Allergic to your smartphone? New research shows why our phones might be triggering our allergies

Posted: 23rd November 2022 | Posted by Costa

Allergic to your smartphone? New research shows why our phones might be triggering our allergies

Did you know that there are around 53.5 million smartphone users in the UK? That’s 78.9% of our population! But we’re sure it doesn’t come as a surprise that smartphones are so popular in society right now. They’re not just our way of communicating, but a key part of how we shop, bank, entertain ourselves – well, practically everything we do can revolve around them.

So this recent research from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) won’t be shocking. They found that our smartphones are “reservoirs” of allergens, and could be exacerbating our allergies. Let’s take a look at their study and see what they mean…

What is the study?

The basis of this study makes a lot of sense. We use our smartphones constantly throughout the day, touching them around 2,600 times. So it stands to reason that they might pick up some allergens along the way.

For the study, researchers created fake phone models that had a similar size and surface to our actual phones. These were given to 15 volunteers to mimic our daily usage. The front of these models were wiped as part of the test so allergen levels could be measured.

What did the study find?

The research by the ACAAI found that our phones have “elevated levels of cat and dog allergens”, along with a rise in “β-D glucans (BDG) and endotoxin”. Cat and dog allergens refers to their dander, which people allergic to these animals tend to react to. It has a habit of sticking to our furniture, carpets, and apparently our phones.

BDG is something often found in fungal cell walls and is linked to mould. It can cause chronic airway problems, and is particularly important for anyone with a mould allergy. And endotoxin is another inflammatory agent, which won’t help with symptoms.

What does this mean?

So what does this mean for our everyday life? Well, it just goes to show that allergens can be found somewhere we wouldn’t usually expect. If you live with an allergy, you might be used to cleaning the house to get rid of any irritating particles. Now it seems you might have to add your smartphone to your cleaning routine.

The study used a number of industrial chemicals that you can’t buy on the shelves to clean their mock phones. But at home, this isn’t possible. It’s recommended that you clean the phone with a “soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth” according to Apple. If you have a phone case, take it off and wash it with soap in lukewarm water. Do this frequently and it should remove allergen particles.

This research shows a fascinating insight into how our technology affects our allergies. And it likely doesn’t end with phones. Tablets, TV remotes, keyboards, laptops, and anything else you touch throughout the day could be a source of aggravated allergies. So don’t skip over your tech when it comes to cleaning.

If you ever have any allergy concerns and want some expert advice on how to manage them, feel free to reach out to us. You can register as a new patient or simply call on 02031 433 449.