Über die Wirkung von (Schwarz-) Teeumschlägen auf die Haut
Authors: Gallenkemper G. 
Published: March 2018

Millennia-old experience with application of tea extracts as an external treatment prove beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory lesions of various origins, in particular but also in the context of venous disorders. The legends that abound in the discovery of tea are innumerable. One tells of how a coincidence the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung (2737 BC), who took great care to ensure cleanliness and cooked for this reason his drinking water, the tea flavour brought: A gust of wind blew some tea leaves into the kettle with boiling water, this golden colored it and gave him a pleasant aroma. The emperor tasted the drink and felt refreshed. Tea was then the drink in the „Middle Kingdom“, just as long – but probably even longer – it is used there as a remedy. Later in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) tea was discovered as a commodity, and it developed into a vibrant China's tea trade with its neighbors, this time the tea was probably also brought about by land to Europe. A wide distribution in the population took place in Europe but only after the first tea transport from Japan to Amsterdam with sailboats in 1610. The application of (herbal) tea extracts in the context of compresses for the treatment of skin diseases was embedded in the population in Europe but much earlier. So this is described in the books of Hildegard von Bingen (*1098; † September 17, 1179). Nowadays, the application of black tea extract in the topical treatment of inflammatory and infectious diseases in traditional medicine is widespread and established in dermatology, paediatrics, combustion medicine, radiotherapy, gynaecology and allergology.

The beneficial in the treatment of inflammatory lesions applies also to skin affections in the context of venous disorders. This could be demonstrated here in a not placebo controlled, non-randomized study: The treatment of 40 patients with inflammatory skin changes at the lower legs, mostly in the context of venous disorders, with black tea compresses started on the first day of patient contact and was always carried out in addition to a causal treatment of the underlying disease. In no case there was a worsening of the findings. In all cases a fast decay of redness, oozing, erosion, itching, pain, tenderness and edema within 2 to 3 days was observed after initiation of treatment.

An analysis of the evidence for the mechanisms of action by review of the extensive literature shows that well-founded knowledge on anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, anticancer, differentiation-promoting and antiaging properties is available. A detailed description of the pathophysiologic findings on the various effects is thus given. Conclusion: The good tolerability of this treatment combined with good effect, especially in combination with other therapies and the experience of probably millions of people for many centuries is a recommendation to apply this treatment more frequently, particularly as an adjunctive treatment of inflammatory lesions. The findings on the protective effects against chemical, physical and microbial aggressions mean that tea extracts can be potent agents in the prevention of skin diseases in the context of chemical loads in the (working) life, of natural and unnatural radiation exposure and in people with a tendency for inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema appear to seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis or vitiligo. Moreover, there is evidence that tea extracts are able to stop the skin aging process, not only, but even reverse it. All these arguments are sufficient as a reason for a more frequent use of tea and tea extracts in the treatment and prevention of skin diseases.

Treatment protocol: Preparation of tea compresses: Take tea bags individually or 4 in 500 ml of water or 5 teaspoons tea leaves ~ 10 g tea leaves in 500 ml water. Bring water to boil. Pour tea leaves / tea bags with hot water and wait more than 10 (to 30) minutes, strain tea leaves, remove bags, cool tea and tea bags (e. g. in a refrigerator at 8° C). Application of tea compresses: Put cool, damp (not dripping-wet) tea bags of affected skin or for larger affectes skin areas soak ironed handkerchief or cotton cloth with cold tea and put it cool, damp (not dripping-wet) to the affected skin, e. g. wrap the affected extremity. Do not forget to put inferior to it an old towel or paper for tea stains strongly yellow-brown! Leave tea bags or tea compresses for 5 to 15 min to take effect. Repeat treatment 2–3x/day until acute symptoms are relieved or disappeared.