Do Your Hands Get Itchy When Peeling Butternut Squash? Experts Explain Why and How to Avoid It

Butternut squash is a popular cool-season vegetable that can be eaten in savory dishes, such as soups, salads or roasted sides, and also used in baked goods. But have you ever peeled and chopped a butternut squash and noticed that your hands got flaky or itchy? If so, then you’ve likely experienced “squash hands,” a type of contact dermatitis. I reached out to two medical experts to find out more about this type of skin irritation that occurs when handling butternut squash. Keep reading to learn about squash hands, its symptoms, what to do if you are affected and how to avoid it.

What Is Butternut Squash Dermatitis?

According to Kate Viola, M.D., M.H.S., FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Dermatology Partners, “Contact dermatitis is a skin rash that develops after your skin comes in contact with a substance that is irritating or your skin is allergic to.” Butternut squash can cause this reaction for some people. Viola says, “The actual allergen or compound in squash that causes this rash is unknown but can be seen within the entire family of this plant, including acorn squash, pumpkins, zucchini, cucumber, certain melons and gourds.” She adds, “The puzzling substance found in these fruits aggravates the skin to stimulate an allergic reaction and is most likely within the flesh of the squash because this reaction only occurs during peeling and cutting.” 

What Are the Symptoms?

The symptoms range from flaky and dry skin to burning, tightness and redness, and they can occur immediately or within 30 minutes of squash preparation, based on studies, says Viola. According to Chris Brooks, M.D., an allergy and immunology physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, “There are some infrequent reported cases of patients who have contact exposure to butternut squash and develop dry and flaking skin in the area of exposure.”  

How to Alleviate the Itching If It Affects You

If you experience symptoms, use a cream to alleviate the itching. “Published case studies show that using over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone and/or fragrance-free creams and emollients usually resolves the rash in a few days,” says Viola. She points out that fragrance-free creams aren’t the same as unscented ones. “Unscented skin care will use a chemical to cover up the scent from other ingredients in the product,” she says. “Stay clear of these products.”

If a hydrocortisone cream isn’t sufficient or doesn’t provide adequate relief, consider speaking with a medical professional. “If you have intense itching and redness with no relief from OTC management, visit a board-certified dermatologist for topical steroid treatment,” says Viola.  

Why Doesn’t It Happen to Everyone? 

More research is needed to understand why this type of contact dermatitis affects some people and not others. “There has never been a study that has looked at the actual number of people who develop this,” says Brooks. This type of dermatitis doesn’t appear to be common or may be underreported. If it’s occurring more frequently, people aren’t reaching out to medical professionals for treatment. “I have never personally seen it, but there are some case reports of this occurring,” says Brooks. “I would guess that it is not common but still occurs more often than we realize,” he adds. Viola has also never seen a patient with squash hands. 

Whether you’ve experienced this rash or are now hesitant to handle butternut squash, the good news is that this type of contact dermatitis doesn’t provoke severe reactions. Viola confirms, “There have been no documented studies of severe allergic skin reactions to squash.”

Tips to Prevent Squash Hands

You don’t have to stop eating butternut squash if you’re concerned about squash hands. There are easy measures to take to avoid this type of contact dermatitis. Brooks and Viola recommend wearing gloves to peel and chop butternut squash as the best prevention for this type of dermatitis. 

Buying precut butternut squash is another option to avoid peeling the skin and chopping it. If donning food-grade gloves or buying precut butternut squash isn’t an option, Viola suggests assigning the meal prep to someone who can help you. 

The Bottom Line

Butternut squash is a versatile ingredient for many recipes in the fall and winter. Although it’s not common, some people may experience a type of contact dermatitis when handling squash. Symptoms include itchy or flaky skin and are treated with an over-the-counter cream to alleviate the itching. Medical professionals advise using gloves or purchasing precut squash if you experience contact dermatitis when preparing butternut squash.