If you’re like most people, you probably use your laptop every day at work and at home, sometimes while sitting in bed or on the couch. Laptops can provide an easy-to-use, portable way to get work done when your computer isn’t nearby and provide hours of entertainment if you need a break from studying or housework.
Over the last few years, concerns have been raised about the safety of laptops, mainly due to their power adapters and connection cables. These concerns have been raised because the equipment that we use every day contains materials that could potentially be harmful to our health if they are not handled correctly or disposed of properly after use.
Many laptop manufacturers produce power adapters and cables that do not contain lead, which makes them safer than products made before 2010, but this doesn’t mean they’re completely safe.
Can laptops cause cancer? Are laptops safe to use? We’ll investigate this question in more detail in this article. Let us tell you first a short introduction to cancer disease.
What Is Cancer Disease?
Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells divide out of control and can invade other tissues. Cancer can also spread to other parts of your body. Cancer cells can grow inside or outside of your body, even if there aren’t any symptoms. The most common places cancers develop are the skin, lungs, thyroid gland, breast, prostate gland, and blood. Treatments range from surgery to radiation and chemotherapy.
Now let’s discuss are laptops really cause cancer or not.
Here’s what science has to say about the risks of using laptops or other devices that emit electromagnetic radiation.
The short answer is that there’s no definitive proof one way or another. The research doesn’t support a connection between laptops and cancer, says Dr. Alan H. Auerbach, director of radiology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
According to various studies on mice, prolonged exposure to radiofrequency radiation from cell phones has been linked to brain tumors in male rats; other studies have found a link between long-term cell phone use and certain types of tumors in humans, although it’s too early to say if cell phones cause them, too (for more on these studies, see How Risky Is Your Cell Phone?). But researchers haven’t conclusively determined whether using your laptop on your lap may be risky, too.
What Are The Cancer Risks?
A great deal of research has been done into whether laptops, cell phones, microwaves, and other everyday electronic devices cause cancer. Some studies have linked non-ionizing radiation (the type emitted by cell phones, laptops, and microwaves) to cancer and other illnesses, while others have not.
The question is hotly debated and no concrete evidence has emerged yet either way, but many believe that there are precautionary measures we can take as individuals to limit exposure without sacrificing modernity.
These steps include:
- Keep electronics at a distance from your body (at least 18 inches for WiFi-enabled devices).
- Use wired headsets or headphones when making calls on your phone or laptop and avoid airplane mode when flying long distances.
- Keeping a healthy lifestyle will also help mitigate any potential risks posed by technology.
What Causes Cancer?
What’s Causing Your Cells to Mutate Into Tumors?: There are several well-documented risk factors for cancers. While many (such as sun exposure and tobacco) are known, others have more recently been identified.
These include exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by high voltage power lines, cell phones, laptops, and other devices. That doesn’t mean you should throw your cell phone out the window but it might be wise to use a headset or speakerphone so that you don’t hold your phone up against your ear while talking and texting all day long.
Read More: Is It Bad To Use Laptop On Your Lap?
How To Reduce Cancer Risk?
Though no conclusive evidence exists that laptop radiation causes cancer, it may be a good idea to limit your use. When possible, avoid using your laptop on your lap.
The heat generated from prolonged contact can potentially increase your risk of developing skin-related problems such as rashes or burns, and long-term exposure to intense heat could result in some of the same health issues as those caused by X-rays and UV light.
Additionally, as with any electronic device that uses rechargeable batteries (including cell phones), you should use caution when handling batteries; according to research from a 2010 study published in PLoS One, there’s a small risk for leukemias if exposed to nickel compounds found in many rechargeable batteries over time.
What Are Ionizing & Non-Ionizing Radiations:
Two types of traditions are there which are ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation, such as that released by x-rays and radon gas, is potentially carcinogenic because it can damage cells, mutate DNA, and cause cancer.
Non-ionizing radiation includes radio waves like those used in FM radio stations, microwaves used for telecommunications like 2G cell phones or 3G data networks, and even visible light.
Non-ionizing radiation is unlikely to cause cancer (with a few exceptions). There is also no evidence that laptops or cell phones are any more dangerous than other non-ionizing sources of electromagnetic fields.
Can Laptops Cause Testicular Cancer?
According to a recent study, men who are on their laptops or smartphones for more than four hours per day have twice as great a risk of developing testicular cancer as those who spend less time glued to a screen.
Interestingly, some scientists now believe that sitting in front of our laptops too much could cause health problems such as reproductive issues and back pain. It also causes neck pain and can burn your skin if you place a laptop on your lap.
Actually, when you run heavy programs on your laptop like Photoshop or Solidworks or you are playing games on your laptop in this situation your laptop consumes more power, and as result, it heats up and heat is very dangerous for your skin.
Does ELF Radiation Cause Cancer?
Electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) are invisible and are often referred to as non-ionizing radiation. That does not mean that they don’t exist, or don’t have an effect.
A wide range of studies has been conducted to assess what health risks may be associated with EMFs and no clear consensus has emerged.
For example, in 2005 a panel of experts convened by WHO concluded that it was not possible to determine whether ELF(Extremely Low Radiation) radiation caused cancer in humans and that more research was needed before drawing any conclusions. Meanwhile, other studies suggest ELF radiation can increase oxidative stress (in cells), suggesting that could contribute to cancer risk.
Is Laptop Radiation Harmful?
Although common sense might tell you that laptop radiation can’t be good for you, extensive research says otherwise. Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from laptops are non-ionizing radiation, meaning that they don’t contain enough energy to directly damage human cells and DNA.
You might feel a little bit of heating up if you hold your laptop close to your body for long periods of time, but there’s nothing to worry about. If you’re still worried about electromagnetic radiation from laptops, use a phone-charging station or power bar that distributes current throughout multiple outlets.
Is Keeping Laptop On Lap Harmful?
Keeping a laptop on your lap for an extended period of time, especially if it’s not strapped down, may be harmful. A number of studies have looked at how radiation from computers affects test subjects, and some have suggested that exposure to radiation may increase a person’s risk of developing certain cancers. The studies vary in their results, however, some say laptops are safe to use while others say they aren’t.
For example, one study found that men who used laptops had a higher rate of testicular cancer than those who didn’t use them (but only if they kept their laptops on their laps). Another found no link between computer use and cancer whatsoever.
You can read our article on “is it bad to use a laptop on your lap” where we discussed it briefly.
Does Using Laptop While Charging Cause Cancer?
Using a laptop for long periods of time while charging is not healthy and can also cause cancer. Make sure you’re following these tips to avoid any future problems.
- First, keep your laptop on a flat surface instead of your lap.
- Second, use a wireless mouse or keyboard to reduce exposure even more.
- Finally, try to not stay up late while using your laptop; you should take regular breaks from computer use and get plenty of sleep each night. Not only will it help your health, but better sleep could improve how quickly you work when using your laptop at night or during early morning hours when energy levels are lower.
Can Radiation From Laptop Cause Infertility?
There have been no studies to show that radiation from laptops can cause infertility. It’s true that laptops can put out a small amount of microwave radiation, but according to WebMD, it doesn’t pose a significant health risk.
The body is more sensitive to harmful sources of radiation than most electronic devices, so you want to make sure your laptop isn’t placed on or too close to your lap otherwise, it seems safe for regular use. If you plan on using your laptop for long periods of time (or if you have any concerns at all), check with a doctor first.
Bottom Line Of Can Laptops Cause Cancer:
The short answer to this question is whether laptops cause cancer is No!. According to researchers, there is no direct relation between laptops and cancer but using a laptop for a long time may affect your health specially if you are using your laptop on your lap.
It’s understood that radiation that comes from any electronic device including a laptop, mobile, etc can damage your health but you have to take precautions to avoid any damage.
You may listen to the quote “Health is Wealth” so, try to take care of your health when you are using a laptop or any other electronic device. As laptops and mobiles have now become the essential need of every person so its impossible to live without using them but by taking care we can secure our health from any damage.
After reading this in-depth article we hope that your doubt about laptops causing cancer is clear now, although there is no direct relation between laptops and cancer but radiation that comes from laptops is still harmful to your health.