# Should a white man with a family history of skin cancer avoid Earl Gray tea? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 21, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738 "2017-01-21T17:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/1 "2017-01-21T17:52:43Z")
My father died of melanoma at 60. I had a scare last year for a rough discoloration on my bald scalp that turned out to be a mole which eventually vanished. So anyway, out of curiosity I bought a 100 count box of Earl Twinning’s Gray tea a few weeks ago and I’m about half way through it. I’m not in love with the taste of the bergamot oil flavoring and the black tea potion seems kind of weak but it’s still “teaish” so I’m working my way though it. Curious about bergamot I looked it up and it says this - > **[Health | Livestrong.com](https://www.livestrong.com/cat/health/)** > > Our health conditions page provides comprehensive information on a wide range of health issues, including causes, symptoms, treatments and prevention tips.... > [@](#): > > Like other essential oils, bergamot oil can be very irritating to the skin unless it is heavily diluted. Even then, bergamot oil can cause side effects in some people. As listed by eMedTV, these effects include blisters, scabs, redness and skin pigmentation changes, mainly lightening effects. Some people use bergamot oil to help even out pigmentation lightening due to the disorder vitiligo, but the effects may not be consistent. > > Photosensitivity > > Bergamot oil applied to skin can cause extra sensitivity to the sun – photosensitivity – **that can result in severe sunburn and cell changes that can lead to skin cancer,** according to [Drugs.com](http://Drugs.com). This effect is primarily caused by the component bergamottin, which absorbs ultraviolet light. It can continue up to 72 hours after bergamot oil is applied. Should I even be drinking this if I’m bald with a family history of skin cancer? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/2 "2017-01-21T18:14:28Z")
_Applied to skin_ is the operative phrase here. They’re talking about oils and lotions with bergamot - unless you are rubbing Earl Grey tea all over your bald pate I suspect you have nothing to fear. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/3 "2017-01-21T18:42:08Z")
Not a fan of the stuff. I recommend everyone avoid it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/4 "2017-01-21T18:46:02Z")
[You know who else was bald and liked Earl Grey tea, don’t you?](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ec/bd/25/ecbd2515dc28fd0e4883c1c9605345cc.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/5 "2017-01-21T19:36:15Z")
“Essential oils” are highly concentrated. While I’m not familiar with the exact constituents of Earl Grey tea, I suspect the concentration of bergamot oil used for flavoring in tea is way way less than in the stuff sold as essential oil. And as noted, concerns about the oil relate to rubbing it on skin, at least according to [livestrong.com](http://livestrong.com) (which wouldn’t be my go-to health source anyway) - and not drinking a small amount of it. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/6 "2017-01-21T19:39:04Z")
Just avoid touching it with your bare hands. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/7 "2017-01-21T22:01:24Z")
I don’t know if I’d hang my hat on the fact that drinking it isn’t the same as applying it to the skin. Epithelial tissue lines the esophagus and large and small intestines. I’d agree that the concentration of bergamot oil is in Earl Grey tea is way lower than the concentrated stuff in essential oils, and in the piddling quantities you’re drinking shouldn’t be a problem. Plus, that stuff is just nasty if you ask me, so how much can you drink? ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/8 "2017-01-21T22:10:14Z")
Wearing a hat, sunscreen, and limit sun exposure will do far more for your skin than avoiding tea. ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/9 "2017-01-21T22:39:13Z")
As I recall, bergamot oil is only dangerous when combined with sunlight, which is why it’s contraindicated for skin use. Unless you’re shining a UV flashlight down your throat, I’m guessing you’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/10 "2017-01-21T22:41:28Z")
> [@mischievous](#): > > As I recall, bergamot oil is only dangerous when combined with sunlight, which is why it’s contraindicated for skin use. Unless you’re shining a UV flashlight down your throat, I’m guessing you’ll be fine. Well that makes sense. Intuitively I shied away from the notion that something dangerous to have on the skin could be neutralized by the simple expedient of swallowing it. It goes to show you. ---
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/11 "2017-01-21T22:48:24Z")
> [@mischievous](#): > > As I recall, bergamot oil is only dangerous when combined with sunlight, which is why it’s contraindicated for skin use. Unless you’re shining a UV flashlight down your throat, I’m guessing you’ll be fine. Wikipedia partially backs me up on this: [“In the past, psoralen extracted from bergamot oil has been used in tanning accelerators and sunscreens. These substances were known to be photocarcinogenic since 1959”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergamot_orange#Skin_care). Photocarcinogens are substances that react to sunlight to form carcinogens. So don’t rub the tea on your head, but drink away! ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/12 "2017-01-21T22:55:22Z")
I don’t believe Twinings even uses bergamot oil; they use bergamot “flavoring.” Try Bigelow - much tastier. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/13 "2017-01-21T22:59:45Z")
Ingestion in combination with exposure to the Borg Collective is highly contra indicated. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/14 "2017-01-22T00:57:32Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Wearing a hat, sunscreen, and limit sun exposure will do far more for your skin than avoiding tea. I recommend wearing a hat and sunscreen when drinking Earl Gray, that should do the trick too. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/15 "2017-01-22T01:59:22Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > I don’t know if I’d hang my hat on the fact that drinking it isn’t the same as applying it to the skin. Epithelial tissue lines the esophagus and large and small intestines. How much sunshine does your intestines get? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/16 "2017-01-22T02:29:35Z")
Hmmm. No, no concern about skin cancer in the gut even if you swallowed a UV flashlight. Gut epithelia is of a different origin and type than skin epithelia. Melanoma in the gut is exceedingly rare and usually metastatic from elsewhere. But bergamottin, the substance in the oil from the specific citrus fruit rind that is the photosensitizer being so demonized? That’s what’s in grapefruit that has everyone so concerned that a glass of grapefruit juice will wreak havoc with their medications. (Don’t use grapefruit juice as a sunscreen or a scalp conditioner btw.) How much bergamottin is in a cup of Earl Grey? How much would you need to drink for there to be reason for concern? I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/17 "2017-01-22T02:42:59Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Hmmm. > > No, no concern about skin cancer in the gut even if you swallowed a UV flashlight. Gut epithelia is of a different origin and type than skin epithelia. Melanoma in the gut is exceedingly rare and usually metastatic from elsewhere. > > But bergamottin, the substance in the oil from the specific citrus fruit rind that is the photosensitizer being so demonized? That’s what’s in grapefruit that has everyone so concerned that a glass of grapefruit juice will wreak havoc with their medications. (Don’t use grapefruit juice as a sunscreen or a scalp conditioner btw.) > > How much bergamottin is in a cup of Earl Grey? How much would you need to drink for there to be reason for concern? I have no idea. Yeah.. in googling further [it can be problematic](https://mindhacks.com/2009/10/15/tea-intoxication/) > [@](#): > > An interesting case study from a 2002 edition of The Lancet of a man who suffered paralysis from drinking too much Earl Grey tea owing to the toxic effects of huge doses of bergamot oil – taken from orange rind and used as flavour: > A 44-year-old man presented in May, 2001, with muscle cramps. He had no medical history of note, but volunteered the fact that he had been drinking up to 4 L of black tea per day over the past 25 years. His preferred brand was GoldTeefix (Tekanne, Salzburg, Austria). Since this type of tea had given him occasional gastric pain, he changed to Earl Grey (Twinings & Company, London, UK), which he thought would be less harmful to his stomach. 1 week after the change, he noticed repeated muscle cramps for some seconds in his right foot. The longer he drank Earl Grey tea, the more intense the muscle cramps became. After 3 weeks, they also occurred in the left foot… > > Earl Grey tea is composed of black tea and the essence of bergamot oil, an extract from the rind of bergamot orange (Citrus aurantium ssp bergamia), which has a pleasant, refreshing scent. Bergamot oil contains bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen), bergamottin (5-geranyloxypsoralen), and citropten (5,7-dimethoxycoumarin), which can be found in grapefruit juice, celery, parsnips, and Seville orange juice. Bergamot oil is a well-known UVA-induced photosensitiser with a strong phototoxic effect, and is used therapeutically in psoriasis, vitiligo, mycosis fungoides, and cutaneous lymphoma. Because of this side-effect, bergamot oil has been widely banned as an ingredient in cosmetics and tanning products. Bergamot oil also has a hepatotoxic effect and may cause contact-allergy. The adverse effects of bergamot oil in this patient are explained by the effect of bergapten as a largely selective axolemmal potassium channel blocker, reducing potassium permeability at the nodes of Ranvier in a time-dependent manner. This may lead to hyperexcitability of the axonal membrane and phasic alterations of potassium currents, causing fasciculations and muscle cramps. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-white-man-with-a-family-history-of-skin-cancer-avoid-earl-gray-tea/777738/18 "2017-01-23T18:02:54Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > How much sunshine does your intestines get? I get sunshine blown up my ass all the time. I have to consider this a very real health risk. 😛