Mother Warns After Lime Juice Causes Severe Burns On Daughter

One mother is warning others after lime juice caused severe burns on her daughter’s face.

Sabrina Miller was careful to apply adequate amounts of sunscreen on her daughter, Kaleigh, before they went outside to play. But when Kaleigh’s face to burn and she developed huge blisters, Sabrina was perplexed.

"I was just kind of traumatized, I was like, crying my eyes out, [wondering], 'What is going on with her?'" That’s when Sabrina discovered that her daughter was suffering from a specific type of burn caused by foods such as limes, lemons, celery and fennel.

The burn is commonly referred to as ‘margarita burn.’ Certain chemicals contained in these foods react with the skin and increase the sensitivity during sun exposure. Before applying sunscreen on her daughter, Sabrina had been handling limes.

She also found herself suffering from this skin condition. The startled mother said, "If you've ever scalded your hands under hot water or under steam or anything like that, that's what it felt like.” Dr. Doris Day, a dermatologist, shed light on this unique type of burn.

Citrus fruits like lime contain "an ingredient that is a photosensitizer, that makes your skin way more sensitive to the sun." Dr. Day says that once it’s activated, it can take 24 hours for the condition to reverse, even when you wash your hands or shower.

As summer time approaches and we spend more time out in the sun, this is such an important safety tip that we should all be aware of.