Sunburn Remedies With Tea Bags

Sunburn is caused by exposure to the ultraviolet rays from the sun and can leave skin red, raw and irritated. The full effects of sunburn may not appear for 24 hours after exposure and may include skin that is warm to the touch, blisters and even fever, chills and nausea. It can take less than 15 minutes for a fair-skinned individual to suffer from sunburn after exposure to ultraviolet light. One potential source of relief can be the use of teabags, which contain tannic acids that soothe the skin. Always contact a doctor with any questions.

Compresses

• Brew a pot of tea using between four to six tea bags. Almost any tea variety will do, although green, black and oolong teas are high in antioxidants that may provide additional healing properties. Once brewed, place the tea in the refrigerator until cold and then soak small clean towels in the tea. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the towels and place on the sunburn for 30 minutes or more.

Application to the Skin

• Save tea bags after brewing the pot of tea. Once the tea bags have cooled to room temperature, place the tea bags directly on the sunburn. You can also place cooled tea bags directly on eyelids if eyes have been affected by the sun.

Tea Bath

• Sit in a lukewarm bath with several teabags floating in the water. Holding the tea bags under the running water will increase the amount of tannins in the water. The bath will essentially brew the tea and cool the skin.