Cell phones: October 2008 Archives

According to British doctors, if you have a cellular telephone mashed against your face too often, you can develop a condition known as "mobile phone dermatitis."

The doctors from the British Association of Dermatologists say this red and/or itchy rash on the cheek or ear is a result of prolonged contact with the nickel surface of cellular handsets:

"In theory it could even occur on the fingers if you spend a lot of time texting on metal menu buttons."

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.

Earlier this year Lionel Bercovitch of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and colleagues tested 22 popular handsets from eight different manufacturers and found nickel in 10 of the devices.

Thanks to ZDNet for the tip.