Why You Might Want To Leave Lime Out Of Corona In The Sunshine

The Euros are under way, it's hotting up and it's the weekend. All of this points to beer.

During the summer, many people reach for Mexican beers such as Corona, with a refreshing slice of lime. However, you might want to drink it straight, without the citrusy segment.

That's because of something called phytophotodermatitis, more commonly known as 'lime burn' or 'margarita burn'.

It occurs when a chemical called furocoumarin - found in limes - reacts with sunlight. If the lime juice then splashes on to your skin, it can cause burning, redness and blisters.

Pexels/Marianna OLE

Dr Keira Barr, a dual board-certified dermatologist and founder of Resilient Health Institute, said the severity of lime burn can vary, but in extreme cases it could lead to a more serious infection.

She told Healthline: "The term 'phyto' means plant, 'photo' refers to light, and 'dermatitis' is the inflammation of the skin.

"This chemical [furocoumarin] can become activated by UVA rays. The furocoumarin is absorbed into the cells of the top layer of the skin, your epidermis, resulting in burning, redness, and blisters.

"The degree of photosensitivity is based on the amount of juice and its concentration.

"People who were squeezing a lot of limes or had a drink spilled on them and then had a lot of sun exposure may have significant blistering, like a second- or third-degree thermal burn.

"They might have open sores and wounds that require medical attention.

"You might need supportive care like you would for sunburn, including cool compresses, anti-inflammatory medication, or topical steroids.

"People with severe blistering or skin that's sloughing off will face a risk of secondary infection, so it needs to be treated like a burn."

Corona

LADbible has contacted Corona for comment.

In the meantime, if you do still wanna put a lime in your Corona, how exactly are you gonna do it?

TikToker Rusty (@rustyyguns) recently claimed that people have been doing it wrong, arguing the correct way to add the lime is to push the wedge into the Corona and then turn the bottle upside down, so the lime infuses into the beer.

However, the folks over at Corona said there isn't a wrong way of doing it - so long as you ensure that bevvy is well refrigerated.

A Corona rep told Vinepair: "Everyone has their own way of dropping in the lime - squeeze and drop in; squeeze only; pop in and turn the bottle upside down - there is no wrong way as long as the cerveza is cold."

Topics: Interesting, Beer, Health

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey