Tea Bag To Stop Bleeding (Why It Works And How To Do It)

There are so many home remedies floating around.

From butter on a burn, to copper bracelets for arthritis, to oatmeal baths for skin conditions, to cranberry juice for UTIs and on and on.

Many of them are are useless. Some are downright harmful. But some also really work.

Using a tea bag to stop bleeding falls in the latter category. It works!

Of course, it won’t stop a gushing arterial wound.

But it works great for small cuts and scrapes.

Keep reading to learn how tea bags work to stop bleeding and the best way to use them for this purpose.

 

Tea Bag To Stop Bleeding

Tea bags have a homeostatic effect that coagulates the blood and stops it from oozing. This is true of bags containing most kinds of tea.

You can place any tea bag on a cut or wound to stop the bleeding. For better results, immerse the tea bag in hot water first and then press it down gently on the wound for a few minutes.

Let’s take a closer look at how and why tea bags are effective to stop bleeding, before getting into the best ways to use them for this purpose.

 

Why Do Tea Bags Stop Bleeding?

If you’ve had a tooth pulled, your dentist may have recommended using a tea bag on the wound to stop the bleeding. Even your grandmother may have suggested using a tea bag on a paper cut or on minor wounds to stop them from bleeding.

Both knew what they were talking about. Tea bags are effective in stopping bleeding for a number of reasons.

 

Tannins

The tannins in tea have a homeostatic effect that coagulates the blood. It is also effective in fighting fever blisters and eliminating shoe odor. Almost all kinds of teas contain tannins.

Among true teas, black tea has the highest concentration and green tea has the lowest. The amount of tannins in the tea varies depending on how the tea is processed.

 

Astringent Effect

Tea also has an astringent effect in that it constricts the blood vessels and stops the blood from oozing out.

 

Antiseptic Effect

The tannins in tea also have an antiseptic effect. While that may not have an effect on the blood flow, it can prevent microorganisms from causing infections in the cut or wounds. There is even evidence that tea bags can draw out an infection.

 

Absorption

Tea bags can also act as a wound dressing to help stop the blood from flowing out of the wound.

 

How To Use A Tea Bag To Stop Bleeding

There are three ways to use a tea bag to stop bleeding after a dental extraction or from a wound or cut. Please note that you should only use a tea bag to stop bleeding for minor cuts and wounds. It will not work on larger wounds. Please see a doctor for those.

 

Direct Application

You can use any tea bag for this, although black tea works best due to its higher tannin concentration.

Directly press the dry tea bag down on the wound. If it is an extracted tooth site, you can clamp down your jaw on the bag.

For a non-tooth-related wound, press the bag gently on the wound for up to 5 minutes. This will help stop the blood from flowing out.

 

Steep In Hot Water

Another method is to steep the tea bag in hot water for 2 to 3 minutes. You can use black tea, oolong tea, or green tea, but black is best.

Once the bag is soaked, remove it and allow it to cool for a few seconds. Then press the warm bag on the wound or cut.

Keep the bag on the affected area for at least 3 to 5 minutes. The warm tea bag will also soothe the pain.

 

Steep In Cold Water

You can also wash the bag under a running tap for a few minutes or immerse the bag in cold water to wet it slightly. This will help release tannins from the tea.

Press the cool bag on the affected area for a few minutes. This will also reduce any swelling you may have.

 

Can You Put Tea Bags On Open Wounds?

For an open wound, you can soak a tea bag in hot water before applying it to the wound. This will help sterilize the bag and kill any germs on it. You can now apply it to the wound.

Remember that open wounds are susceptible to germs and could become infected. The best thing to do is wash the wound with saline or warm water and soap and apply an antiseptic lotion or cream to it.

Tea bags can be applied to small cuts or scratches as they can help clot the blood and stop minor bleeds.

 

How Long Does It Take For A Tea Bag To Stop Bleeding

You should press the warm tea bag on the cut or the wound for at least 5 minutes to stop the bleeding. This remedy should work immediately on minor wounds and cuts.

If you have a deep wound, you may want to elevate the area above your heart level to reduce the blood flow. You can also bandage the wound with a sterile gauze.

If the wound does not stop bleeding after 5 to 10 minutes, please see a healthcare professional right away.

 

Do Chamomile Tea Bags Stop Wounds From Bleeding?

Chamomile tea contains a small concentration of tannins which could help stop minor cuts and wounds from bleeding. Moreover, chamomile also contains anti-inflammatory compounds and anti-microbial properties that could speed up healing and also lower the risk of infections.

Please note that chamomile tea is not an approved treatment for bleeding. It may not be effective on major wounds or deep cuts.

If your wound continues to bleed despite using a chamomile tea bag or other home remedies, it is important to have it checked out by a medical professional.

 

Can Green Tea Stop Bleeding?

Green tea contains a small concentration of tannins which help coagulate the blood and provide a homeostatic effect to stop minor cuts or wounds from bleeding.

However, green tea is not a medically approved treatment for bleeding. It also may not be very effective on deep wounds or cuts.

If you have a deep wound or cut, please elevate the area and apply a sterile gauze or bandage over it to minimize the bleeding. If the remedy does not work, please see a medical professional right away.

 

What Tea Bags Have Tannic Acid?

Tannic acid is the compound that imparts an astringent taste to teas. It also provides anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Most teas contain some tannic acid. Two popular teas that contain tannic acid are black tea and green tea.

Black tea generally has a higher concentration of tannic acid because of the way it is produced, which is by oxidizing the tea leaves for a longer period. This increases the concentration of tannins.

Green tea, on the other hand, is made from unoxidized tea leaves, which decreases the tannin concentration.

The concentration of tannic acid in black tea can range from 11.76% to 15.14%, whereas that in green tea can vary from 3% to 5%.

 

Using Tea Bags To Stop Bleeding: Final Thoughts

Tea bags can work great to stop bleeding on small cuts or other wounds. The higher the tannic acid level in the tea, the better. This means that black tea bags are best for this purpose.

To use a tea bag to stop bleeding, you can apply it when dry, or make it wet in hot or cold water. Try all three and see which works best for you.

As always, I need to mention that I am not a medical professional. Always consult your doctor for any serious wounds. And if you have a small wound that has become infected, see a doctor as soon as possible for that as well.

Finally, tea bags have many other surprising uses as well. Even used tea bags can be repurposed. This article lists 27 things you can do with used tea bags. This article covers using a tea bag to soothe tooth pain.