Caution: The Dangerous Combination of Lime and Sun Can Harm You
A young man recently squeezed limes under the blazing sun, only to be shocked a few days later when he discovered his hands covered in giant blisters.
Squeezing limes? Just don’t do it in the sun. Justin Pantrick, a young man from New York, was only squeezing limes at midday under the blazing sun on a residential building's rooftop.
A few days later, he was shocked to discover his hands covered with giant burns and was quickly taken to the hospital.
At the hospital, they found out that Pantrick was suffering from second-degree burns, caused by a phenomenon known as phytophotodermatitis (phytophotodermatitis). This condition, also known as "Margarita burns," results from a reaction between the sun’s UV rays and limes, but also with figs and celery.
The cause is a compound called psoralen, created from the interaction between them, which makes the skin sensitive to sun rays for 24 hours.
In case you're curious, Pantrick is doing well. The treatment he received in the hospital cleared the blisters after a few days, but the recovery process takes several weeks until the skin fully heals. Sometimes spots remain on the skin that are impossible to remove.
Therefore, in such a situation, it is highly recommended to wash your hands within half an hour, at which point the danger passes.
By the way, don't get confused – lime is not lemon. It looks very similar and is a member of the citrus family, but it is a fruit that is generally greener inside and out, as well as smaller and more sour. In some cases, it’s a hybrid of different citrus fruit varieties. From a health perspective, it's essential to know that it is considered rich in vitamin C.
