Doctor issues warning to anyone who puts lemon juice in their hair on holiday

Have you ever rubbed lemon juice on your hair while abroad?

It's kind of up there with using tanning oil instead of suncream (another huge no-no, FYI) and now one doctor has debunked why it's really not a good plan.

The idea is that the chemicals within the lemon juice react with UV rays from the sun, which ultimately causes a lightening of the hair strands.

It's why some people think that spraying their hair with lemon juice before sitting in the sun could lead to some natural highlights.

But actually, alongside causing your hair to become seriously dry, there are some other reasons why you shouldn't be rubbing lemon on your head.

One doctor has broken down exactly what happens over on Instagram.

Sharing a video of a man squeezing half a lemon onto his head while sat on the beach, Dr Karan Rajan explained why you should steer clear of the method this summer.

"Before you turn your meaty head into a biological margarita, let me explain why you shouldn't do this," he said.

"The citric acid from the lemon interacts with the UV rays from the sun and makes the hair more photosensitive.

"This accelerates melanin breakdown in the hair causing a lightening of the hair colour.

"But the acidity of lemon juice can also strip the hair of its natural oils leading to dryness and fragility.

"But the real problem comes when it gets onto your scalp and the skin."

Dr Rajan explained this is because citrus fruits contain chemicals called psoralens that - when in contact with UV rays - activate a reaction which causes inflammation and damage to the skin, also known as phytophotodermatitis.

If you start to experience this, it's best to wash the area with soap and water to remove the chemicals.

"If you're already getting symptoms then [use] a cold compress, consider antihistamines and over the counter hydrocortisone creams," Dr Rajan advised.

People were pretty surprised at the advice, with many admitting they spent years using lemon in their hair.

One commented: "Yep. In the 1970s we used to squeeze lemons into a spray bottle and spray it in our hair to get blond strands."

While another said: "Did this to my hair as a teenager and learnt that one mustn't do this the hard way."

Meanwhile, a hairdresser also weighed into the comments to enforce the claims, adding: "As a former hairdresser, I approve this message."