Here’s another reason to keep your cell phone usage down: the outside of your unit can contain nickel, and if you have nickel allergies, it can make you break out.

The technical term is contact dermatitis. This means that you get a rash where you are in contact with the allergen. Nickel is one of top 10 causes of allergic contact dermatitis, which typically results in reddened, itchy and irritated skin. Depending on the severity of the allergy, the skin inflammation can escalate to watery blisters.

How do you know if you might have a nickel allergy that is irritated by your cell phone? You could get a rash on your cheek or ear if you spend a lot of time talking on your cell. You might also see a rash on your fingers from text messaging, according to the British Association of Dermatologists.

Where do you find nickel? Unfortunately, it can be in almost any metal product, from coins to belt buckles, and from jewelry to eyeglass frames.

Don’t assume you’ll have to give up your mobile phone just because you’ve discovered your allergic. Not every brand of phone has nickel in the casing. Researchers from Brown University found that the most likely culprits have metallic detailing or metallic accents on the outer case. These high fashion devices are the ones to avoid. The solution is to look for the less fashionable phones that are designed for more “rugged” use. These phones are also more likely to have rubberized external casings that are nickel free.

Generally, a nickel allergy is relatively simple to manage. You need to avoid nickel. However, that means knowing what products contain free nickel on the surface. Here’s the good news: it is possible to spot test your cell phone’s casing before buying. Consumer test kits can be obtained from your dermatologist or pharmacist. The kits are easy to use: in most cases, you’ll use a simple cotton swab and a couple of specially formulated solutions to quickly determine if nickel is present, without any harm to the phone.

Source: MedicineNet.com