By According to the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), people have been going to see doctors with a mysterious rash on their ears or cheeks. Doctors believe the rashes to be “mobile phone dermatitis,” a skin allergy caused by too much mobile phone use.
Referring to published studies, dermatologists explained that this red or itchy rash, affects people who from an allergic reaction to the nickel surface on mobile phones after spending long periods of time holding the devices up to their ears as they talk.
Nickel is often found in the handset casing or buttons, particularly in the most fashionable models.
“Mobile phone dermatitis could even occur on your fingers if you spend a lot of time texting on metal menu buttons,” explained Dr. Graham Lowe, British Association of Dermatologists.
A spokesman for mobile phone industry body, the GSM Association, said there was an EU directive designed to regulate nickel content which was intended to protect users with sensitive skin. He added that using a case or handsfree kit would also reduce the chance of a reaction.
The BAD claims that women who react to nickel in jewelry are more likely to develop a rash from their phones.
"It is worth doctors bearing this condition in mind if they see a patient with a rash on the cheek or ear that cannot otherwise be explained," the British group said, adding that many doctors are unaware that mobile phones can cause the rash.
As more people rely on mobile phones for daily communication, safety concerns also continue to rise. However, the current evidence has given the technology a clean bill of health when it comes to serious conditions like brain cancer,Reuters ( News - Alert) reports.
"In mobile phone dermatitis, the rash would typically occur on the cheek or ear, depending on where the metal part of the phone comes into contact with the skin," the group said in a statement.
"In theory it could even occur on the fingers if you spend a lot of time texting on metal menu buttons,” it added.
Nickel is a metal found in products, ranging from mobile phones to jewelry to belt buckles and is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis, according to the Mayo Clinic in the United States. It is also the most common contact allergy in the UK, affecting approximately 30 percent of the population.
Earlier this year, Lionel Bercovitch of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and colleagues examined 22 popular handsets from eight different manufacturers and found nickel in 10 of the devices.
The BAD advises anyone who develops a rash on their face which might be attributable to prolonged mobile phone use to seek advice from their doctor.
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