What causes photosensitivity and what oils cause it?
Oils that contain furocoumarins can cause skin reactions if used on skin that is then exposed to ultraviolet light. These photosensitive reactions may be as mild as slight reddening of the skin, while severe cases can result in acute lesions known as bullock dermatitis. This dermatitis will resolve itself in a few weeks; however the accompanying hyper-pigmentation (brown spots on the skin) can take months or years to fully disappear. Bergamot, which contains the furocoumarin Bergapten, is especially likely to cause reactions. We sell bergapten-free bergamot (Bergamot BF) to eliminate this risk. Other oils we carry that might cause photosensitive reactions include angelica root, ginger, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mandarin orange and tangerine.
