Am I the only one who developed a rash from handling certain minerals?

My dermatologist linked my skin irritation to pyrite exposure, so I always use gloves now.

3 comments

3 Comments

Did your dermatologist say why pyrite causes rashes? I heard it's the sulfur content. Some minerals can really mess with your skin. Glad you're using gloves now, that's smart.

kellycraig9d ago

Yeah mine said it's basically a reaction to the sulfur dust when it gets wet. I had to switch to nitrile gloves because the powder still got through the cheap ones I was using. What helped me was washing right after handling and using this plain zinc oxide cream at night.

wren_hunt134d ago

Actually, I don't think it's just the sulfur. A lot of pyrite has trace metals like arsenic in it, and that can be the real problem for skin. My reaction was always worse with specimens from specific locations known for that. The sulfur gets all the blame, but the other stuff in the mix is way more likely to cause a bad rash. Gloves are still a must, but it's good to know what you're really dealing with.