Best Teas for Sunburn

How Common Is Sunburn?

The National Health Interview Survey conducted a large-scale study in 2015 that included a representative cross-section of 31,162 American adults, of which 34% reported having at least one sunburn that year. (1)

More than 33,000 sunburns reportedly require emergency room visits every year. (2)

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A Word About Tea Tree Oil and Sun Exposure

Tea tree oil has been found to have a mild SPF value (under 2), and this coupled with its effective sunburn healing properties has led to its inclusion in many sunscreen formulas. However, the sun protectant effects of this oil are not potent enough to be clinically significant, and it has also been known to sensitize the skin to UV radiation.

For this reason, it is not advisable to apply tea tree oil prior to sun exposure. Doing so may worsen the effects of sun damage and ultimately lead to more severe sunburn.

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2. Aftersun lotion

The most obvious solution you may already have lying around is some aftersun lotion.

They are all specifically designed to ease the burning and also help repair the damaged skin.

Ideally one with aloe vera in it would be better as the plant extract is known to help soothe burns.

Just make sure you check to see whether it's expired as this could reduce its effectiveness.

There should be a little symbol of a jar with the lid off and a number followed by the letter M in it, for example, 12M.

That means it should be used within 12 months of it being opened – as long as you can remember when that was.

If it has expired, it's usually best to throw it away but given that most people are trying to stay home as much as possible, there's no harm in using some if you have no other choice.

It's also worth noting that while these lotions or gels can help repair the skin after sun damage, they cannot fix damage caused to your cells.

This is what puts you at risk of skin cancer, so make sure you are always using sunscreen.

Add lavender to a bath or to aloe vera gel for an aromatherapy sunburn treatment

Lavender is said to have healing agents that are particularly as a sunburn treatment. If you have the misfortune to have gotten sunburned, add a few drops – around 20 – of lavender oil to a cool bath and soak. Relax in the bath for around ten minutes, breathing in the aroma. The scent of lavender has calming properties that will soothe your burn and will make you feel less tense. Alternatively, add a small amount of lavender oil to some aloe vera gel or your favorite after-sun body lotion and apply as usual for sunburn relief. Be sure to read any directions or warnings that have come with the essential oils, and be very careful when using them, since they are concentrated extracts.

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What happens if your sunburn is severe?

These home sunburn remedies can be effective when managing mild and moderate cases.

But be alert to signs it could be severe.

For example, blisters, swelling, a high temperature, nausea, feeling dizzy or tired, headaches and muscle cramps can all signal your sunburn may be more serious.

In these cases, seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist on the best sunburn treatment.

Brew a pot of tea to soothe your sunburn

Ouch! You’re sunburned and too tired and grumpy to go to the store for a pain relief treatment. Why not look in your pantry for some natural sunburn remedies and home treatments? Try brewing up a big pot of tea. The tannins in tea can soothe and help relieve some of the discomfort of burned skin. Brew the tea and allow it to cool completely. Slosh it over the affected areas with a soft sponge. It might be a good idea to apply this sunburn treatment in the bathtub or shower recess.

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Whats good for sunburn?

Here are 4 things to do if you experience sunburn:^3,4

As soon as you realise you’re getting burnt, the best thing for sunburn is to get out of the sun.

Go inside or find some shade, and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. And then continue your sunburn treatment.

To soothe the burning sensation, take a cool shower or bath to calm your skin.

Over the next few hours continue this cooling process, using a damp towel as a compress, or a bag of ice wrapped in a towel.

This drains the heat from the skin.

As well as soothing the sunburn, this can also help to reduce further redness.

To support the repair of the skin barrier as quickly as possible, hydration is essential. The use of aloe vera for sunburn is widely recommended.

The common plant extract is well known for being refreshing, hydrating, soothing and has antioxidant properties that can help soothe red, affected skin.⁵

You’ll probably find the best lotion for sunburn contains aloe vera as a key ingredient.

However, soy-based moisturisers can also offer effective sunburn relief.

Continue to use a sunburn cream for a few days to keep burnt areas moist and hydrated.

Cover your sunburn from direct sunlight and avoid exposure to sun until the skin is healed.

And wear a high factor SPF to help limit further damage to the skin.

Causes

If you spend too much time in the sun without clothing or sunscreen to protect your skin, it can cause your skin to burn or tan. What causes some people to burn while others are more likely to get a suntan? It depends upon the level of a pigment called melanin in the skin. People with fairer skin have less melanin while people with darker skin have more.

When the rays of the sun cause damage to the skin, the skin manufacturers more melanin in an effort to protect it from further damage. This causes skin tone to change color. For lighter skinned individuals, the skin is more likely to turn red.

Do sunburns turn into a tan? Sometimes a sunburn will naturally turn into a tan if peeling can be avoided. However, you should never allow a sunburn for the sake of hopefully getting a tan eventually because you are damaging your skin!

Prevention

Prevention is the best protection against sunburns. Taking the following measures can help you avoid the discomfort of sunburn and resulting photodamaged skin.

• Select a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
• Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before going outdoors to allow time for it to absorb
• Avoid direct sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when UV radiation is at its highest
• Remain in the shade when possible
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection, a wide-brimmed hat and clothing that covers as much skin as possible

6. Painkillers

If your sunburn is really bad you may need a little help dealing with the pain.

You can take ibuprofen and paracetamol, but be sure to follow the direction on the packet.

Generally speaking, an adult should take no more than two tablets every four to six hours.

And if your symptoms are severe – think blistering, swelling and a fever – you should call a GP or a pharmacist.

Which Tea Can I Use for Treating Sunburn?

You can use any type of tea. For example black tea, green tea, earl grey tea, chamomile tea, ginger tea, Ceylon tea, luzianne tea, mint tea, oolong tea, orange pekoe tea, rooibos tea, peppermint tea. Every tea variety has its own benefits of treating sunburn. While black tea contains high amounts of tannins and green tea contains fewer amounts of tannins. You can use different varieties of tea in a single remedy for more effective results.

How long do sunburns last?

The length of time it takes for your skin to rebound from a sunburn varies. “Depending on the severity, the redness can persist anywhere from a few days to weeks,” says Feely. As time goes on, you can also expect bad burns to result in peeling skin. And while (for some at least) nothing is more satisfying than gently lifting away a ginormous layer of skin without breaking it, that satisfaction doesn’t outweigh the detriment to the skin. Do not pull on your peeling skin. In fact, try wearing loose-fitting clothing in the days following a sunburn to prevent the fabric from rubbing and irritating the already-sensitive area.

Even after the sunburn goes away, you might see lasting effects on your skin, such as fine lines, wrinkles, or solar lentigines, colloquially known as sunspots. All these markings more commonly develop after repeated exposure to the sun. If you notice these changes, applying a topical retinoid (a class of chemical compounds derived from vitamin A) like Retin-A could help, Feely says. This type of ointment remodels the skin’s collagen and blocks the production of the skin pigment melanin, which helps make sunspots fade.

I want to try it! How do you use teabags safely on a sunburn?

If you want to try this treatment yourself, Dr. Beleznay says that black tea usually has the highest concentration of tannins, though green tea may also feel soothing to the skin. “Green tea has been shown to possess a number of beneficial properties including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.” Though you could use either to treat sunburn. Dr. Beleznay also points out that green tea also has other skin benefits, like anti-aging properties.

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If you’re applying tea to a small area, you can just soak a tea bag in room temperature water for one to two minutes and applying it to the area in need. But if you’re dealing with a larger portion of skin, Dr. Beleznay recommends brewing tea, then using a clean cloth to apply it to your skin, though she also says that the teabags may offer greater concentration of the tannins versus the brewed tea. You can use additional tea bags to cover a larger area, but it might take you a little longer to prep them, since you’ll need enough teabags to cover the amount of skin you’re trying to treat.

No matter how you prepare the tea, you always want to make sure you cool it down to room temperature before you apply. Once it has cooled down, apply it directly to the skin for a few minutes.

Keep in mind: It may not be immediately obvious if the teabags are really helping, notes Dr. Beleznay. But as long as the tea is not causing further discomfort, you can keep using the method to see if the stinging improves as the tea begins to dry off of your skin. But if you feel irritation instead, it’s important you discontinue the tea method immediately, says Dr. Beleznay. There are really no side effects to using tea, but your reaction to it will really depend on your own skin.

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Diagnosis

For your doctor or dermatologist to diagnosis a sun burn he or she will likely examine your body, ask about your symptoms and history of sun exposure.

Final Word

Sunburns can range from mild to severe, but most cases involve damage to the outermost layer of the skin (epidermis) characterized by red and painful skin. This kind of superficial sunburn can usually be healed at home.

However, repeated sunburns can give rise to permanent dark spots, premature skin aging, and deadly skin cancers. Thus, people who are prone to sun exposure must take all the necessary steps to protect their skin from harmful UV radiation.

Excessive or repeated exposure to UV radiation can permanently damage the genetic structure of skin cells, and so it’s best to care now than regret later. Sun protection is a must even on the relatively overcast or foggy days as the UV rays can breach through the thickest of cloud cover.

Continue ReadingHome Remedies and Self-Care for SunburnReferences

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