Healing the wound

Step 3: Healing the wound

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Once the water has cooled to a warm/lukewarm temperature, dunk the rag into the tea, and dab it onto the sunburn. DO NOT WIPE IT OFF! Leave it on and let it be absorbed into your skin. Once its dry, re-apply as necessary, but never wash it off. If you do this process before bedtime, you can go to sleep and give it time to work its magic. In the morning you can wash it off in your shower. The sunburn should be substancialy subsided or all gone, but remember: the sooner you can apply the tea after you get the burn, the quicker and more effective it will be.

Note: I had a severe sunburn and I also used the tea bags straight up, dabbing them directly onto my skin. You may use as many "coats" of tea as you want, but the more the better.

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cindi59 says: Aug 15, 2010. 11:35 PM

I did this last spring when I forgot to put on sunscreen while gardening. I wasn't burnt to a blister state but was uncomfortable on my shoulders to sleep! I made 4 bags of plain lipton tea in a glass two cup measuring cup. I let it cool and started by dipping a washcloth in and after wringing (not completely, just to not drip) it out I dabbed. Instant difference! I was able to cool the burn enough to sleep. I left the tea in the cup and in the middle of the night when I got woke up in pain I did it again. The next morning the majority of the sunburn was gone. I did use the tea on the more burned part over the next day. Instead of days of soreness, I had one! My kids have done the same since! It isn't a cure of course but It sure helps!

Dudeyowuzup says: May 31, 2011. 12:31 AM

Thank you for posting this! I completely forgot about the tea treatment. I'd been suffering all day just constantly applying aloe w/lidocaine & cool wet rags to my upper arms, till I finally decided to search "painful sunburn" & I found your instructable! I just wish I had done this last night so I wouldn't have been suffering all day today!
Also, I read elsewhere that recommended spraying (or dabbing) vinegar on the sunburn to alleviate the pain or itching. Does anyone know if this is bad for the burn or affects the healing in any way? I know the tea is good--the tannins improve healing, but vinegar sounds harsh.

myshels in reply to DudeyowuzupJun 11, 2012. 8:14 PM

Hey, I had a super bad burn a few years ago. We used washcloths soaked in vinegar and alternated them with straight tea bags on my shoulders. It helped considerably. You so smell like a salad for a few days!

diamar79 says: Apr 29, 2012. 10:38 PM

Food for thought...Wouldn't soaking the towel in the tea and letting the wet towel sit on the area do just as good as all that dabbing? I would think that it would be especially more effective if it were over a large area.

sairplane in reply to diamar79May 15, 2012. 10:39 AM

I think you could do that for a little bit if the tea was cold enough...but if the towel reaches the same temperature as your skin, it's not taking the heat out of the burn anymore. I left my towel on for a bit, until it started to not feel cold anymore, and then I re-dunked.

diamar79 in reply to sairplaneMay 20, 2012. 10:33 PM

I was under the impression that something in the tea was actually what removed the burn, not cold water. The ible implies lukewarm, but i have also heard that a cold shower will help turn a burn into a tan a lot faster so I could see how that would help..

sairplane says: May 15, 2012. 4:07 AM

I burn very easily, and I got a VERY attractive burn on my back...complete with the outline of the knot in my bikini top. I just applied the first "coat" of this, and it already feels way better! I'm going to apply twice more before I go to bed. I will update with results.

sairplane in reply to sairplaneMay 15, 2012. 10:37 AM

Holy hannah! I cannot believe how well this worked! By this morning, the burn was pretty much gone, other than a little redness on my sides where I think I didn't get enough tea on it. No pain, either!

Thank you so much! I'm linking all my sisters to this site, as they burn WORSE than I do! You are a life saver!!

lsilguero says: Apr 4, 2012. 7:28 PM

Would this be as effective if i soaked in the tea? So i can cover a larger area of skin. My tummy and legs down to my feet are burnt :(

Lady_Cynara in reply to lsilgueroApr 11, 2012. 7:21 PM

If you brew many bags in a large jug and create a very strong tea, then pour into a tepid to luke warm bath and get in it, it works as well. Not as well as applying directly to the skin does, as it is more diluted, but it will help.

bridge47 says: Jun 27, 2011. 7:32 PM

I read over your instructable several times and nowhere did it say to cool the tea, so I applied HOT TEA to my burn. No wonder it hurt. I thought maybe that was the point, that it would slough off the dead, damaged skin cells. Well, on a scale from 0 to 10 (0 is the same and 10 is totally healed) I'd say using the hot tea method gave me about a 1. Tonight I try the cold methods, already it feels better!

molerat12 in reply to bridge47Sep 5, 2011. 9:38 AM

was it like bad heart burns all over whare your burn was? just at little places and like fire? did you yell like a hiena and worse? thats what happend to me

drpepper8412 (author) in reply to bridge47Jun 27, 2011. 10:50 PM

Oh my! I'm so sorry! I thought it was self evident, but thank you for bringing it to my attention!!

jtuccio in reply to drpepper8412Jul 5, 2011. 9:46 PM

So I have been sunburnt for a 24 hours and then I found this website. I just put the coats on this second. Do you think I still have a chance for sanctuary in the morning even though I waited a little long?

DawnD13 says: Feb 20, 2012. 12:51 AM

While this may or not work, the home remedy we have used since I was a kid (over half a century ago) was to strip down in the shower and gently pat on Milk of Magnesia (unflavored), let it dry and go to bed. By morning you can rinse off the dried milk of magnesia (using a tepid shower--not hot) and the burn is GONE. Like magic! I don't know why this works, but it is great. Just make sure you DON'T use the mint flavored one...that will only aggravate the pain. Give it a try if this tea thing doesn't do a thing for you. You may be pleasantly surprised with the messy, but easy milk of magnesia method.

Shapes99 says: Dec 20, 2011. 5:36 PM

IT WORKS
I mean it is not one of those scams it works. I had sunburn and where i have applied it. It has gone down to a minimal amount.
THANKYOU DRPEPPER8412

sland says: Sep 26, 2011. 7:46 PM

I have tried this and I love it. I have extremely pale freckled skin. Dark hair and dark eyes but as my friends and boyfriend have said I pink in about 15 minutes of unprotected skin exposure. I went to a bike run and forgot sunscreen and was out somewhere between 6 - 9 hours in the sun. I had a bad burn on my neck and arms and chest and face. This helped take the pain out of my neck and reduce what little pain was in my arms. My face didn't really hurt but when it did the tea helped relieve that as well. I also tried taking the washcloth and soaking it in the tea then letting it sit on my neck to pull the heat out and it worked wonders. Though my shirt did get soaked in the process. So if you don't mind your shirt getting a bit wet that is something that helps two. Thanks for posting this remedy for us :)

Katester21 says: Sep 11, 2011. 5:55 PM

I have a sunburn, and it's bad enough that it blistered. It's mainly on my face and the sides of my neck, so do I still need to use three teabags or can I get away with using one?

megpaintsthetown says: Jun 28, 2011. 8:14 AM

really hope this will work my prom is tomorrow and i have aweful sunburn, willing to try anything :)

scree44s says: Jun 23, 2011. 8:23 AM

can this work with other teas like chai tea and green tea?

tomacho27 says: Nov 2, 2010. 1:06 PM

Is it possible to make a sunburn cream with black tea ? So you dont need to put a towel, and just apply the cream directly into the sunburn?
Thanks

scree44s in reply to tomacho27Jun 23, 2011. 8:22 AM

you might be able to but i think the cream wont be as powerful because it would be washed out by the other ngredients.

drpepper8412 (author) in reply to tomacho27Nov 2, 2010. 9:10 PM

I was actually trying to design something like that. If you can, more power to you!

blaizeoffire says: Jun 11, 2011. 6:01 PM

I have a moderate sunburn with mild blistering and i am going to go to Publix and get some tea to try this out with.

uctigers says: Jun 11, 2011. 3:54 PM

I have a question could you still use this method with a sun blister on the sunburn? please answer quickly!

jhoffer says: May 31, 2011. 12:59 PM

Hey, trying this now, hopefully it'll work, I'll let you know tomorrow (:

cgraffam says: May 28, 2011. 6:04 AM

I was Red as a lobster,I mean really really red.....lol
The Tea bags worked for me my burn is practical gone!!!!!!!
thx

nikki210 says: Mar 18, 2011. 1:08 AM

This worked relatively well for me but i was looking for something that the effects would last a little longer so i added a few drops of pure tea trea oil to the brewed tea and applied it worked great. I went from being bright red and barely able to move to the redness almost being gone and the pain disappeared within 12 hours of the initial application (I did apply three times within that time frame)

vk181 says: Jan 2, 2011. 3:48 PM

well ive just followed these instructions quite early within the day, though im not seeing any difference, i can feel it as most of the pain has gone. gonna try it out before i sleep tonight and hopefully it should be gone. thanks for sharing this with us dude it actually works =)...

dynikus says: Aug 5, 2010. 10:24 PM

So... I ride a bike for hours on end in just a jersey and bike shorts almost every day. I go to my school for 3 hours, and I get a bad sun burn... Go figure. Lol It wouldn't be too bad if I wasn't gonna be going to the beach with some friends in a few days. >< Applied the tea just a bit ago, I'll post back in the morning to say how it went.

ooshcaba says: Jun 22, 2008. 11:44 PM

Ahh, 3 questions: What if you do this the day after you get the burn, would it still be as effective? Will anything terribly bad happen if the stuff gets in your eyes? And, if you put make-up on the burns, would that make your burn worse in anyway?

drpepper8412 (author) in reply to ooshcabaAug 4, 2010. 10:06 PM

I'd say don't put makeup on it. Do this before bed, and makeup won't be necessary.

thartaros in reply to ooshcabaJul 3, 2009. 11:40 AM

i tried this yesterday, and the stuff got in my eyes; doesnt really do anything, you just get your eyes wet :I

HunterHatfield in reply to thartarosJun 19, 2010. 8:08 AM

Why would you put it on your eyes?

thartaros in reply to HunterHatfieldJun 21, 2010. 4:42 PM

well, I wasn't trying to; I was dousing my forehead and scalp with the teabag and since it was so saturated with liquid it dripped onto my eyes.

thartaros says: Jul 3, 2009. 10:47 PM

ive done this about 3 times already with no change besides i now smell of tea. how big are the tea bags you use? im using one bag that makes 1 gallon of tea. HELP ME

HunterHatfield in reply to thartarosJun 19, 2010. 8:07 AM

Tea smells good!

drpepper8412 (author) in reply to thartarosJul 3, 2009. 11:20 PM

You slept on it and everything? That's extremely surprizing that it didnt work...I'm sorry man, dont know what to tell you. Just keep at it, and make sure the tea is BLACK! use the tea directly from the bags, instead of the water. I hope it works out...

thartaros in reply to drpepper8412Jul 4, 2009. 8:20 PM

i tried this again last night to no avail, for a toal of 4 times. im almost positive im not using strong enough tea but i hope i never get another chance to test this out ;D

RoosterSocks says: Jun 6, 2010. 10:57 PM

Grab your brooms because im calling Shenanagins on this post! I did as told and still have the burn. Granted, it did feel better when i dabbed the cold, wet tea on it many times. However, other than a strange dream involving the Mad Hatter and some people dressed as Indians in Boston, it had no effect.