Study overviews

Skin is the closest organ exposed to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phone use. Of all body tissues, the skin is exposed to the highest electrical field strengths and magnetic flux densities.

The use of a mobile phone with D-net at close distance to the scalp can cause field strengths up to 100 V/m and magnetic flux densities up to 0.15 µT (magnetic flux densitiy: 0.12 A/m). Nevertheless, the skin absorbs only small amounts of energy due to its relatively low dielectric conductivity. The SAR value in the skin layers accounts only for a small percentage compared to the SAR value of the underlying muscle tissue.

There are many reasons why scientists study the skin. Some research groups investigate the hypothesis that electromagnetic fields are a cause for skin cancer as in many cases ionizing radiation and ultraviolet rays (that also imply electromagnetic fields) are an agent for skin cancer. Other researchers suggest that the skin is the organ under highest exposure without further explanations. Some scientists pursue a more global hypothesis that the skin is a contact surface for many different harmful environmental substances (noxa).

By studying patients with atopic dermatitis, researchers hope to answer questions of whether sensitive individuals react differently or are more susceptible to exposure of electromagnetic fields compared to healthy individuals.

Compared to other endpoints, in vivo-studies that investigate the skin-organ under exposed conditions are relatively scarce. Existing studies either investigate the skin of patients with skin diseases or the skin of healthy animals. Studies on patients with atopic dermatitis are mostly focused on the immune response of this sensitive group, whereas in animal studies morphological and histological parameters as well as co-cancerogenesis are investigated.

Besides in vivo-studies, researchers also conduct studies in vitro to examine the effects on skin-cells (e.g. fibroblasts, keratinocytes):

• Sanchez et al. 2007
• Sanchez et al. 2006
• Duranti et al. 2005
• Pacini et al. 2002

In these studies, stress responses of the cells are mainly analyzed (e.g. induction of heat shock protein, apoptosis, cytotoxicity and cell morphology).

Currently, the effects of mobile phone related electromagnetic fields on the skin cannot be estimated. Besides difficulties in the transfer of results from in vitro-studies or animal studies on possible effects in humans, the existing studies are not comparable due to varying exposure parameters, sample types (cells, animals, humans) and investigated endpoints (link).

Some studies provide evidence that effects on the skin or skin cells (in vitro-studies) do exist (e.g. histological changes, cell damage, immune response). Other studies do not support these findings. Replication studies have not yet been conducted. Probably due to the relatively small number of studies, no expert review or comprehensive evaluation on the effects of electromagnetic fields on the skin are published to date.