A Darkroom Based Skin Reaction - Allergies? Chemicals?

SRCE2 · Sep 5, 2016

Recently I've been considering a return to a home-based B&W darkroom workflow but some bad memories from my college photo-class days have got me thinking twice. I'm hoping that the situation I'm about to describe might sound familiar to you and hopefully I can attain some useful answers/solutions.

Years ago, in my pre-digital days, I used to work in the darkroom about 3-4 times a week, but after the second day or so the following would start to occur:

Day 3: My hands would itch intermittently

Day 4: Small blisters, about a millimeter or so in diameter, would appear on my skin. Itching continues.

Day 7-9: The blisters would dry and the skin above them would peel. Itching subsides.

Obviously, I would have to steer clear of the darkroom for about 4-5 days in-between these "outbreaks" to prevent it from getting worse and allow my skin to recover. I tried washing my hands frequently, wearing latex gloves, and finally heavy rubber gloves, but nothing seemed to help.

An interesting note is that these reactions never occurred in my later film scanning days, when I would develop film by hand but print digitally. So the reaction, chemical or allergy-related in nature, came from a darkroom chemical, not one used in typical film developing.

Has anyone ever experienced/seen this reaction before? Do you know what causes it? Any suggestions? Solutions?

David Lyga · Sep 5, 2016

In 52 years in the darkroom, with hands routinely in chemicals, I have NEVER experienced any problems. That said, what you said is both amazing to me, and true, as others have had that problem. With metol, a developer component, there used to be claims such as yours, but eventually that problem was ascribed to impurities in metol, not the metol, itself.

There ARE lotions to be rubbed on the skin, especially for this purpose, although I cannot give definitive information on this. - David Lyga

Gerald C Koch · Sep 5, 2016

Some people are more susceptible to developing agents like netol while others are not effected. I am sensitive to paraphenylene diamine and the color developing agents based on it. Traditionally metol was the bad actor in the B&W darkroom and there is even a condition called "metol poisoning." Try switching to only phenidone based chemistry and see if this helps. Phenidone and its derivatives like Domezone do not seem to cause a problem.

MattKing · Sep 5, 2016

Any chance you have a latex allergy?

The modern nitrile gloves work well for me.

AgX · Sep 5, 2016

My first idea too. A reaction to one processing bath (most likely the developer), then followed by a reaction to Latex.

pentaxuser · Sep 5, 2016

You have my sympathies. One of the differences between film developing and print developing may be that the chemicals are for most of the time enclosed in film developing whereas print developing may have been done in open trays. It's a longshot and relatively expensive but if all else fails then the last step might be drum processing or a Nova processor where the surface area of the exposed chemicals is small. Effectively it is a series of developing trays on their sides and about 1 inch wide.

My guess is that the stop bath is unlikely to be the cause and the fixer may be relatively harmless as well so its the developer's ingredients that are most likely to be at fault.

Tests at an allergy clinic may be expensive but necessary. Doing nothing is cheaper but clearly not an option

I hope you find a solution.

pentaxuser

SRCE2 · Sep 5, 2016

Thank you for all the responses so far, I've definitely got some food for thought and experimenting to do.

As David and Gerald mentioned, all my darkroom chemical experiences involved Dektol, a metol based developer which could be the culprit. I think I'll give Illford's Bromophen (a phenidone/hydroquinone developer) a try and see what happens. I'll also look into a barrier cream as a backup plan if all else fails.

Can anyone recommend any phenidone or domezone based developers? Preferably something mainstream, like the bromophen, so it's easy to get.

Paul Howell · Sep 5, 2016

If you dont mind ordering from the west coast you can try Clayton. Clayton was used by the Navy for use on boards ships and is still used in schools due to low toxic, of the top of my head i think phenidone bases developers, film and paper, along with a low odor stop and fixer. Freestyle sells both Clayton brand and a house brand made by Clayton.

Paul Howell · Sep 5, 2016

Just for heck of it I checked out Freestyle web site, all the material hazards and ingreaitans are now listed with easy to access for all of their develops they sell, which is a lot, not many on the market they don't resell.

I just browsed the developers I use, Edwal Ultra Black not so bad, but Edwal TST appears to be very toxic and what is in is a trade secret. I like TST but is so expensive that I don't buy is very often.

winger · Sep 5, 2016

Being in the East, you might give Sprint a try. Here's their print developer - http://sprintsystems.com/products/quicksilver-print-developer/ They're in RI and will sell from their website if you can't get it elsewhere. I used to use it because it was easy to get when I lived in MA and my prints from back then were very consistent.

I agree about latex gloves and any gloves with powder (it's frequently the powder that causes the problem, not always the latex). Try nitrile gloves with no powder. Also don't keep the same gloves on for very long - sweating in them can cause problems other than allergies.

Vaughn · Sep 5, 2016

Ilford PQ Universal developer -- but I have only used it for film.

Poisson Du Jour · Sep 5, 2016

At the very least, you should see a specialist Dermatologist. He/she will likely request a very small sample (vial) of every chemical you are routinely exposed to. This will serve well for a dropper spot-test on your arm and track any reaction(s) from there. But there may also be a combination of factors, that's why it should be given professional attention.

Persistent, regular exposure to chemicals can lead to skin cancer (the passage of years with nothing happening does not mean anything), but the desquamation you speak of in the Day 7-9 paragraph I think is more akin to a reaction. A number of people I know, including one in the family, have hypersensitivity reaction to common dishwashing detergent and another to washing powder -- the irritants are simply completely avoided (meaning, somebody else has to do the work!!).

Doremus Scudder · Sep 6, 2016

Before doing anything, try to find out what it is you were/are having a reaction to. Metol (a common cause of allergic skin reactions), latex, or something else?

If you do have contact dermatitis caused by a chemical or other material, then simply avoid exposure by not using that chemical/product/whatever. There are a lot of options as far as development chemistry concerned including very non-toxic ascorbic-acid based developers (Xtol, etc.), citric and ascorbic-acid based stop baths etc. With a little research, you can likely find chemistry that is benign to you.

FWIW, I can spend all day in the darkroom and never dunk my hands in a solution (though I often do just because I don't have any allergic reactions to anything... yet). Nitrile gloves for film developing, a good set of tongs for prints and all I ever get on my hands is water.

Best,

Doremus

onemississipp · Sep 6, 2016

Your description to me says eczema or hand dermatitis or even a form of Dyshidrotic eczema. Many react from cleaning agents others from just the heat of wearing gloves.

Yours sounds like a chemical, I would say avoid the same chemical you used to use.

I can't offer anything that hasn't already been suggested, other than do not wash your hands in hot water and harsh soap, luke warm water and a mild soap will help.

chip j · Sep 7, 2016

I have the same problem--only worse-I needed cortazone shots & light treatments. The big break came with Freestyle's Eco-friendly paper developer!! I can print all I want!!! I've always used Rubber gloves when developing film in tanks--so I now have a mighty huge backlog of film to print!

canvassy · Sep 7, 2016

I've had an issue with c41 chems and red itchy welts that appear on my love handles. Some powderless nitrile gloves solved it, I got a big pack of 100 gloves at the home improvement store for about $10. I also get itchy hands from some soaps.

Tom A · Sep 7, 2016

SRCE2 said:
...Years ago, in my pre-digital days, I used to work in the darkroom about 3-4 times a week, but after the second day or so the following would start to occur:

Day 3: My hands would itch intermittently

Day 4: Small blisters, about a millimeter or so in diameter, would appear on my skin. Itching continues.

Day 7-9: The blisters would dry and the skin above them would peel. Itching subsides.

Obviously, I would have to steer clear of the darkroom for about 4-5 days in-between these "outbreaks" to prevent it from getting worse and allow my skin to recover. I tried washing my hands frequently, wearing latex gloves, and finally heavy rubber gloves, but nothing seemed to help.

When I started out in the darkroom with wet prints I experienced something similar. Itchy and dry skin where the skin is thin at my arms. I traced the most likely source of the problem to be the acid fixer I was using, which was giving of a strong sulfite-dioxide-odour. After I switched to an alkaline fixer the problem and odour was gone.

The paper developer I was using did not contain metol, so "metol poisoning" was ruled out.

Just my 2 cent

bdial · Sep 7, 2016

I had problems 30+ years ago when I worked in a photo lab and had my hands in chemistry every day, 5 days a week.
Not too long after that I had 20 year darkroom "vacation".
My hands are back to no sensitivity, but, being older and wiser, I keep my hands out of chemistry when I can, though I only use gloves when I'm working with things like selenium toner or pyro developers.
Aside from gloves, equipment helps, I use a Nova slot processor for most printing. When I use trays I use tongs for agitating prints. I'm also not currently using metol based developers.

MartinP · Sep 8, 2016

Latex gloves provide almost no protection as they, slowly or not-so-slowly, absorb many darkroom chemicals through the glove. Latex (as mentioned many times above) is also a source of allergies itself.

Nitrile gloves are a safer alternative and are easily, and cheaply, available from any hospital pharmacist. Metol-free chemistry works perfectly adequately, so use that too.

There is no need at all to have any skin contact with darkroom chemicals, so it might be a good plan to try to think through how that happened previously and then avoid it. The nitrile-gloves are only there as an emergency barrier. If you have problems with hand dexterity and trays, then you could look at processing in tubes. As black-and-white chemistry is used at more-or-less room temperature then you can use a few small wheels from the hardware shop to make yourself a manual roller-base, or even roll along the side of a benchtop if you have room.

Good luck.

DREW WILEY · Sep 8, 2016

People develop sensitivities to various things. Metol is a common itchy-skin offender in darkroom, latex another. Most of use disposable nitrile
gloves instead. I'm allergic to something in RA4 chemistry, so run my developing drums outdoors. I knew photo lab owners who couldn't even enter their own building after sensitization to one thing or another. All these joggers running around with exercise monitors are getting horrible wrist rashes and can't figure out why. Those made in China plasticky devices are often reeking with excessive phtalate plasticizers. Duuuh. But I always thought exercise could be judged by sweating, breathing hard, faster heart rate anyway. That formula has worked for humans the last few hundred thousand years.

Gerald C Koch · Sep 8, 2016

SRCE2 said:
I'll also look into a barrier cream as a backup plan if all else fails.
.

I tried the barrier creams before I just gave up on color processing. To be effective you need to get both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic creams. IIRC you first put on the hydrophilic cream and when it dries then put on the hydrophobic one. There should be instructions in the cartons. This gives the best protection. The protection wears off in a couple of hours and the creams reapplied. One annoying side effect that I experienced was a feeling of warmth in my hands and also the feeling that my hands were wrapped in cotton batting. But the creams did work.

Ashfaque · Sep 12, 2016

Consult with your GP beforehand. I'm sure he'll be able to identify the chemicals you're prone to easily.
Bests,
Ashfaque

RattyMouse · Sep 12, 2016

David Lyga said:
In 52 years in the darkroom, with hands routinely in chemicals, I have NEVER experienced any problems. That said, what you said is both amazing to me, and true, as others have had that problem. With metol, a developer component, there used to be claims such as yours, but eventually that problem was ascribed to impurities in metol, not the metol, itself.

There ARE lotions to be rubbed on the skin, especially for this purpose, although I cannot give definitive information on this. - David Lyga

As a practicing, graduate degreed chemist, it is beyond appalling to see people use chemicals with such recklessness as above. Good chemical hygiene mandates that every possible effort be made to avoid exposure to chemicals. Chemical exposure = health risk. It's that simple.

RattyMouse · Sep 12, 2016

Poisson Du Jour said:
Persistent, regular exposure to chemicals can lead to skin cancer (the passage of years with nothing happening does not mean anything),

^^^^^This! Not just skin cancer but others as well. The liver is very susceptible to cancer as well. The vast majority of the chemicals I work with in the lab, that are totally unrelated to each other, mention liver damage as a risk.

Everyone should be skilled in avoiding chemical exposure!

Ronald Moravec · Sep 12, 2016

You have a metol allergy. I know people who react just from the darkroom air.

Find a developer without it or invest in a lab grade ventilating hood. There is no fix.

A Darkroom Based Skin Reaction - Allergies? Chemicals?

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