In today’s day and age, cellphones have become a necessity and a huge chunk of our time is spent clung to our cell phone like a magnet to steel. We use our smartphones continuously without realizing the detrimental effects it could have on our health.

What happens is, your cell phone emits electromagnetic energy in the form of radio-frequency and this energy is readily absorbed by the tissues that are exposed to it. This radio-frequency travels from your phone to the cell tower and vice versa in the form of waves or particles. The radio-frequency emitting from your phone is non-ionizing in nature, unlike X-rays, radon or cosmic rays which are ionizing radiations.

Ionizing radiations are released from radioactive substances and contain a huge amount of energy, this energy is capable of mutation in human tissues leading to tumors and malignant cancers.

On the other hand non-ionizing radiations, the type of which are emitted from cell phones, contain lesser energy and are not as much harmful, but still harmful.

A study conducted by the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel took the wraps off the risks associated with heavy usage of cell phones. According to the study, a 15-minute duration of usage can lead to changes in the cellular brain. Dr. John Bucher, The Associate Director of the National Institutes of Health, National Toxicology Program, remarked:
“As of now, with only 10-12 years exposure, and use increasing dramatically, there is a concern of increase in brain cancer, related to use.”

He also claimed that the risk of developing cancer from such radiations is greater in children under development stages since their skulls are weak and allow greater permeability to electromagnetic radiations.

Moreover, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and institute working under W.H.O classify radio frequencies as “possibly carcinogenic (something that leads to cancer) to humans”.

In recent years, the use of cell phone has increased exponentially. Not only there has been an immense increase in a number of cell-phone users, but the time one spends on their cellular phones has also increased greatly making us more vulnerable to perils of radiations.

Stop using cell-phones? No! But you can always be careful.

The Environmental Working Group suggested few guidelines that may curtail exposure to cell phone radiations.

1. Use headphones while talking.

2. Use speaker option to maintain distance.

3. Text instead of talking.

4. Do not use phones when signals are weak (weak signals causes more emission of radio-frequency waves).

5. Use the phones with low radiation (as suggested below).

The EWG also suggested a list of phones with least SAR counts. SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) measures the rate at which body absorbs radiations emitted from cell phone usage. The list shows maximum SAR levels of the phones mentioned.
Brand and Type SAR level.

1. Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100 0.17

2. Samsung Galaxy Note N7000 0.26

3. SonyEricsson Xperia Play 036

4. Samsung Galaxy Beam 0.28

5. Samsung Galaxy 551 0.38

Better be safe than sorry!