Pediatric burns induced by psoralens in Saudi Arabia

Over a 5-year period, three children with psoralen-induced burns were seen. All children were on treatment for vitiligo with a psoralen oil and burns were sustained from unsupervised sun exposure while playing outdoors. The burn wound was partial thickness and involved 6-40% of the total body surface area. All wounds healed without infection or contracture with topical silver sulfadiazine. However, the previously normal skin in phototoxic areas became significantly hyperpigmented while the areas with vitiligo remained hypopigmented. Differences between psoralen-induced burns and other second degree sunburns unrelated to psoralens are discussed.