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Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory dermatological pathology that affects mostly young people. However, it can also appear in adulthood, mainly in women. It has a high psychosocial impact, not only at the time of active lesions but also due to the consequences of lesions such as scarring and hyperpigmentation. Several factors are involved in the physiopathology of acne and the constant search for active ingredients is a reality, namely phytotherapeutic ingredients. Tea tree oil is an essential oil extracted from Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden & Betch) Cheel with known antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, making it a candidate for the treatment of acne. This review aims to describe the various properties of tea tree oil that make it a possible ingredient to use in the treatment of acne and to present several human studies that have evaluated the efficacy and safety of using tea tree oil in the treatment of acne. It can be concluded that tea tree oil has good antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that result in a decrease in the number of inflammatory lesions, mainly papules, and pustules. However, given the diversity of study designs, it is not possible to draw concrete conclusions on the efficacy and safety of this oil in the treatment of acne. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Os óleos essenciais (OEs) possuem um grande interesse na indústria cosmética, estando presentes em vários produtos cosméticos e cosmecêuticos devido às suas propriedades aromáticas e conservantes. Para além disso estes também são apelativos para o consumidor pelo facto de serem ingredientes de origem natural, o que faz com que estes sejam percecionados como ingredientes seguros. Um dos OEs mais utilizados neste contexto é o Tea Tree Oil (TTO), o qual é obtido a partir da destilação por arrastamento de vapor de folhas e ramos terminais de plantas do género Melaleuca, nomeadamente a partir da espécie Melaleuca alternifolia nativa do território australiano. O TTO é bastante conhecido pelas suas propriedades biológicas como a sua atividade antimicrobiana, anti-inflamatória e antioxidante, as quais são principalmente atribuídas ao seu componente maioritário, o terpinen-4-ol. À conta destas características o TTO tem sido alvo de vários estudos com o intuito de averiguar o seu interesse e sua aplicabilidade na acne, dermatite seborreica, envelhecimento cutâneo, saúde oral, onicomicose e higiene das mãos. Contudo, ao mesmo tempo o TTO pode estar associado a algumas reações adversas como as dermatites de contacto e reações de hipersensibilidade. Assim o objetivo desta dissertação é descrever o uso do TTO em produtos cosméticos e cosmecêuticos, a sua composição e propriedades biológicas, bem como as principais reações adversas associadas à sua utilização. Serão também abordados aspetos relacionados com a produção do TTO e a legislação dos produtos cosméticos e cosmecêuticos. Essential oils (OEs) are of great interest in the cosmetic industry, being present in several cosmetics and cosmeceuticals due to their aromatic and preservative properties. In addition, they are also appealing to the consumer as they are natural ingredients, which makes them be perceived as safe ingredients. Tea tree oil (TTO) is one of the most used OEs in this context and is obtained by steam distillation of leaves and terminal branches of the genus Melaleuca, mostly of Melaleuca alternifolia species which are native to Australia. TTO is well known for its biological properties, such as its antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, that are mainly attributed to its major component, terpinen-4-ol. Due to these characteristics, TTO has been the subject of many studies in order to evaluate its interest and application in acne, seborrheic dermatitis, skin aging, oral health, onychomycosis and hand hygiene. However, at the same time, TTO may be associated with some adverse reactions such as contact dermatitis and hypersensitivity reactions. Thus, the objective of this dissertation is to describe the use of TTO in cosmetics and cosmeceuticals, its composition and biological properties, as well as the main adverse reactions associated with its use. Aspects related to the production of TTO and legislation on cosmetics and cosmeceuticals will also be addressed.