Flares from Computers?/Low humidity

[Guest guest]

I just saw an environmental derm who's one of the top in his field in

NYC. I was asking him about environmental causes and he said that it

was thought for a while that people were getting flares from their

computer screens, but that it turned out that the flares were being

caused by a very low humidity environment. He says low humidity can

cause flushing. I've noticed that I always flush in a high humidity

environment, but I work in a library which has about 20% humidity in

the wintertime. I've been there 5 years and did not have this disease

before I started there. Something to think about...

JE

[Guest guest]

Sorry if this is a double post:

I might be the exception here. For me, the UV might be more of an

issue. I keep a humdifier on nearly all the time, esp when I work on

the computer. Electric fields and dust, etc....

I've noticed that when I don't have any " coverage " on my face, just a

moisturizer, and am on the computer for more than hour, my skin

really bothers me. However, when I use sunscreen - I wear it even if

indoors--and a light coating of powder (jane iredale), my skin stays

calm.

Of course, our usual board mantra applies, everyone is different.

GT

>

>

>

> > I just saw an environmental derm who's one of the top in his

field

> > in NYC. I was asking him about environmental causes and he said

> > that it was thought for a while that people were getting flares

> > from their computer screens, but that it turned out that the

flares

> > were being caused by a very low humidity environment...

>

> The best theory I've heard is that low humidity increases static

> electricity, which attracts tiny dust and fiber particles that

settle

> on objects near the field -- like our faces (actually our whole

> bodies). In susceptible people, these microscopic particles

irritate

> the face (or other places on their body) and cause the

> itching/redness/inflammatory response. As soon as the person leaves

> the area the particles will fall off; with the source of the

> inflammation gone and the symptoms abate soon thereafter.

>

> Computer monitors are especially likely in low humid environments

to

> become electrostatic, but the entire CPU and other office equipment

> can also develop electric charges. I bet other things as well.

>

> To answer your question, JE, I lurked here and elsewhere for the

past

> half year when my rosacea worsened -- I told " my story " a few days

> ago. I started posting here last week because I'm convinced my

> monitor is making my rosacea worse, and when I read others here had

> the same experience I just had to jump in.

>

> It's been good -- I never sat down and seriously investigated the

> relationship before, and the electrostatic theory posited by a

number

> of scientists makes the most sense to me. Low humidity alone

worsens

> rosacea -- did/can you ask your doctor why? Like you, my face

worsens

> in high humidity, but I always thought that's from increased facial

> sweating.

>

> Anyway, it's fun waiting for my $10 monitor mat with its alligator

> clip to arrive, so I can see if I can destroy my monitor's

> electrostatic field without buying an whole filter.

>

> Marjorie

>

> Marjorie Lazoff, MD

[Guest guest]

Sorry if this is a double post:

I might be the exception here. For me, the UV might be more of an

issue. I keep a humdifier on nearly all the time, esp when I work on

the computer. Electric fields and dust, etc....

I've noticed that when I don't have any " coverage " on my face, just a

moisturizer, and am on the computer for more than hour, my skin

really bothers me. However, when I use sunscreen - I wear it even if

indoors--and a light coating of powder (jane iredale), my skin stays

calm.

Of course, our usual board mantra applies, everyone is different.

GT

>

>

>

> > I just saw an environmental derm who's one of the top in his

field

> > in NYC. I was asking him about environmental causes and he said

> > that it was thought for a while that people were getting flares

> > from their computer screens, but that it turned out that the

flares

> > were being caused by a very low humidity environment...

>

> The best theory I've heard is that low humidity increases static

> electricity, which attracts tiny dust and fiber particles that

settle

> on objects near the field -- like our faces (actually our whole

> bodies). In susceptible people, these microscopic particles

irritate

> the face (or other places on their body) and cause the

> itching/redness/inflammatory response. As soon as the person leaves

> the area the particles will fall off; with the source of the

> inflammation gone and the symptoms abate soon thereafter.

>

> Computer monitors are especially likely in low humid environments

to

> become electrostatic, but the entire CPU and other office equipment

> can also develop electric charges. I bet other things as well.

>

> To answer your question, JE, I lurked here and elsewhere for the

past

> half year when my rosacea worsened -- I told " my story " a few days

> ago. I started posting here last week because I'm convinced my

> monitor is making my rosacea worse, and when I read others here had

> the same experience I just had to jump in.

>

> It's been good -- I never sat down and seriously investigated the

> relationship before, and the electrostatic theory posited by a

number

> of scientists makes the most sense to me. Low humidity alone

worsens

> rosacea -- did/can you ask your doctor why? Like you, my face

worsens

> in high humidity, but I always thought that's from increased facial

> sweating.

>

> Anyway, it's fun waiting for my $10 monitor mat with its alligator

> clip to arrive, so I can see if I can destroy my monitor's

> electrostatic field without buying an whole filter.

>

> Marjorie

>

> Marjorie Lazoff, MD

[Guest guest]

Sorry if this is a double post:

I might be the exception here. For me, the UV might be more of an

issue. I keep a humdifier on nearly all the time, esp when I work on

the computer. Electric fields and dust, etc....

I've noticed that when I don't have any " coverage " on my face, just a

moisturizer, and am on the computer for more than hour, my skin

really bothers me. However, when I use sunscreen - I wear it even if

indoors--and a light coating of powder (jane iredale), my skin stays

calm.

Of course, our usual board mantra applies, everyone is different.

GT

>

>

>

> > I just saw an environmental derm who's one of the top in his

field

> > in NYC. I was asking him about environmental causes and he said

> > that it was thought for a while that people were getting flares

> > from their computer screens, but that it turned out that the

flares

> > were being caused by a very low humidity environment...

>

> The best theory I've heard is that low humidity increases static

> electricity, which attracts tiny dust and fiber particles that

settle

> on objects near the field -- like our faces (actually our whole

> bodies). In susceptible people, these microscopic particles

irritate

> the face (or other places on their body) and cause the

> itching/redness/inflammatory response. As soon as the person leaves

> the area the particles will fall off; with the source of the

> inflammation gone and the symptoms abate soon thereafter.

>

> Computer monitors are especially likely in low humid environments

to

> become electrostatic, but the entire CPU and other office equipment

> can also develop electric charges. I bet other things as well.

>

> To answer your question, JE, I lurked here and elsewhere for the

past

> half year when my rosacea worsened -- I told " my story " a few days

> ago. I started posting here last week because I'm convinced my

> monitor is making my rosacea worse, and when I read others here had

> the same experience I just had to jump in.

>

> It's been good -- I never sat down and seriously investigated the

> relationship before, and the electrostatic theory posited by a

number

> of scientists makes the most sense to me. Low humidity alone

worsens

> rosacea -- did/can you ask your doctor why? Like you, my face

worsens

> in high humidity, but I always thought that's from increased facial

> sweating.

>

> Anyway, it's fun waiting for my $10 monitor mat with its alligator

> clip to arrive, so I can see if I can destroy my monitor's

> electrostatic field without buying an whole filter.

>

> Marjorie

>

> Marjorie Lazoff, MD