HF acid also may be found in home rust removers.
Exposure usually is accidental and often is due to inadequate use of protective measures.
HF acid burns are a unique clinical entity. Dilute solutions deeply penetrate before dissociating, thus causing delayed injury and symptoms. Burns to the fingers and nail beds may leave the overlying nails intact. The vast majority of cases involve only small areas of exposure, usually on the digits. The 2 mechanisms that cause tissue damage are corrosive burn from the free hydrogen ions and chemical burn from tissue penetration of the fluoride ions.