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]

> 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]

> 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]

> 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