Phototoxicity is also known as light poisoning or photoallergic contact dermatitis and is a term that covers all damage to living tissue caused by light.
Although the vast majority of phototoxic damage is caused by sunlight, all types of UV light can cause damage.
Phototoxic damage can also affect humans as well as animals. The most common phototoxic injury in humansis sunburn.
Some people (especially those with delicate or very pale skin) may also be particularly sensitive to light and thus extra prone to phototoxicity.
In this article:
Phototoxic substances
A phototoxic substance is a chemical compound that becomes toxic (phototoxic) when exposed to light.
Examples of phototoxic substances include, among others, certain:
- Essential oils
- Types of medicines
- Plant juices
Phototoxicity and essential oils
When talking about phototoxicity in relation to essential oils, it refers to the damage that can occur when the skin is coated in oil and exposed to direct sunlight.
Because most essential oils are phototoxic, it is recommended that you avoid direct sunlight for the first 24 hours after applying the oil. In practice, you can of course spend time outdoors, but you should not spend long periods of time under the sun (such as sunbathing, gardening, playing or playing sports in the sun, etc.)