If you have never had sunburn, you are one of the lucky few individuals who can attest to the same. Most people have been through this harrowing experience and would not like another shot at it. Some people fall asleep on the lawn only to wake up hours later, feeling like someone has been pinching them for hours.

Sunburn is when your skin feels painful and hot to the touch, and can be red. Many factors can lead to this burn, most notably exposure to UV rays for hours on end. These rays can be from the sun or other sources, including sunlamps. So, while you may think it is safe to bask in the warmth of those rays, you could be setting yourself up for burning.

Unfortunately, the pain does not end with the sunburn. If you are not careful in the times that follow, you could expose your skin to more damage. And that can cause conditions such as skin cancers, dark and rough spots, and wrinkling of the skin. Once you survive one burn, you should work in avoiding another.

Sunburn takes a few days to go away, though it can take weeks in some cases. During this time, you can rely on home remedies, such as tea, or work with other topical ointments. If the sunburn does not get better, you should always seek medical advice on the way forward. S

ometimes, self-medicating is not the answer. Also, the best means to prevent burns is to protect your skin by wearing sunscreen, hats, and other protective clothing. Avoiding exposure when you can works great in preventing that burn.

This article will cover how you can use tea to heal those burns. Let’s get started:

How do you use tea bags on sunburns?

The Instant Relief

If your sunburn is not deep, you can rely on this method to alleviate the pain. You will need a large bowl and five black tea bags for this. Bring the water to a boil and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to cool. The last thing you want to do is to use hot water on your skin and aggravate the burn.

Once the tea is at room temperature, you can transfer it to a bowl. Soak a clean towel in the tea and wring out the excess tea before placing the cloth on the affected area. The cloth should remain there for at least half an hour. Remove it after this and dip it into the tea again before using it on the affected area again.

Note that you should not rinse out the tea from the cloth. Keep repeating this step as much as you need until you get some relief from the same. Most people feel better after about six hours of doing this. You thus have some work cut out for you.

Also, note that you cannot combine the use of tea with other treatments. Additionally, you must use the tea within eight hours of the sunburn; else, it will not be very effective. The sooner you start the application, the better the results will be.

Now, what can you expect from this procedure? Well, the redness and the pain should go away by the next day. However, you cannot expect the tan to go away, as that is a more intensive process. The only way to avoid the tan is to avoid burning in entirety.

Why does tea work as a remedy? This drink contains tannic acid, which is responsible for staining teeth and other items. The good news is that this compound has some good to it in that it adds flavor to the drink. And it can relieve your burn by speeding up the healing process of the skin. When you use the tannic acids on minor burns, they seem to disappear.

Some teas will offer you more benefits than others. Take an example of Early Grey teas, which many people rely on for this relief. These contain bergamot oils that are rich in antioxidants. You can look up which teas have the most healing effects before making a purchase.

For Sensitive Skin

While there are many remedies you could use, you might be skeptical, given how sensitive your skin is. If you have to be careful as to what you use on your skin, chamomile tea bags might be the best for you. They can also alleviate the symptoms associated with sunburn, and without the adverse effects that result from chemical products. There are many ways you can use this tea as follows:

Suppose the sunburn is on a small area, you can rely on using the tea bags as they are. Bring water to a boil and add the number of teabags needed to cover the affected area. Allow the bags to steep in hot water for about twenty minutes then allow them to cool.

Place the bags on the affected area and keep repeating this throughout the day. The burned area should feel less painful over time. Alternatively, you can use a cloth, dip it in the tea and apply it directly to the affected area.

The other option works where the burned area is quite extensive and needs a lot of coverage. You cannot possibly use enough tea bags to cover the whole of your back, can you? In this case, you would bathe in the tea. That sounds quite amazing, does it not?

Start by bringing water to a boil and adding about five tea bags to the water. Allow the tea to steep for about half an hour then add it to your bathwater. You can then have a relaxing bath and see how that feels.

To make the bath even more soothing, you can fix a cup of tea to enjoy as you alleviate the burn. How great is that! For this to work, you need to take a bath twice a day.

Some people wish that their burns looked more like tans. Is this you? Are you looking for a transformation? If yes, there is an easy way to do this. Once again, you start by bringing water to a boil before adding five tea bags to it.

Allow the tea to steep for a while before it cools. Take a clean piece of cloth and soak it in the tea, wringing out the excess tea. Place the cloth on the burnt area and allow it to sit there for half an hour. It is pretty much the process used for instant relief – only that in this case, you do it three times a day. Once the results start to show, you can stop treating the area.

When your skin feels hot and painful to the touch, you are likely to look for cool things to pour on it. How about iced tea? Well, this is how this works. You start by bringing water to a boil, about four cups of the same. Place enough tea bags in the boiling water to steep strong chamomile tea.

Allow the tea to brew for a few minutes before taking it off the heat and allowing it to cool. Place the tea in the fridge such that it turns into ice. You should not apply the ice directly to your skin. Instead, you should place the ice cubes in a cloth and use it on the affected area for twenty minutes. Doing this daily should offer you some alleviation.

The last solution lies in using steeped tea directly on the affected area. Start by bringing water to a boil before adding chamomile tea bags to it. Prepare the tea as you would if you were to drink it. Allow it to cool before dipping a cotton ball in it and using it on the affected area. Do this at least once a day.

Which teas are best used to soothe sunburns?

If you enjoy pampering yourself, you likely take baths a lot. Well, it turns out that these soaks do a lot to improve your health. Did you know that taking a bath can relax your muscles and increase blood circulation?

They can also ease you into sleeping and reduce your blood pressure. And now, you can count on these baths to ease your burns. All you need to do is steep about five or six tea bags in hot water before adding this to your bath. Now, what teas can you use for your baths, and why?

1. Black

Black tea works great in reducing inflammation, which can bring down the redness and pain in your burns. Plus, it is rich in tannins which cleanse and open pores, reducing the chances of breakouts. Also, if you feel like scratching the burned area, you will love that this tea can bring down the itch.

2. Green

Green tea has a myriad of benefits that range from fighting free radicals to improving digestion. It turns out that this drink can also work in reducing the pain associated with sunburns. It also reduces muscle pain, soothes, and softens the skin, thus taking away redness. You will also appreciate its many antioxidants that fight aging.

3. Calendula

This herb has a great soothing effect, which makes it an excellent choice for use in balms. You can thus rely on it to calm your skin when used in a bath. Plus, it has anti-inflammatory properties that work in soothing burns as well as other skin conditions.

4. Peppermint

When your skin feels hot and irritated, what you need is a herb that can reduce inflammation. Peppermint has a cooling effect on the skin that should give you instant relief from the discomfort. Additionally, it invigorates and rejuvenates the skin.

It also opens up nasal passages, reducing any congestion that you may be experiencing. To get even better results, you can combine this tea with Epsom salts to ease burned and irritated skin.

5. Thyme

If you want tea you can add to your other herbal baths, this is a great idea. It is rich in anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and can thus bring down inflammation. It also reduces the chances of a breakout.

6. Lavender

The smell of this tea is enough to have you feeling better. It calms the mind and soothes the skin. Combining this tea with peppermint can work great in bringing down the redness and hotness. You can also add Epsom salts to this, as well as other teas for the maximum effect.

7. Rose

Have you ever had this tea? It has a great calming effect, similar to that of lavender and chamomile teas. Plus, it is rich in antioxidants that tone and nourish the skin. Your skin will feel much silkier and cooler after a few of these baths.

8. Eucalyptus

If your burns come accompanied by muscle aches, this tea can help ease the pain. It works better when paired with other strong teas such as peppermint. You can also count on it to ease nasal congestion.

9. Orange Blossoms

This tea is rich in scent and makes you feel like you are bathing in wonderland. Plus, it can soothe redness and irritation in the skin. You will be happy to know that the citrus content also brightens the skin, reducing the tan. It can also bring down inflammation.

10. Rosemary

Are you trying to fight aging? Well, staying away from the sun is one way to do it. But when you get a burn, you can rely on the antioxidants in this tea to bring down the stinging. Plus, it improves circulation and can soothe sore muscles.

11. Linden Flowers

If you want a combination of scent and soothing, this tea can work great. It also boosts your mood. For an even better effect, have a cup of this to enjoy as you soak in it. It is known to bring down stress and anxiety, as well as detoxify the body.

Preventing Sunburns

While these teas can bring down sunburns, you are better off avoiding the burns in the first place. That means you should stay away from the sun when it is high in the sky and avoid sun tanning. Also, cover up and use sunscreen whenever you are out.