Why are hands itchy and hot after handling garlic?

Almost all dishes use garlic. This onion has a distinctive smell that makes cooking even more delicious. However, have you ever felt hot and itchy hands when cutting or holding garlic? What is the cause?

The reason for itching hands after handling garlic

Apart from the smell which is quite pungent, what else do you feel when you cut garlic? Some people may feel a burning and itchy sensation on their fingers after handling garlic.

Reporting from a page managed by the University of Washington, Dr. Lisa Maier explains why.

A lecturer in dermatology at the University of Washington School of Medicine said that garlic has chemical agents that can irritate the skin.

The chemicals that irritate the skin are diallyl disulfide . When the hands are exposed to this material, there will be a reaction of heat, burning, and itching on the skin.

Not only do the hands feel itchy and hot, the American Academy of Dermatology also states that these irritants can trigger eczema.

Eczema on the hands, also known as contact dermatitis, after handling garlic will cause sensitive, itchy, dry, rash-filled skin.

Usually this is prone to occur in chefs who have sensitive skin.

Another evidence showing that garlic has an irritant substance was also felt by a woman in England. He tries to treat water fleas by placing pieces of garlic on the problematic skin.

Instead of getting better, water fleas are getting worse. As a result, the skin becomes peeling and causes open sores to the surface of the big toe.

Dr. Lisa also thinks that water fleas should be treated with antifungal drugs, not garlic.

Although garlic has antifungal properties, it also has diallyl disulfide which is irritating in nature. So, it would be better to use the medicine prescribed by the doctor to treat garlic.

So, so that your hands avoid burning and itching after handling garlic, you can use gloves. After that, wash your hands thoroughly so that any residual irritants that stick to the hands can be removed.

Apart from irritants, onion allergies can also be the cause

The effect of burning and itching on the hands after handling garlic is not only caused by irritants. It could be, this condition appears as an allergic reaction.

Although rare, garlic is also included in the list of foods that can cause allergies.

Allergic reactions to garlic do not appear only when it is eaten. However, it can also occur when the skin is in direct contact with peeled garlic.

Allergy symptoms can appear quickly after or within two hours of coming into contact with garlic.

Skin disorders, such as itching and burning in the hands or all over the body, can appear if you handle or eat garlic.

Meanwhile, tingling symptoms, runny nose, sneezing, nausea and vomiting, sneezing, diarrhea, and stomach cramps will only appear after eating garlic.

If you experience shortness of breath after eating onions, seek medical help immediately. This is a life-threatening allergy symptom.

If you have a garlic allergy, avoid eating it as much as possible, even touching it with your bare hands, so as not to develop an allergic reaction, such as itching, burning, or even shortness of breath.