Nickel is one of those metals that has been found to induce allergy symptoms.  It is frequently found in computer equipment and other forms of information technology hardware.  The iPad is the electronic device which recently triggered a visit to a hospital in California for a young boy due to an allergic skin reaction.  A recent Associated Press article pointed  out the following:

“Nickel rashes aren’t life-threatening, but they can be very uncomfortable”, said Dr. Sharon Jacob, a dermatologist at Rady Children’s Hospital, where the boy was treated. Jacob, who co-wrote the report, said the young patient had to miss school because of the rash.

 

The boy discussed in the Pediatrics report had a common skin condition that causes scaly patches, but he developed a different rash all over his body that didn’t respond to usual treatment. Skin testing showed he had a nickel allergy, and doctors traced it to an iPad his family had bought in 2010.”[1]

It became clear to the healthcare professionals that the coating of the iPad, after testing the device, contained nickel. Upon putting the iPad in a protective case, the allergic reaction began to subside and the young boy eventually got better. Continue reading →