“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 the person then goes outside, the juice can react with sunlight and cause phytophotodermatitis, a type of skin inflammation.
TODAY’s Al Roker had no idea this was a potential problem, but co-host Dylan Dreyer said she suffers from the phenomenon.
“It makes my hands so itchy if I squeeze a lemon or lime,” she explained on the 3rd Hour of TODAY on Friday, June 27. “And I’m like, what just happened?”
It’s more common than people think, said Dr. David Kim, a board-certified dermatologist, during the segment.
What Is a Margarita Burn?
Limes and lemons naturally contain furocoumarin, a chemical that interacts with ultraviolet rays from the sun to trigger a rash.
“So when you’re out having a great time in the summer, don’t squeeze limes or lemons with your bare hands,” Kim said. And if you do, always wash off the juice.
Celery, wild parsnip and parsley also contain those same “phototoxic compounds,” researchers note.
Symptoms can begin within hours to days after the sunlight exposure, and include painful skin redness, blisters and patches of darker skin that can be itchy, case studies note.
The rash can show patterns of "streak marks" from juice dripping downward, the studies have found.
Dermatologists often see patients once the inflammation has started to fade, leaving behind "a characteristic brown patch on the skin," Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, previously told TODAY.com.
How Long Does It Take for a Margarita Burn to Go Away?
If you get a rash, use a steroid cream to calm the inflammation and use brightening serums with kojic acid and arbutin to prevent hyperpigmentation, Kim advised.
“Because once you get that rash,” he said, “it can take up to eight weeks for it to fade.”
Dylan confirmed she’s used a steroid cream to get rid of her rash.
Remember: You can prevent a lime burn by immediately washing the juice off your skin with soap and water.
