Cellphone Users May Get Skin Rash?

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Experts warned that cell phone users may get a skin rash in reaction to the nickel in their cell phones, according to media reports on Tuesday.

Doctors baffled by an unexplained rash on people`s ears or cheeks should be on alert for a skin allergy caused by too much mobile phone use, the British Association of Dermatologists said.

Citing published studies, the group said a red or itchy rash, known as "mobile phone dermatitis," affects people who develop an allergic reaction to the nickel surface on mobile phones after spending long periods of time on the devices.

"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," it said.

The British group said many doctors were unaware mobile phones could cause the condition.

Safety concerns over mobile phones has grown as more people rely on them for everyday communication, although the evidence to date has given the technology a clean bill of health when it comes to serious conditions like brain cancer.

"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. - PNA