Clinical Studies And References

A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne.

Department of Dermatology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW.

Tea-tree oil (an essential oil of the Australian native tree Melaleuca alternifolia) has long been regarded as a useful topical antiseptic agent in Australia and has been shown to have a variety of antimicrobial activities; however, only anecdotal evidence exists for its efficacy in the treatment of various skin conditions. We have performed a single-blind, randomised clinical trial on 124 patients to evaluate the efficacy and skin tolerance of 5% tea-tree oil gel in the treatment of mild to moderate acne when compared with 5% benzoyl peroxide lotion. The results of this study showed that both 5% tea-tree oil and 5% benzoyl peroxide had a significant effect in ameliorating the patients' acne by reducing the number of inflamed and non-inflamed lesions (open and closed comedones), although the onset of action in the case of tea-tree oil was slower. Encouragingly, fewer side effects were experienced by patients treated with tea-tree oil.

Clinical studies are always important and are a critical component when marketing a skin hygiene product.

At Natracil we only use active ingredients that have solid clinical evidence supporting their efficacy and safety. We examine these ingredients at molecular level to determine their compatibility and synergy with other ingredients in the formula. This is important because when you mix ingredients they can interact with each other to form a different compound.

Virtually no other retailer, reseller or online distributor of natural skin hygiene products conducts clinical studies on their finished products. This is because of the cost, which can run into millions of dollars, and unlike synthetic chemical products, which can enjoy patent protection, there is no such protection with natural products.

Another reason is science is moving very fast in the area of natural skin hygiene.

So, even if it was practical to conduct a clinical study on a supplement or skin care product it is likely it would be out of date before the final report was completed.