Vegetables are rich in nutrients such as vitamins, inorganic salts, and dietary fiber. Eating fresh vegetables regularly is beneficial to health, but some people may develop dermatitis after eating certain vegetables.
Why can eating vegetables cause dermatitis? This is because some vegetables can break down a photosensitive substance in the human body, and some people are very sensitive to this substance. When consuming or coming into contact with certain vegetables, such as amaranth, rape purslane, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, and cauliflower, the photosensitive substance accumulates to a certain concentration in the body. Then, when the exposed parts of the skin (face, hands, feet) are directly exposed to sunlight, it can lead to metabolic disorders and cause dermatitis. This dermatitis is medically known as "vegetable solar dermatitis." The main symptoms include itching and a burning sensation in the local skin, as well as acute edema, ecchymosis, or blisters, with a prickling pain. In severe cases, the lips, eyelids, and face may swell and turn purplish-red. Systemic reactions such as headache, fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite may also occur.
Once vegetable solar dermatitis occurs, it is necessary to immediately stop eating the vegetables related to the onset and avoid sun exposure. For those with more severe allergic symptoms, anti-allergic preparations such as calcium gluconate or diphenhydramine can be used, and hydrocortisone can also be used for timely treatment.