Doctors call attention to 'margarita rashes' from sun exposure as spring approaches
With spring approaching, dermatologists are spreading awareness of a lesser-known skin condition associated with sun exposure.
With spring approaching, dermatologists are spreading awareness of a lesser-known skin condition associated with sun exposure.
Handling certain foods like limes and then going into the sun may cause an itchy rash or sunburn on areas of the body that the citrus juice touched. In severe cases, people may develop blisters that require an emergency room visit.
The condition, photocontact dermatitis, can be caused by anything that makes skin more sensitive to the sun — including certain skincare products, medication or plants. It's sometimes called “margarita rash” because people may get it after juicing limes for margaritas then sitting outside.
"The right exposure to the right citrus in the right sunlight will cause this in anybody" — including all skin types, said Dr. Brandon Adler, an assistant professor of dermatology at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.
“A lot of people falsely assume that it’s only fairer-skinned individuals who develop sun sensitivity, and that is patently false,” he said. “There’s a good body of data that’s emerged showing that people with darker skin tones are also susceptible.”
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