Wood ash and water: Cause of superficial alkaline burns in a toddler

Though seemingly innocuous, the combination of wood ash and water can result in an alkaline solution with a pH up to 12, making it a burn risk. A 2-year-old boy developed a significant irritant reaction to his arms and legs while playing outdoors in wood ashes with a water gun. This case is novel because an unintentional, trivial exposure resulted in ulcerative irritant dermatitis. It is necessary to raise awareness of the corrosive risk from wood ash and water in the medical community, especially in primary and emergency care settings, to improve recognition of ash-water burns and irritant contact dermatitis and to ensure appropriate treatment.