Levels Of Radiation Coming From Computer Screen

Is your screen a CRT or LCD/LED?

I believe it is CRT, but not really sure. Why??

After 20 years of digital art that keeps me in front of a computer for many hours a day -- and late into the night, apparently -- the only thing my monitors (both lcd and led) have caused are eyestrain.

Of course, you'll find some alarming reports if you search the Internet, but most will read more like this one:

http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/computervdtscreen.html

Searching the 'net will also turn up alarming reports re: drinking water, eating food, breathing air, living indoors, living outdoors, driving cars, being a pedestrian, etc. ;-)

What does your doctor say about your rash?

It is a generic PnP monitor on an Acer Aspire V3- ... about 2 years old

Hello Wendy: I have used computers for years with no other affects than the info in the link you provided. If my problem is not caused by the computer it definitely causes it to feel worse. I have not yet been to a doctor regarding the rash. I am only curious as to whether anyone has ever had a similar problem to mine. I usually try alternative remedies before going to a doctor.

Only old CRT monitors (not the kind you have) emit UV rays that can cause skin irritation for users with extreme photo sensitivities (like lupus sufferers), but as far as radiation goes, you are exposed to more of that by microwaving your food or standing outside for 15 minutes than you are being on the computer all day. Like Wendy said, the only danger they pose to the vast majority of the population is eye strain. I suggest you talk to your doctor and see what the real cause of your rash might be. It sounds like the timing of it is merely coincidental.

Sue, I hope you get the problem sorted. I want you to feel better . . . .and I hate to see anyone walk away from the joys of digital art! :-)

One thing you might consider that could be exacerbating the problem at your computer is the position of your head. It sounds weird, but if you keep it angled down (like looking at the keyboard), your chin may be in closer proximity to your neck than you realize and it may be giving you a heat rash. It is summer after all. Have you tried applying in ice pack to the affected area?

Thanks all for your replies. Your digital art is beautiful Wendy! I have a storage shed full of canvas and paints. I will be using that up until my rash is gone. Then in the future use my computer less!

April, it is very hot where I am currently visiting. Maybe heat is a contributing factor. But heat is not a new thing for me as I am from the Central Valley, California, where it can be in the triple digits often. But I don't feel any heat coming from the computer.

I think that what April is alluding to is something akin to diaper rash on your neck. If the skin folds back onto itself (a deep crease),a and the flow of air to that area is cut off, creating conditions where anaerobic bacteria can grow. Try cleansing with antibacterial wipes and reposition your monitor so that you're looking slightly up at it.

It could be psychosomatic. Your autonomic nervous system, which controls pretty much every bodily function right down to how much oxygen reaches certain parts of your body, can on occasion go a little haywire and cause all sorts of odd physical symptoms. Since it is a function of the subconscious mind, it may try to associate the rash with unrelated activity, such as using the computer, in order to make you think there's an external physical cause. I'm not saying that's what's happening in your case, but the subconscious is not rational and can be very tricky, so it is a possibility.

I bought some Calamine lotion. After about 20 minutes of intense burning after application, it is now feeling considerably better. The pharmacist looked at the rash and said it could be shingles.

Have you changed washing powder recently? That caused mine.

Thanks, Sue. :-)

If there's any chance it could be shingles, go straight to your doctor. There's an anti-viral injection that can be given, but it only works in the early stages of the disease.

i don't think computers give off radiation, and most screens are lcd.

it could be:
allergies (you can become allergic to things later on in life)
bug bites
i'm very sensitive to polyester - can't have it touching me or it's like poison ivy.
sunburn
or some disease.

it's probably not likely that you got it from a computer though

also look into the soap your using. i found i'm rather allergic to the sulfates in soap -- ammonium lauryl sulfate and the rest. it causes my skin to get red, itchy, swollen, and becomes sunburned even for 10min of sun light. it does other things in toothpaste. try a SLS free shampoo, and castile soap (i think i use dr woods), almond is nicest. your skin will be soft and if your sensitive, that could be it too.

are you taking any medications? that can often create localized hives.

try using aloe, it does amazing stuff considering it's just a clear goo. get the pure stuff though, not the stuff with added extras.

---Mike Savad

The calamine lotion helped a lot. It feels as if the rash dried out. I can feel dry bumps across my neck and upper chest. I did a little research and found this info by a Doctor which shows that it might really be a possibility to get a rash from your computer. Here is a link if you are interested......http://www.drfrances.co.nz/computer-rashes.html

Screen dermatitis

Chronic exposure to the computer screen can cause some people to develop a rash on their face that can look a bit like rosacea. It can include an itchy or hot feeling, bumps, redness or even pustules.
The exact cause of “screen dermatitis” is still not clear and is still being investigated. There does seem to be a possible link to the kind of skin damage that occurs due to ultraviolet light and ionising radiation such as x-rays.

Wow!..who would have known.. amazing! I was with James there and a psychosomatic cause... But there you go!.. I agree with Mike that Aloe is the way to go. Good luck !

double post...

Again, newer LCD monitors don't emit UV rays or harmful radiation, but I'm glad you've found something that seems to be helping you.

before i would jump to that conclusion, i would look into everything you eat, wear, perfumes, pets, soaps, detergents, plants you handle, etc. you can measure radiation from things, you'll find you'll have none, unless you have some kind of electrical problem. if the air is very dry, this can happen.

looking at that link i would say it's more to do with touching plastics

the article was written in 2010, and he didn't mention the type of screen, the amount of time, or how large or close the screen is. if you have lcd, there isn't anything in there that can produce that. it took me weeks to figure out what i was allergic too. things like english ivy, is like poison ivy to me. took me, i think 4 weeks to pin that down.

on the plus side your thing is happening in one spot, so you can narrow it down to other things soap, is this area exposed to more sunlight? once an area itches, it keeps on. or if you check on it over and over, it just gets worse.

on to psychosomatic - why do you think its the screen? when did you come up with that solution?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_hypersensitivity there is this, which isn't impossible.

http://www.wireless-protection.org/electrosensitivity-how-does-it-affect-me/ this has a list of symptoms you can compare too. i don't know if you need all of these symptom, or if it's a pick and choose, because if that's the case, everyone has this. many of the symptoms are common computer problems already. wait, never mind, they are selling weirdo things...

i would look up the EMF sensitivity thing but i don't know if there is a conclusive test for it. the more you read the more it looks like a made up problem. since the symptoms look like other things. my bet is allergies. that should be looked into first, and an allergist can confirm if its anything or not.

---Mike Savad

while not super accurate you can get an EMF app for a phone. i used mine and it did pick up "dangerous levels of 72 u". but only on certain parts of the screen at 1"


---Mike Savad

Mike, I am going with what the doctor is saying because that is what I can relate to. If I stay away from the computer for a few days it seems better. If I start using it again it gets worse. I have made no changes to any personal products or anything else I can think of. I have ruled out the possibility of it being an allergy unless it is the computer screen itself. The rash is on the part of my body that is inline with where my computer screen is directed.. I knew someone once who had the same rash in appearance and was tested by a dermatologist for every type of allergy you can think of. His rash was on his arms and the only thing that helped him was a very expensive cream. He now has a different job where he is not using the computer so often, and he is no longer has the problem.

Another possible contributing factor I thought of was that I had lost my glasses for a few weeks and was considerably closer to the screen during that time.

Could it be a heat rash? Maybe your neck is sweating more lately?

out of curiosity, try wearing a tshirt or something that covers better. if you still get the rash, then it's something else. i might try getting a new screen as well. i'm curious what the sun does to it.

being close to the screen is never a good idea anyway, too much light. i wonder if you did a test where you were asleep and someone placed the screen near you - would you react to that?

but i still wonder how the computer came up at all. a doctor will usually give you some kind of prescription based cream and send you home. it's hard to imagine that a doctor would say - screen radiation as the first thing, unless he was some kind of alarmist. a dermatologist would tell you more.


i wonder if there is a way to test if its and EMF sensitivity. like if you sat near some other device, would you get the same reaction. a tv for example.

also how bright is your screen? lcd's come at 100 brightness, but my calibrator usually knocks it down to 25-30 or so. i wonder if your getting some kind of weird photo reaction from the screen.


---Mike Savad

I thought about making this a topic as a warning. About a week ago I developed hypoglycemia symptoms, headaches and nausia in the morning, headaches when I ate sugary foods. Before this I had about one headache a year.

Even though I was exercising once a day it apparently wasn't enough when sitting all day at a computer. I started excercising twice a day and after one week I am back to normal. As it has been posted too much sitting is bad for your health.

My screen is pretty bright! I have had heat rash before and this is NOT a heat rash. I believe the doctor. I don't always automatically believe everything a doctor says, but this time I do. I will have to limit my time on the computer in the future to 1-2 hours a day and I think I can get by with that. Thanks for your suggestions. I will probably take the suggestion of getting my screen up higher. I believe that might help. I am probably EMF sensitive. I cannot stay on my cell phone too long or my ears will start hurting, but no rash. I stay a good distance from my TV and don't watch it too much due to the fact most of my entertainment comes from the computer.

Well ... I started out the year with a resolution to spend less time sitting at my computer ... and failed ....maybe this rash is my salvation or a little help from above ..??

dim the screen, no screen should have a 100 brightness, it's not needed. you could be photosensitive, otherwise tv and other things that have power would give you a reaction. your arms for example would have issues because they tend to be closer to the screen. calibrate the screen and see what it darkens it too. you will get used to a darker screen. it's really bad for your eyes as well. and you don't want to lose them.

by any chance - do you hear voices? or "ghosts". TAPS had a theory that if your EMF sensitive, people may think their house is haunted. but when using a tester, they found really high EMF coming off of faulty outlets or fuseboxes. i'm just wondering if you might have developed a new skill from it.

i'm trying to think of other things that you may get near to test out the theory of EMF. a phone will hurt anyone, i can't use them for more than a few minutes, it's uncomfortable.

actually try this, do you have a top that has a weird pattern in the front. like a stringy dress that has would make a certain mark. i'm wondering if you could use it as a mask. if it's EMF, your whole chest should be red without the mask. if it's light, then there should be a shape of something, like when you miss with sunscreen, or write dirty names on someones back at the beach.


---Mike Savad

I don't hear voices or ghosts and I don't think the house is haunted. lol. I hear noisy teenagers though so I probably wouldn't notice any other sound even if it was actually there. lol. I remember purchasing something in the past that was supposed to repel the emf's. It was a sticker that I placed on my computer and microwave. I later removed it because I decided it wasn't helping.

Sue, if it is photosensitivity, I'd ask the doctor to rule out lupus. That causes rashes too.

I once looked at the symptoms of lupus and didn't recognize any of the symptoms.

I just revisited the symptoms of lupus and I don't have the symptoms.