A young adventurer has ended up with "putrefied" hands for washing them with lemon. The strange case was caused by the combination of the compounds present in citrus fruits and the midnight sun phenomenon in the Arctic.
During his trip, the adventurer squeezed lemon slices to mix their juice with the water in his canteen and enrich it with vitamin C. Drops of the juice splashed his hands and later, given the lack of springs, he used this water to wash them.
Two days later, the man found small purple wounds on his hands. He was suffering phytophotodermatitis, as published by BMJ Case Reports. The bruised wounds became blisters of pus, which came accompanied by a burning and itching sensation.
When he went to the hospital to receive medical attention, his condition was diagnosed. The blisters had been caused by a chemical reaction from a light sensitive compound present in the lemon juice. Upon contact with the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the midnight sun, they produced dermatitis or inflammation of the skin.
Psoralen is the compound present in citrus, which reacts when it comes into contact with human skin and is activated by the sun's rays, explains Dr. Luit Penninga, co-author of the report and medical director of the Ilulissat Hospital of the Health Region Avannaa, in Greenland.
It is worth noting that lemons and limes are not the only vegetable products that can cause this reaction. Celery, figs, meadow grass, parsnips or some weeds, without forgetting bergamot oil, could too. In fact, waiters who frequently use lemon juice in the preparation of cocktails and are exposed to the sun also tend to develop this condition.
In Greenland, there are flowers and shrubs capable of causing phytophotodermatitis, including the aforementioned wild celery, known as kvan (Angelica archangelica).
