Is your phone bad for your skin?

Think about it, your phone goes everywhere you go and, more often than not, the bacteria from your fingers and excess oils from your face get all over the screen. Then when you put your phone to your face, that all gets transferred again to your skin, which can cause you to break out.

Also, if the surface of your phone has any metal on it, it is likely to contain nickel, which can cause an allergic reaction in your skin known as contact dermatitis. This is characterised by an isolated dry patch of skin that may have redness or be itchy.

So how can you tell if it’s your phone causing this irregular skin reaction? If you hold your phone up to your cheek, the irritated skin would line up with the metal parts of the phone.”¨”¨This isn’t a serious condition so you don’t need to stress too much, but it definitely isn’t pretty.

These skin issues can easily be prevented by limiting your phone use, using a plastic case and cleaning your phone regularly with alcohol wipes.

Just prevention is usually enough for the skin to heal itself, but you can also speed up the process by using a gentle toner like TN Dickinson’s Witch Hazel (details at www.dickinsonbrands.com) to clean the area and by moisturising it with a gentle hydrating face creams targeted for sensitive skin. Try: Olay Complete UV Protection Moisture Lotion SPF 15.

Has your skin ever broken out due to your mobile phone? What are your tips for treating sensitive skin?