As If I Needed Another Reason Not To Go Back To New York

Plant That Causes Serious Burns and Alters Human DNA Spreads Across New York

Damage to DNA results from the plant’s toxins interacting with ultraviolet light from the Sun. Heat worsens the effects.

Giant Hogweed sap contains toxins that cause phytophotodermatitis, which means that they heighten the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight.

The skin’s reaction to Giant Hogweed sap can be intensified by heat and sweat, which means it’s most dangerous during the summer.

But the worst damage happens at the microscopic level.

When the sap’s toxins get inside skin cells, they can destroy the body’s DNA molecules with help from the sun.

As a result, those skin cells die, which is actually what causes the blistering burns.

I had to work there and the day I left was the last day I’d set foot in that state