Who would have thought this would be a Summertime hazard to watch out for . . .
Apparently “margarita burn” is a thing, and we don’t know how there haven’t been more reported stories on it.
Amber Prepchuk from Alberta, Canada visited Wizard Lake with some friends last month when she experienced a feeling she was not prepared for – it was like her hands were being cooked from the inside out.
Prior to a walk down to the water, Amber decided to make a pitcher of margaritas. She couldn’t find the lime squeezer and decided to just squeeze them by hand for the margs.
Amber gave her hands a “good rinse” and then continued on with the day full of fun in the fun.
The next day, Amber felt as though her hands had gotten a little sunburned, but didn’t think too much of it.
The day after — two days removed from her beach venture — Amber was in “excruciating” pain with blisters forming between her fingers and on the tops and side of her hand.
She went to the burn clinic at University Hospital with the burns, and it hand the doctor baffled!
Amber shares, “He almost dismissed me when I told him that the only thing that I could think of was the limes that I had squeezed two days prior. Her boyfriend started Googling lime burns when he came across information on phytophotodermatitis – also known as “margarita burns.”
Apparently, it’s the “result when a chemical called furocoumarin reacts with sunlight. This chemical is found in limes and citrus fruits, along with celery, figs, fennel, and a number of other plants,” according to Healthline.
The rash develops within the first 24 hours of exposure, then clusters of blisters grow on the affected areas of skin and can typically leave dark patches or streaks, medically known as post-inflammatory pigmentation – which can last for months once swelling goes down.
Amber, who had to have her burns dressed in gauze and burn cream before getting them wrapped up, shares, “I almost got sick [when I saw the blisters].”
She continues, “It’s almost overwhelming because it’s not like you just accidentally burned part of your hand on the oven or something . . . [the pain is] like being cooked from the inside out . . . It was tear-inducing . . . Being sunburned is one thing, but being second degree burned is a whole other sensation.”
Her hands weren’t the only part of Amber’s body that got burned either. Because she was wearing a bikini while whipping up the margs, the lime juice had also splattered on her stomach and legs.
Amber’s advice to others . . .
“Avoid squeezing limes with your bare hands and then going into the sunshine. — Gloves, lime squeezers, and a good washing with hot, soapy water” is what Amber recommends to others to avoid the pain of a margarita burn.
(Fox News)
