@Background Pony #7D5A

Mangos taste sickly sweet to me, so I don't make a habit of eating them, one exception being that "mango lassi" smoothie they serve in Indian restaurants, but that's about as far removed from the mango skin as you can get. It's just what I read after I asked someone several years ago why they were preparing mangos for a picnic with gloves on.

@skybrook
I have bitten mangoes through all my life and although easiest way to enjoy them without making a mess is with a knife to peel, I've never seen anyone wear gloves to eat them. Haven't had any issues with rashes like you've said and never seen anyone else with the issues you point out, no matter if they're green or sweet/ripe mangos.
Perhaps it's a regional thing? Sounds very strange to me.

@Background Pony #59D4

For most people, it's only the rind, so just peel it with gloves on. Even if you don't have a reaction, there's no need to tempt fate. Ursihiol doesn't actually do anything harmful to cells, but it binds to surface proteins, which can eventually make the immune system go "HMM…" and once your immune system gets riled up about it, you're stuck with a rash every time you touch the chemical.

For a very few even the trace amounts in the fruit can cause a rash, but the chance of that is minimized by peeling it with gloves on, so you don't poke the bear.

Being allergic to mango sounds horrible. They're absolutely delicious.

Bite mangos at your own peril. As a close relative of poison ivy, and poison oak, their rind contains urishiol, the chemical that causes an itchy and painful rash in many individuals.