Hi Carol,

Nipple skin is...... SKIN. Sore nipples are irritated, injured (wounded),
and/or infected. How would the use of astringents (tea bags) help these
conditions?

I have never found a research study supporting the use of tea bags. All
interventions, such as tea bags for wounded or damaged nipples, should be
shown to be safe and effective before being used. If tea bags are good for
injured skin, we should be using them on bedsores, diaper rashes,
brush-burns on kids' knees, chapped lips, and to heal episiotomy wounds and
cesarean incisions. I doubt if your colleagues would even THINK of trying
tea bags for those purposes!

If the skin is wounded/damaged/injured, (1) remove the cause, and (2) heal
the wound.
If the skin is infected, apply medication to counteract the specific
pathogen.
If the skin is irritated, remove the source.
If the skin is dry, add moisture systemically and topically.

So how would tea bags accomplish any of the above?

Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC
Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre
Dayton, OH USA
http://www.bflrc.com