Bob CollinsIt’s always something.
Now, it turns out that one of the proposed solutions to global warming — the low-energy fluorescent light bulb — makes skin conditions worse, according to the BBC.
Health conditions which can involve some form of light sensitivity, include the auto-immune disease lupus, the genetic disorder Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), certain forms of eczema and dermatitis, photosensitivity, and porphyria.
It’s a big deal in the UK, where retailers will stop selling the incandescent light bulb by 2011.
The low-energy bulb is also being blamed for migraines and even epileptic attacks.
But even some experts on lupus hint that the “scare” may be overblown. ” It is my opinion that if a standard fluorescent tube lighting source is shielded by a standard acrylic plastic diffuser, there’s virtually no significant risk for people with systemic lupus,” wrote Dr. Richard D. Sontheimer, of a Lupus organization. “However, if a person with lupus is exposed to unshielded fluorescent lighting at close distances for prolonged periods of time, then the cumulative exposure to UVB and UVA could be a problem.”
