Confirmation of cancer causing properties for 445nm please

[Morgan]

Hi All,

Can any of the seriously experienced please tell us if the rather alarming claims that 445nm is cancer causing are true or not?

I am aware that this wavelength is non-ionizing and frankly have my doubts that it is carcenogenic, (if this is NOT the case then I would have to assume we've all been dicing with death playing with 405nm for so long!)

It seems these fears are being stirred into the scaremongering stories appearing in the press and I'd like to know how to combat this when I'm asked by those who know about my hobby.

Many thanks,

M

 

[Elektrotechniker]

Oh man, please don't tell me lasers cause cancer. I burnt my skin 2 times with my 200 mw green and 100 mw blu ray

 

[chipdouglas]

where's PBD when you need him LoL.

michael

 

[Grix]

Nope. Only UVB and UVC rays causes cancer, not UVA or higher.


UVA: 400 nm - 320 nm
UVB: 320 nm - 290 nm
UVC: 290 nm - 100 nm

 

[ElektroFreak]

^This..

 

[charliebruce]

I was under the impression that it isn't any more damaging than a conventional burn, because it's in the visible spectrum (non-ionising). It's still inadvisable to shine (focused) laser light on yourself, especially if it's higher powered.

 

[Morgan]

Nope. Only UVB and UVC rays causes cancer, not UVA or higher.


UVA: 400 nm - 320 nm
UVB: 320 nm - 290 nm
UVC: 290 nm - 100 nm

^This..

Thanks to you both. A bit of well understood science instead of media speculation!

I also thought that if anyone were to do a google search then the thread might come up there too.

UVA comes quite close to a BR though. Is there any chance a low wavelength BR diode could get to a dangerous output?

Thanks again...

M

 

[kevinmassey]

He said only UVB, and UVC, so even if a BR was running at 395nm it wouldn't cause cancer.

 

[StardustSprinkles]

Cool! I've been wondering about this too!

 

[mfo]

Hell, of all of the things out there that for a fact cause caner, this is what you're worried about? I wonder what % of the suns rays contain wavelengths of 445nm.

Stop being paranoid

 

[chipdouglas]

why are sun screens manditorily rated for uva and uvb rays. and not uvc?


michael.

 

[mfo]

why are sun screens manditorily rated for uva and uvb rays. and not uvc?


michael.

I believe that most of the uvc's are absorbed before the reach the surface.

 

[Burnsy]

Well it can actually not cause direct cancer like UVA, UVB and UVC do but it increases indirect cancer risk sligthly.
By increasing the potential for oxidative damage the cells become easily affected by radicals which means some of them can mutate.
But this is really a small chance and even if a cell mutates it normally gets eliminated quite fast.

Maybe you've heard also that fried potatoes such as chips and french fries can cause cancer and many other things too. But all of them increase the risk by such a small amount that the probability of getting a regular cancer like all the bronchial, prostata carcinomas and all the others are much more likely.

So this is not an exact confirmation it's just what came into my mind (I work in the radiology and a part of that is also the oncology)
I'm glad to be corrected if I'm wrong...

 

[Meatball]

Guys, ionization is not the only way a laser can cause cancer. Cancer occurs (in the most strict form) as a chemical change. Chemists use lasers all the time for initiating chemical reactions. Heck, using too much of just about anything is a good way to get a cancer of some kind. I would say, that I know that 445 won't ionize my cells, but I DON'T know what it may actually do to them on any other chemical level. Shorter wavelengths have more energy per photon. Weird things can still happen.

Do you have any links to these threatening stories and reports and such? Where did you read of such an idea? I'll and look a but myself...

-Tyler

EDIT: Found a few articles that can easily confuse when read at different times...

http://www.uihealthcare.com/news/news/2007/01/08skincancer.html

http://texyt.com/bright+blue+leds+annoyance+health+risks

http://www.georgetownuniversityhosp...&UserAction=PressDetails&action=detail&ref=38

http://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/blue-light-kills-cancer/

I might still be scared of 445 if it's enough to ward off cancer...

 

[jbtm]

That article about blue leds..Wow, never knew these things. They can weaken immune system possibly and disrupt sleep? wow..

I agree on the brightness. They said blue LEDs appear most visible to human eyes due to rods and lalala. I find this true. My sisters phone charger has a blue LED which glows the whole fricken hallway! I should ask if she has any sleep issues The chargers bright blue led right next to her bed XD

Interesting to see the reason why its brighter is because its newer technology. Blue LEDs usually do cost more still. Nothing in my room or in my electronics have blue LEDS...The only thing that does is my stereo system, which is usually off during the night anyways. It's also blocked by objects so I never know its even on...

 

[charliebruce]

This refers to the Daily Mail, a paper in the UK.