Burns or phytophotodermatitis, abuse or neglect: confusing aspects of skin lesions caused by the superstitious use of fig leaves.

As a superstition, homemade decoctions are believed to be beneficial for several diseases. This kind of medical therapy, however, can lead to serious adverse effects. In this report, we present three cases from a single family. Each of the family members developed phytophotodermatitis after the application of a fig leaf decoction. The most severe effect was in the case of a 13-year-old boy who had been bathed with the fig leaf decoction; the two other cases were the parents who prepared and applied the medicine to their child's skin to heal the boy's congenital mental-motor retardation. Silver sulfadiazine was used for wound care. The mother was discharged 6 days after admission, the father, after 8 days, and the boy, after 14 days. Burnlike wounds in all three cases healed completely.