What Is Margarita Dermatitis? Don't Let This Happen To You!

Hola! It's Cinco de Mayo and the margaritas and tequila will be flowing! But before you slice up those limes to garnish your drinks there's some important things you need to know! Consider this an important public service announcement. 

Two words. Margarita Dermatitis. Yes. It is real. We didn't think it was real either, but it's a very,very painful 2nd degree burn you can get from one of the most common drink garnishes! 

Our very own staff member Lindsey recently went on her honeymoon in Mexico.  While soaking up the rays and enjoying a beverage, her husband squeezed lime juice into his drink and wiped some on his arm and didn't think anything of it.  A few hours later after laying by the pool, he had a very painful, very prominent burn on his arm that immediately blistered. That's right ladies and gentlemen, he put the lime in the coconut and got a 2nd degree burn. When paired with rays from the sun the acidity from this tasty citrus can lead to a horrible burn. The fairer the skin, the worse the burn and eventually a bruised, crusted rash will appear.  This can leave a scar and mark that takes months to fade away. Scary right? What surprised me even more is the fact that NO ONE seems to know about this!  

So here is the important message for this summer season: If you happen to be mixing marinades for the barbecue or making delicious beverages like a margarita, make sure this is happening under a shaded area. If you spill lime juice on your skin make sure to clean it right away with soapy water. And last but not least, don't forget to put on sunscreen! 

Don't let margarita dermatitis happen to you!