This document investigates the effectiveness of tea tree oil as a natural treatment for athlete's foot (tinea pedis), a fungal infection of the feet. The author outlines an experiment using Sabouraud agar plates inoculated with tinea pedis samples and treated with different concentrations of tea tree oil. Over two weeks, the samples treated with higher tea tree oil concentrations showed more improvement in the fungal infection compared to lower concentrations and the control. The results suggest that tea tree oil has antifungal properties and can be an effective natural alternative for treating tinea pedis.

1. A D R I A N A V E R A R Í O S
TEA TREE OIL AS A TREATMENT FOR
ATHLETE’S FOOT (TINEA PEDIS)

2. WHAT IS TINEA PEDIS?
• Tinea pedis, more commonly known as athlete’s
foot, is a foot infection that is caused by a fungus
that grows on or in the top layer of skin, which grows
best in warm, moist places.
• There are many types of fungi that cause Tinea
pedis, they belong to a group called
“dermatophytes”, which feed on keratin (a protein
found in hair, skin, and nails).
• Trichophyton mentagrophytes is the most common
and easily treatable fungus that causes Tinea pedis.

3. PROBLEM
• Tinea pedis is easily spread (public showers, locker
rooms) and once you come in contact with the
fungus, treatment is necessary.
• In some cases, there are people that are allergic to
the most common antifungal treatments and often
want more natural remedies.

4. TEA TREE OIL
• Tea tree oil is:
An essential oil made from the leaves of the
plant Melaleuca alternifolia.
 Known for its antifungal and antimicrobial
properties.

5. PROBLEM
•Is Tea Tree Oil effective
for the treatment of
Tidea pedis?

6. IMPORTANCE
• This investigation is important because it is always
necessary to have different courses of treatment
that are conforming to the patient’s needs, beliefs,
and/or interests.
• There are many people that would lean towards a
natural remedy when treating certain infections,
which is why it is important to have a proven natural
solution to the problem.
• It is inexpensive.

7. HYPOTHESIS
• Tea Tree oil can be an effective natural alternative
as a treatment for Tinea pedis.
• To test the hypothesis, a control and experimental
group is created using Sabouraud agar plates and
Tinea pedis samples.
• Independent variable: Concentration of Tea tree oil
• Dependent variable: Tinea pedis improvement

8. HOW/RESEARCH DESIGN/METHOD
• Materials:
Six (6) Sabouraud agar plates- for the cultivation of the
dermatophyte Trichophyton mentagrophyte)
Tinea pedis samples
Tea Tree oil solutions at different concentrations
20%
40%
60%
80
100%

9. EXPERIMENT PROCESS
Take Tinea pedis samples
Apply samples to Sabouraud agar plates
• 1 plate is the control (apply no solution)
Apply to each sample its corresponding
solution
•20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Apply solution twice a day for 2 weeks
At the end of the two weeks, see if the
sample has improved

10. EXPECTED RESULTS
Tinea pedis will improve
The higher the concentration of tea tree oil, the
more it will improve
Prove to be a natural treatment
• Future investigations
Might involve using tea tree oil for the treatment of
other fungal infections, such as Tinea corporus or
Tinea capitis.

11. REFERENCES
• Tea tree oil in the treatment of tinea pedis: Tong MM,
Altman PM, Barnetson RS Australasian Journal of
Dermatology 1992; 33(3): 145–149
• Resnik SS, Lewis LA, Cohen BH. The athlete's
foot. Cutis. 1977;20:351–3, 355.
• Raman A, Weir U, Bloomfield SF. Antimicrobial effects of
tea-tree oil and its major components on
Staphylococcus aureus, Staph. epidermidis and
Propionibacterium acnes. Lett Appl
Microbiol.1995;21:242–245.
• Altman, P. M. 1988. Australian tea tree oil. Aust. J.
Pharm. 69:276-278.
• Anonymous 1933. An Australian antiseptic oil. Br. Med.
J. i:966.