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www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-506082/Environmentally-friendly-light-bulbs-skin-cancer.html

04 January 2008

Environmentally friendly light bulbs ‘can give
you skin cancer’
By JENNY HOPE
Energy-saving light bulbs can be bad for your skin, doctors are warning.
The fluorescent devices produce a more intense light and can aggravate
a range of existing problems, especially in those with light-sensitive
conditions.
Eco-bulbs are due to become compulsory in British homes within fouryears. But campaigners want the Government to allow an opt-out sopeople with health problems can still use old-style incandescent bulbs.
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Energy-saving bulbs 'can cause migraines' warn experts
There have been growing concerns that low-energy light can trigger
migraines, as well as dizziness, loss of focus and discomfort among
those with epilepsy.
There have also been complaints from sufferers of lupus - an autoimmune disease causing many symptoms including pain.
The latest warning was issued by Spectrum - an alliance of charities
working with people with lightsensitive conditions - and the British
Association of Dermatologists (BAD).
Critics complain low-energy lights are either "cold" or "green," take up toa minute to warm up properly and because they are fluorescent, flicker.
Dr Colin Holden, president of the BAD, said: "It is important that patientswith photosensitive skin eruptions are allowed to use lights that don't
exacerbate their condition. Photosensitive eruptions range fromdisabling eczema-like reactions, to light sensitivities that can lead to skincancer.
"It is essential that such patients are able to protect themselves from
specific wavelengths of light emitted by fluorescent bulbs, especially as
they are often trapped indoors because they can't venture out in natural
sunlight. Andrew Langford, of the Skin Care Campaign, said:"Incandescent light bulbs are the only source of electric light for many
thousands of people with light-sensitive conditions.

Not so friendly: Energy-saving lightbulbs create an environment
damaging for many people withlight sensitivities"Add to this the thousands whose conditions or treatments may secondarily cause them to be lightsensitive, and you have a large number potentially being isolated in the dark.
"The Government simply must allow incandescent light bulbs to be available to these people, their families,friends and employers, and at a fair price."
Spectrum, which is running a campaign to raise awareness of the impact on health of switching tolowenergybulbs, says as many as 340,000 people could be affected.
Last week, the Migraine Action Association was inundated with calls from sufferers who linked attacks toexposure to the newstyle lighting.
Spectrum is urging the government to allow incandescent light bulbs to be supplied to people with healthproblems, which would enable protection of the environment without penalising those unable to live withfluorescent lighting.
One option could be to allow the purchase of environmentally friendly energy efficient incandescent bulbs
which GE Consumerand Industrial is currently developing and hopes to market in 2010.
The Lighting Association says modern low-energy bulbs give a constant flicker-free light, although a small
number of health problems have been reported by people using cheap poor-quality varieties.
The Energy Saving Trust, the Government's body to promote energy efficiency, says we should buy only
bulbs with the Energy Saving Recommended - ESR - logo.