Allergy to tea tree oil: retrospective review of 41 cases with positive patch tests over 4.5 years.

Abstract

Tea tree oil use is increasing, with considerable interest in it being a 'natural' antimicrobial. It is found in many commercially available skin and hair care products in Australia. We retrospectively reviewed our patch test data at the Skin and Cancer Foundation Victoria over a 4.5-year period and identified 41 cases of positive reactions to oxidized tea tree oil of 2320 people patch-tested, giving a prevalence of 1.8%. The tea tree oil reaction was deemed relevant to the presenting dermatitis in 17 of 41 (41%) patients. Of those with positive reactions, 27 of 41 (66%) recalled prior use of tea tree oil and eight of 41 (20%) specified prior application of neat (100%) tea tree oil. Tea tree oil allergic contact dermatitis is under-reported in the literature but is sufficiently common in Australia to warrant inclusion of tea tree oil, at a concentration of 10% in petrolatum, in standard patch-test series. Given tea tree oil from freshly opened tea tree oil products elicits no or weak reactions, oxidized tea tree oil should be used for patch testing.

• Authors: Tim Rutherford, Rosemary Nixon, Mei Tam, Bruce Tate
• Journal: The Australasian journal of dermatology (Australas J Dermatol) Vol. 48 Issue 2 Pg. 83-7 (May 2007) ISSN: 0004-8380 [Print] Australia
• PMID: 17535193 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Allergens
• Cosmetics
• Tea Tree Oil

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Allergens (adverse effects)
• Cosmetics (adverse effects)
• Dermatitis, Allergic Contact (diagnosis, etiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Patch Tests (methods)
• Reproducibility of Results
• Retrospective Studies
• Tea Tree Oil (adverse effects)
• Victoria