When you open a car door or refrigerator door, there is a moment when the nerves that tingle are straightened. Static electricity is particularly common during the change of seasons when the air is dry like these days. In general, it is said that 1 in 4 people suffer from static electricity. There are times when I worry regarding ‘why am I the only one with such severe static electricity’ when other people seem to have no problem? I wonder if it might be harmful to my health. Why does static electricity occur, and is there anyone else who is prone to static electricity?
Static electricity generation is especially severe in spring, the changing season｜Source: Getty Image Bank
Static electricity that comes when the day is dry, why does it appear?
Static electricity is literally ‘static electricity’. The reason why static electricity is generated is due to friction. Whenever the body comes into contact with an object, electrons are stored as electricity as they move back and forth between the body and the object. Then, when the electricity accumulates above the appropriate limit, when the body or object comes into contact once more, the accumulated electricity moves in an instant.
Static electricity appears a lot in the fall and winter when the weather is dry, and during the changing seasons like these days. This is because the generation of static electricity is closely related to humidity. The lower the humidity, the higher the rate of static electricity generation. Moisture makes the charged particles electrically neutral, making static electricity less likely to occur when humidity is relatively high. If the humidity of the air is 60% or more, static electricity does not remain well, but if the humidity is 30% or less, a lot of static electricity is accumulated. This is why static electricity does not appear well in summer when the humidity is high.
Is there anyone else who is prone to static electricity?
The primary cause of static electricity is dry weather, but the moisture content of the skin surface also has an effect. If I touch the same handle and I get a tingle and static electricity occurs, it is because of the difference in skin moisture level. That is, it is more frequent in dry skin than in oily skin.
Also, older people feel static electricity more than younger people because the skin gets drier with age. Thin people are more sensitive to static electricity than obese people, and people who sweat a lot or have a damp body are less affected by static electricity than people who are not.
Alcohol and coffee also increase the frequency of static electricity. When you drink alcohol, the secretion of antidiuretic hormone made in the posterior pituitary gland is suppressed, so you visit the bathroom more often than when you drank water. In addition, alcohol promotes diuresis, which causes the body to expel a lot of water from cells. Caffeine in coffee also induces a diuretic effect, and in the case of caffeine, it is known that regarding 2.5 times the amount of water consumed is excreted. In other words, the risk of static electricity is higher for people who enjoy drinking coffee and alcohol.
It’s not harmful to the body, but you shouldn’t ignore it
The degree of shock felt by static electricity varies from person to person. Normally, men feel electricity at regarding 4,000 volts, and women feel electricity at as little as 2,500 volts. The limit of the voltage that can accumulate in the human body is regarding 3,500 volts, and if the static electricity is enough to feel pain on the fingertips, it is usually over 3,000 volts. The reason why you don’t get an electric shock even though the static electricity is so high is because the current is only 1,000 to 1 millionth of the current used in everyday life.
So it’s easy to take static electricity lightly, but don’t be vigilant. Static electricity is not harmful to the human body, but a dry environment is not good for the health of the skin or respiratory system. Excessive static electricity can also be a signal from the body that requires water due to lack of water in our body and surrounding environment. Static electricity irritates the skin, causing itching, and scratching it can cause inflammation. In addition, frequent static electricity not only causes fatigue, stress, headaches, and discomfort, but also can cause hair loss as hair is easily damaged if the hair is tangled with static electricity.
Haidak Orthopedics Counseling Doctor Lee Jae-seong (JSM Clinic) said, “When clothes or objects with different properties collide with each other, ions move to each other, and static electricity is generated. Static electricity is not dangerous to the human body, but it can cause inflammation if you have a skin disease. “It can get worse, and people who are weak or overworked may be more sensitive to electrostatic shock.” In particular, he advised, “People with dry skin, people with skin diseases or diabetes, and the elderly should prevent static electricity in advance.”
It is important to maintain the proper humidity of the body as well as the surrounding environment
To prevent static electricity, it is important to maintain proper humidity in the surrounding environment. On dry days when the humidity is around 10-20%, static electricity is likely to occur because the charge is not absorbed by the air. Use a humidifier or wet laundry to maintain indoor humidity. It is also important to maintain the proper humidity of the body, and it is good to wash your hands frequently so that they remain moist. Keep your skin hydrated by applying plenty of moisturizing lotion. In particular, since hair is a body part that generates a lot of static electricity, it is important to use treatment following shampooing and rinsing to create a protective film on the surface of the hair and supply moisture and nutrients to the hair. If your hair is prone to static electricity, dry your hair to regarding 70% before putting on clothes and comb it with a rubber or wooden handle brush.
In addition, static electricity is often generated in clothes made of chemical fibers. When storing clothes, do not stack clothes of the same fabric or hang them side by side, but put a newspaper between a coat and a sweater or hang clothes made of pure cotton to reduce static electricity. You can avoid static electricity by blowing on the palm of your hand to make it moist before holding the doorknob, or by placing your nail without nerve tissue on the doorknob before holding it. Wiping appliances with a cloth soaked in vinegar is also a way to prevent static electricity from appliances. Stockings worn by women also generate a lot of static electricity. Even at this time, washing with vinegar can reduce static electricity.
Help = Haidaq Counseling Doctor Jeseong Lee (Orthopedic surgeon at JSM Clinic)
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