Do you suddenly have blisters on your arms and hands after working in your garden? You may have been a victim of phytophotodermatitis. Also known as parsnip burn or plant and sun dermatitis, it is a blister that appears after plant sap touches your skin combined with exposure to sunlight. If you’re reading this, I assume you are wondering what is popping up on your skin, so I’ll cut to the chase before explaining more in-depth. A plant just gave you a MAJOR sunburn. It’s not contagious, won’t spread, and typically can be treated at home. Read on to learn what happened, how to treat phytophotodermatitis, and ways to prevent parsnip burns in the future.
What is phytophotodermatitis?
In layman’s terms, a plant’s sap just gave you a MAJOR sunburn. Some plants contain a substance called furanocoumarin or furocoumarins which causes your skin to become extra sensitive to UV light. It’s not an allergic or immune response, but a sun-sensitive skin reaction from a plant’s juices that leads to a rash appearing on your hands and arms. It can show up in other places, but as gardeners and homesteaders, it is usually the result of harvesting or weeding a particular…and we don’t usually pull carrots with our toes!
The reaction isn’t instantaneous, but about 24 hours after exposure the symptoms begin. It can feel like a burning sensation and then the rash appears. Depending on how much UV exposure and sensitivity, the rash may appear as red/discolored splotches or, as in my case, a handful of nasty looking blisters on my hands and arms. After a few days, the symptoms typically improve. Dark patches from the blisters may remain on your skin for a few more weeks as the healing process continues.
What plants cause blisters on hands and arms?
- Carrots
- Celery
- Parsley
- Parsnips
- Queen Anne’s Lace
- Figs
- Citrus fruits (especially lime juice)
- Hogweed
You know what I did the time I first had a reaction? I handled parsnips, celery, and parsnips all on one hot and sunny day ignorant of their sap. Learn from my mistakes to prevent some serious discomfort!
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How to prevent parsnip burns
Do you need to avoid growing these plants in your garden forevermore? To quote Benjamin Franklin, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to phytophotodermatitis. There’s no need to fear working in your vegetable garden in the future if you take some preventative measures.
The goal is to avoid handling or breaking the plant’s with your bare skin. So be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when harvesting your carrots, parsley, and parsnips. I know it gets hot in the summer wearing long sleeved shirts, but we have found these SPF shirts to be cool enough to wear all summer long and it has the added bonus of protecting against sunburn. Win-win!
If you do accidentally touch or brush against an offending plant, be sure to wash thoroughly with soap and water as soon as you can to try and head off a more severe reaction.
How to treat parsnip burns at home
Disclaimer: Neither of us are doctors or other certified health professionals. We aren’t sharing medical advice.
Parsnip burns can be treated similarly to a sunburn, which it essentially is a form of, and can be treated at home. If the blistering is severe or you see signs of infection (pus, fever, increased swelling), of course, go consult with your doctor.
Like with any burn, a cold compress or an ice pack can soothe the burning the first day or so. I personally found using sunburn aloe gel with lidocaine provided some relief. Or if you have an aloe plant, the juices inside the leaves are soothing as well. Try to avoid popping the blisters to protect the sensitive skin underneath as long as possible.
After a few days the symptoms typically improve, but like I do with a sunburn I continue to coat the blisters/burns with a homemade salve or lotion to support the skin’s healing process. It also helps with the lingering itching and irritation.
Lastly, patience is the best remedy. The dark patches (aka hyperpigmentation) from the blisters may remain on your skin for a few more weeks. Similar to having a tan skin underneath a sunburn.To prevent those patches from darkening further, protect them from UV rays and sunlight with sunscreen and/or clothing as the healing process continues.
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