Cell phone dermatitis

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) recently published a report to warn people allergic to metals about the risks of using a mobile phone. Particularly sensitized people can show an allergy to nickel which manifests itself on the areas of skin exposed to it, causing dermatitis and rash. The European Union has regulated by decree law the quantity of nickel that can be contained in products that are in contact with the skin, but according to what was highlighted in an article in the journal Nature, the same 1 and 2 euro coins would exceed this limit. In an article published in January 2008 in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) by Lionel Bercovitch and John Luo of Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School, the so-called “mobile phone dermatitis” is described which affects the faces of unsuspecting users (photo, courtesy of CMAJ ). Nickel, according to the researchers, would be contained not only in the metallized cases of mobile phones, but also in the antennas, earphones, some keys and headphones. The metal positivity test was carried out with dimethylglyoxin and ammonia hydroxide: the pink color of the applicator indicates the presence of nickel. These patients were given a metal-free cell phone and observed a regression of the dermatitis. Below is a table with data on the presence of nickel in some cell phone models: [via medgadget , wellnessblog ]