‘MARGARITA BURN’: B.C. mom says baby got blisters by eating celery in sunlight

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A mother in British Columbia is sharing her story about the dangers of “margarita burn” while consuming certain foods in the sunlight.

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Reanna Bendzak, from Kamloops, says her seven-month-old daughter woke up with blisters on her face after chewing on a celery stalk while at an outdoor barbecue in March.

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“Our daughter was cutting her second tooth, so we gave her a piece of celery to chew on, just to help soothe those gums,” Bendzak told Good Morning America. “It wasn’t warm by any means, but it was sunny so she was covered neck-to-toe in a onesie and we had a sun hat on her, so we thought she was fairly well-protected.”

Bendzak said she and her husband wiped her daughter’s face with a cloth several times during the day, but didn’t use soap and water. They bathed their baby in the evening.

The next day, a rash had formed around her daughter’s mouth, and worsened into blisters later in the day.

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Bendzak said her daughter was eventually diagnosed with phytophotodermatitis, which happens when the skin comes in contact with plants containing furanocoumarins while out in the sun. This organic chemical compound can be found in celery, carrots, citrus fruits (most commonly limes), figs, bergamot, dill, parsley, and parsnip.

“As any parents out there would know, your first reaction is just like, ‘Oh my gosh, what did I do? And how could I have prevented that,’” Bendzak said. “But you’re only as good of a parent as the knowledge you have, and we did what we thought was best at the time.”

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Bendzak shared images of blisters and scarring on her child’s face on social media, along with an experiment on her own arm, where she applied celery juice three times during 25 minutes of sun exposure.

She said her baby had blisters for about 10 days, and scarring and hyperpigmentation for about six weeks.

Bendzak also shared a final photo of a smiling baby about a month after the initial rash.

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“She is healing well but we now have a long road of hyperpigmentation and scarring to treat,” Bendzak wrote on Facebook.

“With warmer days approaching, please be mindful of what snacks/drinks you and your children are enjoying and wash thoroughly before going into the sun if you do consume anything on this list, as this can happen to anyone.”