Skin
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Skin
It is generally known that a dry environment, whether at home or work,
can irritate skin. A common solution is to adjust the relative humidity and ventilation to add moisture to the air.
Q. Does working with visual display terminals cause skin disorders, such as facial rashes?
A. Reports in the scientific literature associating facial rashes with computer display use are quite rare. Overall, studies indicate that the number and
type of skin concerns reported
by visual display workers are similar to
those reported by other office workers.
Q. Have some people linked skin disorders to VDT use?
A. There have been reports of skin disorders linked to the use of VDTs, however, they are almost exclusively limited to the Scandinavian countries. Investigations of some cases in
Norway and Sweden conducted by dermatologists and occupational health physicians could not conclude that the disorders were caused by the display terminal.
Q. There is concern that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from sunshine
and other sources can injure the skin. Do VDTs emit UV light?
A. Visual display terminals do emit UV light, but at levels many times below health exposure standards. In fact, the UV light that is measured two feet from the front of a display screen
is less than half that measured from a fluorescent light at the same distance.
Q. If VDTs do not cause skin disorders, what other sources may be present?
A. Indoor environments may contain contaminants that can react with the skin, especially if there is low relative humidity. Increasing the humidity or improving the ventilation may help
improve this concern.
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