Are you allergic to your phone?

By now, I'm sure you've heard that cell phones are dirtier than your toilet. Yes, that wonderful iPhone or Blackberry you carry around tends to harbor more bacteria than the bottom of your shoe! I suppose it make sense for a device that's always in our dirty hands, close to our mouth, and always warm, to become a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty bacteria, but I didn't know a mobile could also trigger allergic outbreaks, until now.

According to the creator of Vitals.com, Dr. Todd Rosengart, modern technology like cell phones and iPods may be the culprit of certain allergy symptoms because of various metals and materials they contain. Nickel, for example, is the leading reactor in skin allergies yet this metal is used in the production of cell phone casings and batteries. This could very well be the reason why sensitive people get rashes and other skin outbreaks that have nothing to do with bacteria on your phone. The iPod is another device that has anodizing chemicals that also cause rashes or bumps after prolonged use in others.

But not all gadget-induced allergies are skin related. Studies seem to suggest that cell phones also trigger increased sensitivity to allergens that make you eyes water or give you a runny nose; so if you're a technophile with allergies, you might want to ask your doctor if your cell phone could be responsible. Just a thought.

Allergy Season Warning Comes With a Ring Tone (Mobile Tech News)