Cell Phone Allergic Reactions from Nickel and Chromium

Author: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
Published: 2014/05/22 - Updated: 2021/07/17
Category Topic: Dermatology - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Studies identified mobile phones and related devices as sources of metal sensitization and potential causes of allergic contact dermatitis. The authors provide important diagnostic tips for practitioners and strategies to raise awareness of nickel - or chromium-induced mobile phone ACD.

Introduction

Despite efforts to control allergen release in phones, many phones on the market release levels of metals, such as nickel and chromium, which are sufficient to induce ACD, according to an article in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

Main Content

In the article "Mobile Phone Dermatitis in Children and Adults: A Review of the Literature," a team of researchers led by Jacob Thyssen, MD, PhD, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte (Hellerup, Denmark), Loma Linda University School of Medicine (Loma Linda, CA), and University of Arizona College of Medicine (Phoenix, AZ), review the current literature on mobile phone dermatitis in both children and adults.

Clipart image of a brown cellphone.

Nickel sensitization is common in children, resulting in ACD prevalence levels of up to 33%. This information is important for practitioners, particularly when evaluating patients with dermatitis of the face, neck, hands, breast, or anterior thighs - common places exposed to cell phones.

The authors provide important diagnostic tips for practitioners and strategies to raise awareness of nickel - or chromium-induced mobile phone ACD.

"With the rising use of cell phones and other mobile devices, pediatricians can expect to see additional cases of ACD," says Editor-in-Chief Mary Cataletto, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, State University of New York at Stony Brook (Stony Brook, NY) and practicing pediatric pulmonologist at Winthrop University Hospital.

"Thyssen's paper discusses diagnostic patch testing for common metal allergens and the value of spot testing of the patient's phone in establishing a causal relationship."

Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal published in online with Open Access options and in print. The Journal synthesizes the pulmonary, allergy, and immunology communities in the advancement of the respiratory health of children.

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News and published on 2014/05/22, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.