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WadeStockdale t1_j8u4b5i wrote

Tea tree oil, like any essential oil, can cause chemical burns, especially on thin or sensitive skin (or mucus membranes like in the vaginal, rectal and nasal regions).

If exposed, WASH WITH SOAP. It helps break down the oil and get it off your skin, water alone won't work as well because oils are hydrophobic.

Source; there was a time when some genius was telling AFAB people to put tea tree oil on sponges up in their bleed hole. You can imagine the results.

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Tsarofcocaine OP t1_j8u4pwd wrote

> You can imagine the results

I don't need to imagine it, I know it

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RedFoxBlackSox t1_j8v6nbj wrote

I’m commenting this out of genuine ignorance/a want to know. I have a soap that is specifically marketed for that part, and it is said to contain tea tree oil. I haven’t noticed any sort of burn. Would it just be because it’s in such a small amount? Should I avoid it anyway? Oh gods

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brewthecold t1_j8vg9hs wrote

It's probably because of the small amount. Doctor once recommended me to add a few drops of tea tree oil into water for intimate hygiene, and it worked perfectly. It has antibacterial effect, so it should be beneficial for you :)

But I guess the rule of thumb would be this: when it burns, it's probably not good for you.

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WadeStockdale t1_j8w7zdg wrote

Tea tree oil as a stand alone product is concentrated, as are most essential oils. That's a big part of why they can harm you. (Also some of them can be toxic if absorbed through the skin or mucus membranes, but that's not relevant to tea tree oil)

Most of the time if you see an oil like that in a product, it's being diluted by carrier oils that are safe for you (coconut oil is a really popular one) to dilute them and make them safe to use directly on your skin. Your soap likely is using a carrier oil to protect you (and a lot of carrier oils are really nice and moisturising for your skin)

Water isn't super effective at diluting in the sense of mixing evenly since it's still an oil, but it does reduce the ppm of the oil, rendering it less damaging to the skin.

Also for anyone using it for skincare; remember to moisturise after, that shit is astringent as hell and your skin needs a barrier to protect it.

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frlejo t1_j8uog8z wrote

>"there was a time when some genius was telling AFAB people to put tea tree oil on sponges up in their bleed hole". Was it trump?

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WadeStockdale t1_j8w8y4v wrote

I can't say he hasn't said something like this, considering he thought people should bleach their lungs or whatever it was, but it was an online 'sexual wellness' influencer or something. I worked in the sex industry so I got to have frank conversations with many women about stupid shit they'd read online and wanted to try. Like that whole sunning your taint thing. (Working in the industry meant my knowledge around genitals and everything sexual had to be on point and I wasn't embarrassed to talk about weird shit. And oh boy did people take 'I've heard weirder' as a challenge.)

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