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Le

Lemon Oil

Citrus Limon Peel Oil · Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil · Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil · Citrus Limon Fruit Oil

Phototoxic essential oil — sun exposure on treated skin can cause delayed burns and pigmentation.

What it does

Cold-pressed lemon-peel essential oil. Carries furocoumarins at lower levels than bergamot but still phototoxic at typical leave-on concentrations. Steam-distilled lemon oil contains far less furocoumarin and is the safer skincare option.

The evidence, graded

expert consensusBergamot, lemon, lime, bitter orange, parsley, and fig contain furocoumarins (psoralens) that produce phototoxic reactions when applied to skin and exposed to UV. The reaction can resemble a severe sunburn or pigmented chemical burn (berloque dermatitis). Avoid these ingredients in leave-on products applied during the day.Bowers 1999 · American Journal of Contact Dermatitis

Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.

Also known as

citrus medica limonum oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil

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