summer, pool and chamomile flower. Who wouldn’t like it? This may seem harmless, especially if we opt for the non-alcoholic version of the drink. cocktail. But even in this case, you need to be careful, because its preparation at this time of the year can be quite expensive. And it turns out that contact with the sun after pressing limes can cause a skin condition called phytophotodermatitis.
Well, actually lime is not the only fruit that causes this painful effect. It also happens with others, for example with figs. However, cases with files are so common that phytophotodermatitis is even colloquially dubbed as “Marguerite Bern” Or what is the sameDaisy Burn“.
Luckily, steroid treatment It is usually very effective and the damage it causes to the skin disappears fairly quickly. But at the same time they cause a lot of pain. For this reason, it is worth knowing what it consists of and how to avoid it, so as not to get an unpleasant surprise when we prepare a delicious margarita.
Limes in margaritas can burn you
Lips like the rest citrus and other vegetablessuch as figs, celery or fennel contain a substance called furocoumarin. If it gets on the skin and is not washed off quickly, it can be absorbed by its outer layer and, when activated, UV radiation from the sun, cause burning, redness, and blistering equivalent to second-degree burns. This is what is known as phytophotodermatitis.
Symptoms go through several stages. The first eruption comes from lfirst 24 hours, after exposure to furocoumarin and the sun. These first lesions are red and inflamed patches that are later replaced blisters. This happens after a couple of days. Finally, when the inflammation subsides, which happens earlier with steroid treatment, the blisters turn into painless but highly pigmented patcheswhich can remain on the skin for months.
It is logical that this happens not only when we prepare a cocktail. However, the condition is known as such because there have been many cases of people making one or more margaritas at a summer party. For example, last year the case of a 26-year-old man who cut and squeeze 24 limes when preparing cocktails for a pool party. Only 7 hours laterthe first rash began to appear, which spread not only to the arms, but also to the abdomen and thighs, possibly due to spray.
How to avoid phytophotodermatitis?
To avoid margarita burns, follow two basic tips. The first is to use solar protection. We should already be doing this, even if we have not come into contact with fruit or any kind of cocktail, but this is worth remembering.
On the other hand, if you have cut limes or any of the mentioned fruits, or even if you have been splashed while drinking a cocktail, you should wash your skin before the compound in question is taken up by it. That is, at the latest until the next 2 hours. This applies to people who are going to be outdoors; but also if, for example, they are very close to the window.
In short, we can enjoy a margarita or any cocktail with citrus on summer days. But we must take into account some considerations so that the Sun does not play a cruel joke with us. Enough with normal burns, it’s better not to add more fuel to their radiation.
Source: Hiper Textual
