Phytophotodermatitis is an inflammatory reaction to chemicals in certain plants or fruits triggered by sunlight. Learn more about this rash and how to treat it at WebMD. Phytophotodermatitis is a clinical diagnosis and should be suspected when patients present with an irregularly shaped rash and exposure to sunlight and a psoralen-containing substance.

Context Explanation

Phytophotodermatitis is a skin reaction that happens when plant chemicals and sunlight mix, causing a rash, blisters or discoloration. It turns out there’s more than one bad kind of “lime disease.” In a recent report, doctors detail a man who got nasty rashes and blisters on his hands after he juiced a bunch of limes—limes that had ... A hangover might be the least of your worries after that poolside cocktail. As summer heats up, doctors are warning about so-called “margarita burn,” a blistering rash that can leave you wincing in ...

Insight Material

“Margarita burn” is a nice name for an annoying summer skin rash. It's a reference to lime juice, a key ingredient in the drink, which can get on the hands of a person squeezing the citrus fruit. If ... What is phytophotodermatitis? Phytophotodermatitis, a form of plant dermatitis, is a skin reaction that occurs after natural photosensitising chemicals (furanocoumarins) present within plant sap and fruits, become smeared onto the skin, and there is subsequent exposure to sunlight.

Final Conclusion

Phytophotodermatitis is a phototoxic inflammatory reaction of the skin resulting from contact with a light-sensitizing botanical agent (such as lime juice) followed by exposure to ultraviolet A (UV-A) light (from the sun, for instance).