most of the recommendations I’ve seen online suggest that you apply pure Melaleuca Alternifolia oil on the nail affected by fungus.

Just like in the 1:1 instruction, it is recommended to use a cotton swab. A suggested number of drops when applying 100 percent oil solution is two to five drops, while others recommend 1 to two 2 drops.

The recommended length of time you will apply tea-tree oil on your nails differs though. Some suggest that you use it for a minimum of 2 to 3 months while others say 6 months. So it would probably be safe to assume that you can use it for up to six months, but for you to see a change or improvement in your nails, it would take at least a minimum of three months. The article “3 Simple and Effective Natural Cures for Toenail Fungus” from the website Healthy and Natural World provided a good explanation for this. I like how the writer explained it in a brief, on-point, and easy-to-understand manner so I like to quote it here as is. “The nail has to grow out for the fungus to be eradicated, so you may not see results for several months.”

Meanwhile, others say it would take six months before you would see a significant result. Moreover, the usually suggested frequency for applying tea tree oil is two times a day every day. Some sites advise that you can use tea tree oil until your nail is completely fungus free or when your nail is back to normal.

Although it is almost impossible to avoid tea tree oil from being spilled on your skin when you apply it, it is still good to try your best to avoid it. I thought it’s worth mentioning the helpful suggestion I found from the Natural Living Family website which says “Take care not to apply tea tree on the skin, simply because undiluted tea tree oil might be irritating.”

For others, using undiluted tea tree oil is not a concern since it is said to be safe. In the book Aromatherapy an A-Z, Patricia Davis asserted that “Ti tree is not a skin irritant” so it can be used even if it’s pure. However, those with “ sensitive skin should use Ti-tree cautiously at first”

Just like the adage “prevention is better than cure” I also believe that it is helpful to follow standard safety guidelines when using essential oils. It is also good to listen to some suggestions such as the one that I found in the post of Doterra about Tea tree oil. It is recommended that to avoid irritation or “skin sensitivity” you have to dilute Melaleuca Alternifolia oil first with fractionated coconut oil. Moreover, they suggested that you can “Reap the benefits of Tea Tree oil for nails by applying some oil to your fingernails and toenails after you get out of the shower”
Just like me, you might also have this mindset that the higher the concentration of tea tree oil is the better because it has stronger potency, but I thought it wouldn’t also hurt to heed the warnings given by experts. A good reminder from Mayo clinic says that using undiluted ti tree oil has not yet been proven to be effective. Furthermore, you might see different results since “there are no standardized methods for harvesting tea tree oil or creating products containing the oil.” (Mayo Clinic, Tea Tree Oil Website)

Which is which?

As of now, I don’t know which one is the most effective. I’ve written here the different recommendations and to whom I think they are most suited so you can choose which one would work, do you?

It is also beneficial if you consider the manufacturer and the purity of your essential oil. Make sure that you are using the therapeutic essential oil and carefully identify the right application method you can follow to see its effectiveness.

We can follow the different recommendations above, but there’s no guarantee which one is the most effective. So far I haven’t found research that specifically tells which method of dilution is the most effective. Hence, it is best to find out for yourself what works for you.

If you’re going to ask me which one I followed, I’d say I started first with 1:1 because I wanted to have a higher tea tree oil concentration. Some books suggest that it is safe to use tea tree oil even if it is undiluted as long as you don’t have sensitive skin. (Davis, 1999) Hence I thought if I wanted to use an almost pure essential oil but somehow it is still diluted then 1:1 is the closest option to it. If the 1:1 measurement did not work then I’ll try 2:8 or go back to my previous recipe which is 2:12.

Ps. I’d like to emphasize that I’m not an expert aromatherapist, nor a naturopathic doctor. I think it is best to ask your doctor to know if it is safe for you to use tea tree oil and to know the most appropriate dilution method for your health condition.

References:

I’ve written below the references I used when writing this post. I’ve categorized them based on their measurement/ratio so it will be easier for you to check them out and read them for yourself, should you want to learn more about their tips.

Equal Amount 1:1

2:8 (2 drops of EO to 8 drops of carrier oil)

2-3 drops EO to 15-20 drops of EO

Undiluted

Published by Oileaf

Oileaf is currently an aromatherapist blogger. She previously worked as a copywriter for travel, accomodations, and health and wellness brands.

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