Remove this ingredient and you will truly have a great product. While some studies report negligible skin irritancy, there is a relatively large percentage of the global population that is allergic to Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil. Cutaneous reactions range from a mild contact dermatitis to a severe subepidermal blistering.
I wouldn't want a client to have to deal with this.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis From Tea Tree Oil http://www.consultantlive.com/display/article/10162/36389 "Allergic contact dermatitis has been reported in about 5% of those who use tea tree oil. The cutaneous reactions range from a mild contact dermatitis to a severe blistering rash."
Tea Tree Oil Allergy http://www.teatreewonders.com/tea-tree-oil-allergy.html "Topical application of tea tree oil is associated with negligible skin irritancy. In the group of subjects studied, the risk of developing an allergic dermatitis from topical tea tree oil usage was found to be less than 1%."
We don't use latex gloves because of the potential for allergic reactions. The same caution should be observed with products containing Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil.
RE:Probability for Allergic Contact Dermatitis From Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Carl from IP: 68.96.110.194 on 10/19/09 Las Vegas, NV USA
Hi Ted, Thanks for taking the time to write on our Forum. Those are some interesting observations and worthy of note.
As in any formulation, ingredients are selected to serve a purpose. Some are for the propellent, some to control drying time, others as a fixative or art adhesive, and some as an emulsifier to keep the other ingredients from coagulating or separating. I assume the Teal Leaf Oil is for the later but I'm not a chemist. With over two years in product development and countless formulations, this one was determined the most suitable.
The statistics of 5% and 1% quoted in your references would represent a very small populace and also they don't mention the percentage of ingredient content for negative results. It is a very common ingredient used in many cosmetic products. I know our Tea Leaf Oil content is very slight but even if based on trace, those numbers would probably be considered minimal so benefits would outweigh risks. I doubt they are any higher than the percentages of reactions to any of the other ingredients.
Since the debut of at the event in the UK just a couple of months ago, we estimate over 30,000 tattoo artworks have had Spray Stuff™ applied successfully with no negative reports to date. We can imagine that somewhere, some time, there will be someone that does have some type of reaction to ours or anyone's product just based on sheer numbers.
As with many chemical compounds used for the first time, if there is concern, a small patch test prior to use would be recommended.
