Orange and Sunlight: A Recipe for Blisters

Lime disease or phytophotodermatitis is a phototoxic inflammatory cutaneous eruption that occurs when skin is exposed to furanocoumarin-containing plants and sunlight. The presentations range from mild erythema to acute blisters or bullae.1 Common causative plants include lime, lemons, figs, parsnips and celery. The diagnosis is clinical and relies on meticulous review of exposure history, correlating the pattern of skin lesions with area of contact and excluding other causes of photodermatitis. Though the condition is not rare surgeons may encounter such cases and knowledge about the pathogenesis helps in the differential diagnosis.