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The single most effective way to get rid of a sunburn
by drpepper8412 on May 20, 2007
Table of Contents
The single most effective way to get rid of a sunburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Intro: The single most effective way to get rid of a sunburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 1: Gathering materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 2: Fill the pitcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Step 3: Healing the wound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-single-most-effective-way-to-get-rid-of-a-sunb/
Intro: The single most effective way to get rid of a sunburn
Well this is my first instructable, and is only going to be short because its an extremly easy and effective method to removing a painful sunburn. This method was
recommended to me by my friends mother, who is a nurse and therefore MUST know what shes talking about. Turns out she did. I hope this helps many a painful
sunburn to receed or dissapear.
Image Notes
1. the burn
2. At the end of the day
Step 1:Gathering materials
You will need a total of five things.
1)A bathtub to do this in (preferably ceramic, so it wont stain)
2)A pitcher
3)A rag that you dont mind getting stained
4)Water
5)Three bags of black tea (I use Earl Grey)
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-single-most-effective-way-to-get-rid-of-a-sunb/
Image Notes
1. Three Earl Grey tea bags
2. Old rag
3. Pitcher
4. Dirty ceramic bathtub
Step 2:Fill the pitcher
First things first, strip down, because you dont want to get any of your clothes wet. Fill the pitcher with warm water and soak the tea bags in it. When you have the water
almost black, like the picture, then move on to step 3.
Image Notes
1. Almost black tea water
2. reflections of the lights
3. the pitcher
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-single-most-effective-way-to-get-rid-of-a-sunb/
Step 3:Healing the wound
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.
Image Notes
1. All better!
2. The morning after
Related Instructables
How to treat a
MINOR burn
with an Aloe
Vera plant! by
Biggsy
5 ways tea
could help you
survive a
zombie
outbreak by
frenzy
Lycra Sun Mask
/ Hood by
TimAnderson
Bleach baths
and other cheap
eczema
remedies by
belsey
Tea-dying by
PearlZenith
Tantoo by cdslug
Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 161 comments
THE NURSE says: May 28, 2007. 9:35 AM REPLY
Please DO NOT take hot showers after a sunburn. This is a BURN and hot water can make it worse d/t nerve ending damage, u can't really tell how hot the
water is. Cool water helps bring down the temperature of your skin. The tannic acid in the tea bag soothes the skin; this is a great remedy for any 1st degree
burn. If you suffer a really bad burn seek medical attention, please!! Dehydration/burned skin is serious and u may need fluid replacement. Tea bag
treatment is also great for itching burning feet!!!!
drpepper8412 says: May 29, 2007. 7:40 AM REPLY
Thank you very much for this! Im glad that you posted this so people now understand how dangerous some of their other methods are.
Wolfrick says: Jul 16, 2007. 6:31 PM REPLY
+1 This really works. . . we've used this method for years in my family. The stronger you brew the tea, the better it is. Also, drink some iced tea, too, and stay
well-hydrated. If you get a really horrible burn, see if you can find loose tea at the store. Brew the tea leaves up in a small amount of water, then apply the
cooled wet leaves directly to your sunburn. Something about the tannins help take the injury away, and cures it up really fast. I went boating in an aluminum
flat-bottomed boat with no paint left, wearing shorts, and burned my legs beet-red one time when I was about 13. Tea really helped. ~W
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-single-most-effective-way-to-get-rid-of-a-sunb/
filmrebelroby says: Sep 3, 2007. 3:28 AM REPLY
Today was hell for me. I had the worst sunburn itch. If you don't have blisters and your sunburn itches, a warm/hot shower works. Make sure the
temperature isn't so hot as to burn you, but after the shower, the itch will be gone. I know because this just happened to me. Also of course, Aloe Vera
and cold showers are good too.
jrh143 says: Aug 1, 2008. 6:32 AM REPLY
I just tried this remedy on a two-day-old lobster belly, and WOW! what a fantastic difference! Only difference: I didn't have earl grey tea, so I used what was
on hand, which is plain old Lipton ice tea bags. I used seven of the small (not family size) bags. I got almost immediate relief from my constant itching, which
was making me think I was going to lose my mind (assuming I had something there to lose in the first place). I have posted this remedy to another site (wiki
answers, I think) with credit given. Thank you very much for your helpful advice!
drpepper8412 says: Aug 1, 2008. 5:20 PM REPLY
Wow, thats wonderful! I'm so pleased that it worked that well, especially on an old burn! Could you send me the link to where you reposted the remedy?
jrh143 says: Aug 3, 2008. 5:13 AM REPLY
Sure! It is at: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_you_do_when_your_sunburn_starts_to_itch
Mine is currently still the last one on the page, signed John Hance. Thank you for the helpful tip! It is one I will be handing down to my kids and
passing on to all my family and friends.
jrh143 says: Aug 4, 2008. 3:53 AM REPLY
Just wanted to add that this remedy did NOT keep the burn from peeling. I currently look like a two-toned leper. I am still quite pleased with the
instant itch relief this remedy gave me, but does anyone out there know how to keep burnt skin from peeling? Seems like I never go from honky white
to tan without passing immediately through bright red and then peeling back to honky white + 1 shade darker. If I find the answer to this question "out
there" I'll come back and post it here. Thanks again!
Weather_blue says: Sep 5, 2008. 7:38 AM REPLY
The best I've been able to do to keep a burn from peeling is to slather it in Oil of Olay type moisturiser (Mal-Wart's Equate brand works just as
well). Every time the toasted skin starts feeling or looking tight, hit the moisturiser until the skin won't take any more. You'll be vaguely sticky for a
couple of days, but if you've kept the skin well hydrated, the peeling should be minimal. Of course, if anyone's got a DIY method with comparable
results, I'm all (slightly pink) ears. ;D
TorinMiasma says: May 10, 2009. 2:22 AM REPLY
I've been on instructables for a few months now and it took a wiki answers site to send me to this... and right when i needed it... my girl thinks i'm
addicted but this site really does have a bit of everything.
drpepper8412 says: May 10, 2009. 8:50 AM REPLY
Glad you found it! Once summer starts up, I always tend to get a lot more comments, so I'm glad it could help with one of the first burns of summer!
sickdog74 says: Jun 23, 2010. 9:07 AM REPLY
It worked for me! Here's what it did: I used 4 tea bags (earl grey) in a large tea cup. Microwaved the 4 bags with water for 2.5 minutes. Let cool, swish
around. You now have a very very very strong cup of tea. Dabbed on my sunburned face. Repeated every 45 minutes or so until bedtime. Probably did it 8
or 9 times before bedtime. In the morning, I was tanned but not burned! I went from lobster red to tanned in 12 hours!
drpepper8412 says: Aug 4, 2010. 10:06 PM REPLY
Congrats! I'm so glad it works so well for so many other people! =D
cindi59 says: Aug 15, 2010. 11:35 PM REPLY
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!
vk181 says: Jan 2, 2011. 3:48 PM REPLY
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 =)...
tomacho27 says: Nov 2, 2010. 1:06 PM REPLY
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
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-single-most-effective-way-to-get-rid-of-a-sunb/
drpepper8412 says: Nov 2, 2010. 9:10 PM REPLY
I was actually trying to design something like that. If you can, more power to you!
Gh{O}sT says: Oct 8, 2010. 1:27 AM REPLY
Hmm, looking at a comment below i wondered if i could just mix baking powder (bi-carb soda) with water and use that, it would mean that i wouldn't have to
wait for the bags to soak and waste tea :P anyone know if that would work? or would the bi-carb soda just do bad stuff to my skin ):
jwall18158 says: Oct 8, 2010. 12:50 AM REPLY
try vinegar(apple cider)on your sunburn. Don't apply to face unless you dilute it. Put vinegar on cloth and dab on sunburn. You can feel the heat on the cloth.
it is soothing and will spped up healing. I think the tea stains the skin making you look like you have a tan.lol
brie g. says: Aug 21, 2010. 7:44 AM REPLY
just tried it gonna c if it works. it feels really good though.
sidney123 says: Aug 12, 2010. 6:28 PM REPLY
i just took my rag bath....hope it really does work cause im a girl and have a farmers tan...i am going to the beach tomorrow with friends and cant be burnt!!
luvit says: Aug 9, 2010. 8:15 PM REPLY
the most effective way is to smack it hard about once a minute. some people refuse to believe this.
dynikus says: Aug 6, 2010. 10:28 AM REPLY
Wow, that worked amazingly well :D My sunburn went from a nasty sunburn to a nice tan. Haha Thanks for the instuctable
dynikus says: Aug 5, 2010. 10:24 PM REPLY
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 REPLY
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 says: Aug 4, 2010. 10:06 PM REPLY
I'd say don't put makeup on it. Do this before bed, and makeup won't be necessary.
thartaros says: Jul 3, 2009. 11:40 AM REPLY
i tried this yesterday, and the stuff got in my eyes; doesnt really do anything, you just get your eyes wet :I
HunterHatfield says: Jun 19, 2010. 8:08 AM REPLY
Why would you put it on your eyes?
thartaros says: Jun 21, 2010. 4:42 PM REPLY
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.
Yotza says: Jul 16, 2010. 5:10 AM REPLY
You can also put the toothpaste with sodium bicarbonate, or any other product with base reaction(coke),because almost every burn is acidic reaction, and
you can neutralize it with base(in this case sodium bicarbonate), so when you put it on the burned spot pH is getting back to normal. Sorry for grammar
mistakes.
question2010 says: Jul 29, 2010. 6:25 PM REPLY
How long do you have to leave it on for? And if this doesn't work well then I feel like a huge idiot..
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-single-most-effective-way-to-get-rid-of-a-sunb/
Yotza says: Aug 2, 2010. 1:24 PM REPLY
You should leave it until burning stops, about 1 hour....
Centralcalichick says: Jul 10, 2010. 9:40 AM REPLY
Get a box of pitcher size Lipton cold brew. Start filling the tub and add some tea bags. Bring in your iPod/ iPhone and magazines and just slip in and relax.
gwyn15 says: May 25, 2010. 2:43 PM REPLY
quick question, does this work after the sunburn has faded to a tan?
I got a bad one a few weeks ago, and it just looks awefull now...
any suggestions for getting rid of a tan?
krusheinka says: Jun 24, 2010. 1:54 AM REPLY
scrub wherever it is with lemon and sugar mixed together... it scrubs away dead skin and gets rid of tans.
Luv-Bug says: Jun 21, 2010. 7:35 PM REPLY
The tanning you are referring to might actually be from the skin damage and not really a 'tan'. If you got blistered with your sunburn - you had second
degree burns, so lasting damage is inevitable. Sun burns take out a tan.. it doesn't leave a tan. The UV rays kill the skin cells, and when you peel - you
are losing several layers of skin (the skin that would have been tanned). I would talk to a dermatologist about it if I were you.
uthus says: May 26, 2010. 10:09 AM REPLY
Can't say for certain since I've never tried it, but I've always heard that lemon juice fades freckles. Maybe it would work for tans.
gun487 says: May 25, 2010. 6:00 PM REPLY
Don't go out into the sun.
gwyn15 says: May 26, 2010. 7:15 AM REPLY
that's .... helpful....
thartaros says: Jul 3, 2009. 10:47 PM REPLY
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 says: Jun 19, 2010. 8:07 AM REPLY
Tea smells good!
drpepper8412 says: Jul 3, 2009. 11:20 PM REPLY
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 says: Jul 4, 2009. 8:20 PM REPLY
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
johnd110893 says: Jul 20, 2009. 2:33 PM REPLY
Ok guys to get rid of sunburn its pretty easy. 1)wear COMFORTABLE CLOTHES 2)take frequent cold baths 3)keep the burn moist with moisturizers 4)keep
ice packs on burns 5)drink lots of water. ONLY water not like Gatorade or like juice 6)keep fans on 7)take ibuprofen 8)instead of using moisturizers try using
Aloe Based Gels for Sunburn (NOTE You WILL most likely peel hence using moisturizers) hope it helps
HunterHatfield says: Jun 19, 2010. 8:06 AM REPLY
You use Ibuprofen because it is anti inflammatory.
drpepper8412 says: Jul 20, 2009. 7:56 PM REPLY
That could work, however this is a more natural substitute, instead of Ibuprofen etc. Perhaps if used in conjunction with the tea method I've described....
As a final note, if used properly, the tea method will prevent peeling.
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-single-most-effective-way-to-get-rid-of-a-sunb/
Kaged Kombat says: May 25, 2010. 12:50 AM REPLY
I've got pretty fair skin so I'll have to give this a try the next time I burn. My question is would this method help against freckling?
HunterHatfield says: Jun 19, 2010. 8:01 AM REPLY
Uh no. No it wouldn't lol! Isn't freckling when you get overexposed to melanin? This gets RID of sunburns it doesn't prevent them.
tgosser137 says: May 25, 2010. 8:15 AM REPLY
you should love your freckles!!
RoosterSocks says: Jun 6, 2010. 10:57 PM REPLY
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.
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