Keith Stone staff writer
Recently, there has been a massive upswing in the popularity of phone cases that have sparkles and glitter that move around in gel. Walk through the halls of Beverly, and all around people are tilting phones left and right, up and down, to watch shapes move around on the back of their iPhones. Many of these people are unknowingly taking their health and safety into their hands as they play with fire (in this case dangerous chemicals).
On Jan 2, Olivia Retter, a 9-year-old schoolgirl from England, snuck her phone into her bed and fell asleep on top of it. After feeling intense pain all night, she showed her leg to her mom and was immediately rushed to the hospital. There, the doctor told her that she had severe chemical burns and would have scars in the shape of her iPhone 5C for the rest of her life because her case broke and the liquid leaked.
Eric Nelson from New Zealand also experienced the same pain and was startled to discover severe second degree burns on her buttocks after keeping her phone in her pocket for a few hours. She was forced by medical necessity to see a doctor and take medication for potential infections and her injuries.
Both Retter and Nelson will most likely have permanent disfigurements because they spent anywhere from $5 to $30 on a glittery case which they were unaware had a dangerous liquid inside. These situations both could have been far worse. If Retter had been listening to music and fell asleep facedown on top of her phone, she could be blind today. If Nelson had been on a long phone call, she could have gone deaf in one ear. These cases are a menace to safety for not just children, but for adults as well!
So if you’re in the market for a iPhone case, choose something without gel in the back. Your skin will thank you.