Preventing CLOGGED OIL GLANDS: How We Love Eyes Tea Tree Eyelid & Eyelash Cleansing Oil Clears Styes and Chalazion Safely
QUESTION: I have the Tea Tree Eye Makeup Remover Oil but just using occasionally. Recently developed eye styes, never had before. I was interested in ordering the stronger strength, Tea Tree Eyelid & Eyelash Cleansing Oil. But if a stye or chalazion can be caused by blocked oil glands, why is a cleansing oil recommended for such conditions? It won't clog glands?
Great question. This is a commonly asked question in my exam room and on social media. The answer is: YES BUT NO. I'll explain it all.
Understanding Clogged Oil Glands
Styes and chalazia happen when your meibomian glands or lash follicles get obstructed or clogged. If there's also bacteria, then you have a stye. If there is no bacteria, then you have a chalazion. Clogged oil glands can lead to inflammation and swelling. Hence, that ugly bump on your eyelid. No fun.
TEA TREE OIL For Eye Care
When properly diluted and formulated, tea tree oil is a useful ingredient to keep the eyelids clean. Particularly and naturally cleansing to the meibomian oil and eyelash glands, I have successfully utilized these 2 cleansing oils with tea tree oil. Since 2014, my patients have used them to help and prevent styes, chalazia, dry eye, and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).
The teal label is our eye makeup remover oil and is useful for everyday eye makeup removal. For my patients with blepharitis, stye, chalazion, etc. – they need more cleansing power and the brown label is most ideal.
Oil Cleans Oil, Like Cleans Like
The eyelid margins house oil glands which secrete oil upon each blink. The eyelash accessory glands also secrete oil. Mix in tear proteins and skin cells, the eyelid margin gets this sticky, oily type of biofilm. To properly clean that oily build up, you need oil. Like cleans like. This is why my CLEANSING OILS are so helpful for eye care.
Why Tea Tree Oil Doesn't Automatically Clog
Tea tree oil itself is not comedogenic. When properly diluted with the right carrier oils, it is also not comedogenic. It doesn’t leave heavy residues. Instead, it dissolves excess eyelid oils and biofilm. The real risk comes when rinsing or cleansing is incomplete—leading to buildup and more CLOGGED OIL GLANDS. Always complete the double cleanse. Keep reading.
Step-by-Step DOUBLE CLEANSE METHOD to Prevent Clogging
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Warm Compress: Use Focused Eye Roll for 30 seconds to soften eyelid gland debris. Heat is your friend to prevent oil glands from clogging especially if prone to chalazion and MGD flare ups.
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Clean with Brown Label Tea Tree Cleansing Oil: Use a vehicle like a cotton pad or Eyelid Margin Scrub Brush. The friction, scrubbing action of the vehicle is the key to preventing eyelid glands from getting clogged!
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Final Wash Off: Use one of my foaming cleansers to wash off the cleansing oil and eyelash debris. If you are prone to chalazion/MGD and skip this step, you can make clogged glands worse.
By completing each step, you ensure the tea tree oil does its work without contributing to CLOGGED OIL GLANDS.
Want to learn why double cleanse method is the rock star for eye care? Read here.
Do All of The Steps, Once a Day Before Bedtime
This is the most successful, comprehensive way to address current & prevent future flare ups. Do all the steps. There are 3 steps for a reason. The MGD / Posterior Blepharitis Cleansing System utilizes tea tree oil, active heat, and the double cleanse method. It's a win-win-win. Want to read the detailed tutorial? Read here.
Get Professional Like Results At Home
Follow these additional tips to copy what I do in the exam room:
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This is detailed work & your vision is not as good as you think. Use a 10X lighted magnifying mirror for safety and accuracy. My patients love this mirror.
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Always pay attention to your eyelid skin barrier. Do not over scrub. Gentle is your friend. See Eyelid Margin Scrub Brush tips here.
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Eye care cleansing takes practice. My patients say after 25 times, their technique drastically improves to 'expert level.'
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When using any tea tree oil products, always wash them off. The Sullivan Study from Harvard says leave on tea tree oil product can damage meibomian gland cells in a petri dish. Even though I take this study with a grain of salt . . . Don't risk it, always rinse off products with tea tree oil in any dilution.
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CLOGGED OIL GLANDS
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tea tree eyelid and eyelash cleansing oil
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stye prevention
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chalazia treatment
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meibomian gland dysfunction
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eyelid hygiene
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DOUBLE CLEANSE METHOD
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MGD kit
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Demodex eyelid care
- We Love Eyes