Cellphones containing nickel could cause rashes, loss of "game"

According to the UK's Telegraph, mobile phones are responsible for yet another one of the great terrors of the 21st century: dermatitis. Apparently, "skin specialists" have discovered that certain metals used in cellphones are causing some users to suffer inflamed, reddened, dry, blistered, and cracked skin. Sounds awesome, right? It seems that about a third of heavy talkers are sensitive to nickel -- a substance commonly found in gadgets -- which can become irritating after repeated exposure. Says Brown University's Dr. Lionel Bercovitch, "Given the widespread use of cellphones, the presence of metal in the exterior casing of these phones and the high prevalence of nickel sensitization in the population, it is not surprising that cellphones can cause allergic contact dermatitis." There's probably little you can do to out-and-out escape the problem, so we suggest full face mask whenever a call needs to be made -- also, for dinner parties.

[Razor @ Oct 18th 2008 1:35PM]

Allergies to nickel are nothing new, so it's surprising that any gadget manufacturer would want to coat their products in the stuff... at least on gadgets that contact skin.

[BigD145 @ Oct 18th 2008 1:36PM]

Brushed nickel looks cool. What's so surprising about trying to sell something, even if it causes the user pain or discomfort?

[BigD145 @ Oct 18th 2008 1:36PM]

Or death. Can't forget about that one.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Oct 18th 2008 1:39PM]

I'm not surprised they used it. It looks great and lasts well.

I am surprised people are holding their phones often enough each day to experience the rashes.

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 1:46PM]

@why not the LS2LS7?

I agree. If you are getting a rash from cell phone use- you are using it too much.

My friend thought it was chafing, just wait until I tell him what that bumpy red rash is really from! LOL

[Steve Childs @ Oct 18th 2008 8:03PM]

Doesn't surprise me at all. I had to go and change my glasses as it was irrating the skin on my nose and by my ears due to the nickel content.

[michas_pi @ Oct 18th 2008 1:35PM]

I just lost the Game.

[Tom G @ Oct 18th 2008 1:37PM]

This news article causes loss of the game :(

[Dakota @ Oct 18th 2008 1:52PM]

... SHIT I LOST THE GAME.

[The Dude @ Oct 18th 2008 1:55PM]

I ACCIDENTALLY THE WHOLE GAME.

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 1:58PM]

Is that code for something?

[Reader @ Oct 18th 2008 2:23PM]

Screw you all, I have lost the game.

[Canoo @ Oct 18th 2008 2:52PM]

ahhhh shittt! I LOST!

[jimmyfinch @ Oct 18th 2008 3:07PM]

"Game" is not "the game".

Example: He got game.

You probably can't jump or hear Jimmy either.

[Canoo @ Oct 18th 2008 3:10PM]

@ jimmyfinch

doesnt matter because you still lost

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Oct 18th 2008 4:07PM]

who?:

When you see people repeating stupid shit like that and pretending it is funny, it's inevitably from 4chan.

[ThreeDee912 @ Oct 18th 2008 4:35PM]

It's not a 4chan reference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_(mind_game)

It's an old game where the objective is to not think about the game itself. If you think about playing the game, you lose. You win once you stop thinking about the game. But by the time you remember you won, you have lost again.

[Goatee Man @ Oct 18th 2008 6:32PM]

http://xkcd.com/391/

[Reader @ Oct 18th 2008 11:46PM]

4chan? I remember doing this in elementary school...

[Alex McKee @ Oct 19th 2008 10:24AM]

Unfortunately, I just lost the game.

[El Taco @ Oct 19th 2008 3:22PM]

I lost the game too...

omg i was on a 4 day streak and you broke it!!!

[whatever @ Oct 18th 2008 1:39PM]

what?this is the excuse for what is really causing these problems?

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 1:50PM]

Aliens?

http://totalodds.net/alien_102936475.html

Wait, what day is it?

[no @ Oct 19th 2008 2:28PM]

electromagnetic radiation

[Steve @ Oct 18th 2008 1:40PM]

The last Nokia manual I had explained that using the control pad could cause loss of life from nickle.

This is obviously a known problem. Looks before health. Rock on.

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 1:49PM]

Thus, the pointy high heel trend was born. Better than foot binding I suppose... :-()':;~`.'.,`-`,;'-

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 1:47PM]

I got a rash in third grade from the button on my pants that was made out of nickel, and just when I thought I had solved the problem by taping the insides of the buttons on my pants, I got one all the way around the back of my neck from a necklace I was wearing!

I love my plastic phone...

[mmh @ Oct 18th 2008 1:58PM]

http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL272/11362943/20772604/339058575.jpg

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 2:00PM]

He looks more like Canadian bacon if you look hard enough at his cheek...

[y3k.nik @ Oct 18th 2008 2:49PM]

I am never going to EVER have cheese pizza again... thanks a lot for ruining my life! Now I have indeed lost my game!

[)law( @ Oct 18th 2008 2:00PM]

this sucks, probably more if your a suit and you text and email a lot via phone

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 2:02PM]

My sweet plastic keypad, have I mentioned how much I love you lately?

[will_bc @ Oct 18th 2008 4:53PM]

I smell a lawsuit!
Can anyone say "class action"?
Yes, then you're in!

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 5:40PM]

Yeah, I'm going to sue everyone who makes jeans with nickel buttons because of the rash it gave me...

You in?

[michaelstein49 @ Oct 18th 2008 2:08PM]

I'm alergic to nickle and belt buckles are wayyyy more of a problem than phones. People need to get more personal.

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 3:17PM]

Same here! Taped the inside of the buttons on all my jeans, and I don't use buckles any more. The doctor gave me this cream that got rid of the rash in a couple of weeks, so it wasn't that bad, but youch! You know?

[Smileypanda @ Oct 19th 2008 12:16PM]

I'm not sure that's what he meant by "more personal."

[DaLa @ Oct 18th 2008 2:16PM]

I think the razr and my Krazr have nickel coated plates for the numbers... anyhow I almost always use speaker when I'm alone in the car.

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 3:18PM]

I use a bluetooth headset whenever I can (although I'm pretty sure the metal on my phone is stainless steel).

[xbashingx @ Oct 18th 2008 2:34PM]

ah crap, i just lost the game

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 5:43PM]

I win! Aww.. crap.

[Muhammed @ Oct 18th 2008 2:47PM]

omg that's Freddy, or is it Jason ?

[)law( @ Oct 18th 2008 4:06PM]

You man you don't know who that is, n00b. It's Freddy from nightmare on elm street

[)law( @ Oct 18th 2008 4:07PM]

You mean you don't know who that is, n00b. It's Freddy from nightmare on elm street

[who? @ Oct 18th 2008 5:36PM]

You don't know how the comment system works, uber n00b. Double post? WTF?

[Troels C @ Oct 19th 2008 9:26AM]

Freddy

[Tyson @ Oct 18th 2008 2:54PM]

What up Brown U shout out Ruth Simmons

[iEye @ Oct 18th 2008 3:19PM]

Ahh you F-in nerd, you like to play $hitty cell phone games?

Well if you own a 1st generation iPhone, no worries as the back is made from premium high grade alluminum, not crappy materials like other phone brands...

[Fernando @ Oct 18th 2008 3:39PM]

you just lost the game, iEye

also shut up

[lowdef @ Oct 18th 2008 5:01PM]

YES only the finest imported ALUMINUM straight from Zimbabwe im sure...

lol

one more low ranked for iEye.
they should have a ranking system like this:
Highest Ranked
Highly Ranked
Neutral
Low Ranked
iEye